Detection and variability of combustion-derived vapor in an urban basin
Abstract
Abstract. Water emitted during combustion may comprise a significant portion of ambient humidity (> 10%) in urban areas, where combustion emissions are strongly focused in space and time. Stable water vapor isotopes can be used to apportion measured humidity values between atmospherically transported and combustion-derived water vapor, as combustion-derived vapor possesses an unusually negative deuterium excess value (d-excess, d = δ2H−8δ18O). We investigated the relationship between the d-excess of atmospheric vapor, ambient CO2 concentrations, and atmospheric stability across four winters in Salt Lake City, Utah. We found a robust inverse relationship between CO2 excess above background and d-excess on sub-diurnal to seasonal timescales, which was most prominent during periods of strong atmospheric stability that occur during Salt Lake City winter. Using a Keeling-style mixing model approach, and assuming a molar ratio of H2O to CO2 in emissions of 1.5, we estimated the d-excess of combustion-derived vapor in Salt Lake City to be −179±17‰, consistent with the upper limit of theoretical estimates. Based on this estimate, we calculate that vapor from fossil fuel combustion often represents 5–10% of total urban humidity, with a maximum estimate of 16.7%, consistent with prior estimates for Salt Lake City. Moreover, our analysis highlights that changes in the observed d-excessmore »
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- The Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1454636
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1502122
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0010624
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) Journal Volume: 18 Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1680-7324
- Publisher:
- Copernicus Publications, EGU
- Country of Publication:
- Germany
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Citation Formats
Fiorella, Richard P., Bares, Ryan, Lin, John C., Ehleringer, James R., and Bowen, Gabriel J. Detection and variability of combustion-derived vapor in an urban basin. Germany: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.5194/acp-18-8529-2018.
Fiorella, Richard P., Bares, Ryan, Lin, John C., Ehleringer, James R., & Bowen, Gabriel J. Detection and variability of combustion-derived vapor in an urban basin. Germany. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8529-2018
Fiorella, Richard P., Bares, Ryan, Lin, John C., Ehleringer, James R., and Bowen, Gabriel J. Mon .
"Detection and variability of combustion-derived vapor in an urban basin". Germany. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8529-2018.
@article{osti_1454636,
title = {Detection and variability of combustion-derived vapor in an urban basin},
author = {Fiorella, Richard P. and Bares, Ryan and Lin, John C. and Ehleringer, James R. and Bowen, Gabriel J.},
abstractNote = {Abstract. Water emitted during combustion may comprise a significant portion of ambient humidity (> 10%) in urban areas, where combustion emissions are strongly focused in space and time. Stable water vapor isotopes can be used to apportion measured humidity values between atmospherically transported and combustion-derived water vapor, as combustion-derived vapor possesses an unusually negative deuterium excess value (d-excess, d = δ2H−8δ18O). We investigated the relationship between the d-excess of atmospheric vapor, ambient CO2 concentrations, and atmospheric stability across four winters in Salt Lake City, Utah. We found a robust inverse relationship between CO2 excess above background and d-excess on sub-diurnal to seasonal timescales, which was most prominent during periods of strong atmospheric stability that occur during Salt Lake City winter. Using a Keeling-style mixing model approach, and assuming a molar ratio of H2O to CO2 in emissions of 1.5, we estimated the d-excess of combustion-derived vapor in Salt Lake City to be −179±17‰, consistent with the upper limit of theoretical estimates. Based on this estimate, we calculate that vapor from fossil fuel combustion often represents 5–10% of total urban humidity, with a maximum estimate of 16.7%, consistent with prior estimates for Salt Lake City. Moreover, our analysis highlights that changes in the observed d-excess during periods of high atmospheric stability cannot be explained without a vapor source possessing a strongly negative d-excess value. Further refinements in this humidity apportionment method, most notably empirical validation of the d-excess of combustion vapor or improvements in the estimation of the background d-excess value in the absence of combustion, can yield more certain estimates of the impacts of fossil fuel combustion on urban humidity and meteorology.},
doi = {10.5194/acp-18-8529-2018},
journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online)},
number = 12,
volume = 18,
place = {Germany},
year = {Mon Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Mon Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8529-2018
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