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A Guide to Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Quality

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A Guide to Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Quality Mid-Atlantic Regional Air MARAMAManagement Association A Guide to Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Quality October 2005 . A Guide to Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Quality Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association October 2005 About MARAMA The Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association is a voluntary, non-profit association of ten state and local air pollution control agencies. MARAMA’s mission is to strengthen the skills and capabilities of member agencies and to help them work together to prevent and reduce air pollution impacts in the Mid-Atlantic Region. MARAMA provides cost-effective approaches to regional collaboration by pooling resources to develop and analyze data, share ideas, and train staff to implement common requirements. The following State and Local governments are MARAMA members: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vir- ginia, West Virginia, Philadelphia, and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Cover Photos: (clockwise from lower left) Lidar from the Northeast Oxidant and Particle Study (NE-OPS) in Philadelphia -- Photo, Russell Philbrick. (See page 6 for more about this project.) Research aircraft from the University of Maryland -- Photo, Bruce Doddridge. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware -- Photo, Alice Lutrey For copies of this report contact: MARAMA Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association 711 West 40th Street, Suite 312 Baltimore, Maryland 21211 phone 410.467.0170 fax 410.467.1737 www.marama.org Principal Author Jeff Stehr, Ph.D. Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science University of Maryland at College Park Contributing Editor Susan S.G.Wierman Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association Project Manager, Layout, and Design Susan Stephenson Air Quality Planner, Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association Acknowledgments The Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA) recognizes the significant contributions made by the lead author, Dr. Jeff Stehr, from the Uni- versity of Maryland in making this report possible. His insight into the role geogra- phy and meteorology each play in the Region’s air quality have made the report an excellent resource for the area’s air quality managers. In addition, MARAMA would also like to thank the review committee comprised of the following state and local staff: Roger Westman and Jayme Graham, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Ray Malenfant, Delaware Tad Aburn and Brian Hug, Maryland Chris Salmi and Charles Pietarinen, New Jersey Sheila Holman and Laura Boothe, North Carolina Wick Havens, Pennsylvania Dan Salkovitz, Virginia The MARAMA members mentioned above met numerous times via conference call and pored through a number of report drafts. At each stage they offered careful criticism and intuitive insight into the substance of the report. Pooling their regional knowledge significantly added to the quality of the final report. We would also like to thank Serpil Kayin, Bill Gillespie, Katie Sheen Abbott, Pat Davis, and Ningqi Hou of the MARAMA staff for their contributions to this report. Without their efforts, many of the charts and maps would not have been possible. Finally, MARAMA would like to thank U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Re- gion III, which provided maps and charts as well as the funding for the development of this report. (Grant Number XA-983865-01) Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association Table of Contents List of Figures....................................................................................................................vii List of Features..................................................................................................................ix Introduction........................................................................................................................xi Setting the Stage.............................................................................................................xii Part I The Nature of Air Pollutants................................................................................1 Introduction to Terms and Concepts Ground-Level Ozone Fine Particles (PM2.5) Haze Interconnections Pollutant Fate Part II How’s the Air Out There?..................................................................................15 Nonattainment Areas How Many Days of Unhealthful Air Quality? Design Values PM2.5 Composition Seasonal Variation in Total PM2.5 An Ozone Episode Part III Meteorology and Transport in Air Pollution Episodes.............................31 The Basics: Mixing, Temperatures, and Daily Cycles Meteorological Transport Mechanisms The Airshed and the Range of Transport The Whole Picture: Everything at Once Part IV Pollution Sources...............................................................................................47 Anthropogenic Sources Analysis of the 2002 Emissions Inventory Part V Measurements, Data Analysis, and Modeling............................................59 Measurement Data Analysis Air Quality Modeling Combining Techniques Part VI Closing Thoughts..............................................................................................67 Understanding A Diverse Region Pollutant Interactions are Important Emissions Must be Reduced Transport and Local Sources are Both Important A Commitment to Improving Air Quality Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association -v- Appendices...........................................................................................................................71 A. Health Effects of Air Pollutants B. Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems and the Environment C. Air Quality Standards and Goals D. MARAMA Region Data Tables E. Measuring and Calculating Visibility Impairment F. Bibliography and Suggested Readings Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association -vi- List of Figures Part I The Nature of Air Pollutants Figure 1 Ozone molecule (O3)............................................................................................................2 Figure 2 Diurnal pattern, PM.........................................................................................................5 Figure 3 Electron microscope comparison of human hair and particle.......................................7 Figure 4 Class I Federal areas in the East and Southeast..........................................................10 Figure 5 Comparison of hazy vs. clear day at Shenandoah National Park...................................11 Figure 6 Types of particles that impaired visibility on the 20% of days with the poorest visibility................................................................................................13 Part II How’s The Air Out There? Figure 7 Eight-hour ozone attainment/nonattainment in the MARAMA Region.........................16 Figure 8 PM2.5 nonattainment/attainment areas in the MARAMA Region..........................................17 Figure 9 MARAMA Region 2000-2002 8-hour ozone design values by site...............................19 Figure 10 MARAMA Region PM2.5 design values 2001-2003.........................................................20 Figure 11 Annual average composition of fine particles at urban sites throughout the United States............................................ ........................................22 Figure 12 Annual average composition of fine particles at rural sites throughout the United States....................................................................................22 Figure 13 Ambient urban excess PM concentrations for 13 example areas...................................24 Figure 14 PM2.5 time series for the northeastern MARAMA Region, summer 2002.................................................................................................................27 Figure 15 PM2.5 time series for the southeastern MARAMA Region, summer 2002.................................................................................................................27 Figure 16 Average FRM Values for 2002, Baltimore, MD.............................................................28 Figure 17 Average FRM Values for 2002, Richmond, VA............................................................28 Figure 18 Average FRM Values for 2002, Wilmington, DE..........................................................29 Figure 19 Average FRM Values for 2002, Pittsburgh, PA............................................................29 Part III Meteorology and Transport in Air Pollution Episodes Figure 20 Temperature inversion................................................................................................32 Figure 21 Daily cycle of inversions and mixing..................................................................................33 Figure 22 Bermuda High.............................................................................................................36 Figure 23 Satellite picture of smoke from 2002 Quebec wildfires..............................................38 Figure 24 Time and altitude profile of a low level jet...................................................................41 Figure 25 Appalachian lee side trough......................................................................................42 Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association -vii- Part IV Pollution Sources Figure 26 2002 Annual anthropogenic sources (MARAMA and Northeast)..................................47 Figure 27 Sulfur dioxide concentrations in the eastern United States.......................................49
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