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2003 Progress Report: Boise Valley Inversion and Air Pollution Study
EPA Grant Number: R829425E01Title: Boise Valley Inversion and Air Pollution Study
Investigators: Dawson, Paul , Crawford, Ronald L. , Greeley, Joseph N.
Institution: Boise State University
EPA Project Officer: Winner, Darrell
Project Period: September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2004
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003
Project Amount: $517,650
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2001)
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)
Description:
Objective:The objective of this research project is to provide a better understanding of air quality in relation to weather-caused inversion events and what can be done to reduce the pollution associated with these events and thereby health threats to affected populations. Idaho's Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for all its EPSCoR programs is to improve research competitiveness by identifying and developing research capabilities in areas where Idaho universities have talented faculty, and to give these faculty sufficient financial and infrastructure support so they may compete successfully for federal and private research dollars and attain national stature in their specialties. Our chosen area for 2001 is air quality specifically related to weather-caused inversion events that pose significant health issues to resident populations.
Progress Summary:The SIP project was modified in April 2003, to support the airshed monitoring program at Timberline High School (THS), under the direction of chemistry instructor, Dr. Neil Greeley. Some activities of the SIP have been completed. During the summer of 2003, a high school student participated with undergraduate college students in geographic information systems (GIS) training and analysis of the meteorological and air quality data during the winter inversions. Also, a particulate matter (PM10) monitoring station and a T1 computer line were installed at THS, and a wireless weather station was installed at the neighboring elementary school. Sun photometers and air pollution monitoring kits were ordered for use in the chemistry classes during the 2003-2004 academic year. The sun photometers will be used to measure optical thickness of winter inversions.
Future Activities:Chemistry students will collect PM10, CO, NOx, and SOx data at THS during 2003-2004, and take weekly measurements of Air Quality Index (AQI) pollutants. Airshed quality issues will be linked to the following chemistry curriculum core concepts: measurement, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gas laws, and chemical equilibrium. The chemistry students also will measure the atmospheric optical thickness of the winter inversions and correlate this data with the weekly AQI data. They will participate in the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s (IDEQ) Airshed Management community education program and will help raise public awareness of air quality during inversion periods. The students will develop a Web site dedicated to THS air quality data and projects. This site will include meteorological data collected at the local elementary school and links will be developed so that other schools in Treasure Valley can input their AQI and inversion data. Eventually, via a comprehensive secondary school network, student-collected data from across the valley will be used to generate GIS AQI maps that can be correlated with inversion measurements. In addition, the GIS-trained high school student will continue to collect daily AQI data for Dr. Dawson's research to generate GIS air quality contour maps and to post the results on the THS Web Site.
Another activity in the community education program will be developed this year. Chemistry students at THS will teach mini-weather units to students at the local elementary school. Most importantly, a year-long relationship will be developed between these elementary and secondary students as they share meteorological and AQI data on a common science project. This is expected to have a positive impact on all participating students on their attitudes and interests towards science.
Supplemental Keywords:mountain valley inversions, cool air pools, mesoscale modeling, particulate matter monitoring, air quality episodes, air, ecosystem protection/environmental exposure and risk, monitoring/modeling, state, particulate matter, PM, Boise Valley, Idaho, ID, air pollution, air quality, air quality models, airborne particulate matter, atmospheric dispersion models, atmospheric inversion, atmospheric measurements, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate, particulate matter mass, environmental chemistry. , Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Air, Geographic Area, Scientific Discipline, RFA, Ecology, particulate matter, Monitoring/Modeling, State, particulate, particulate matter mass, Boise Valley, air quality, atmospheric dispersion models, three dimensional air flow modeling, Boise Valley Inversion, air quality models, air pollution, Idaho (ID), atmospheric particulate matter, atmospheric measurements, atmospheric inversion
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract