Focus Sites Update

1
Focus Sites Update

• Scott Reynolds, SC DHEC- Ben Hartsell, ARA
• VISTAS STAD Meeting- Charleston, SC
• February 6, 2004

2
2002 Priorities Data WorkshopAtlanta January,
2002

• Add RH at IMPROVE sites
• Analyze IMPROVE filters for NH4
• Upper Air Meteorology
• Collect additional optical measurements
• Add continuous PM2.5 Speciation at selected sites

3
Needed Monitoring Data WorkshopAtlanta
January, 2002

• At a minimum, daily speciation
• Hourly ambient data to characterize the diurnal
  profile of the various species
• In addition to the components of PM NH3, HNO3,
  NO, NO2, NOy H2O2, VOCs, SO2, CO
• and Met, RH, Optical measures
• Draft Data Gaps Report..
• Network comparisons
• Continuous speciation, Neph, RH, Ammonium,
  Particle Size distribution

4
VISTAS Focus Sites
Look Rock
Millbrook
Dekalb
Cape Romain
5
Monitoring Strategy

• RH data identified and available at (or near )
  IMPROVE sites
• IMPROVE filters in VISTAS are being analyzed for
  NH4
• Nephalometer installed at Cape Romain
• Continuous PM2.5 Speciation at 3 of 4 Focus sites
  running as envisioned.
• Meeting initial data recovery goals

6
Continuous vs Filter Particulate Data

• Sample size
• Analytical methods
• Material loss / Interferences
• These are NOT your familiar Reference or
  Equivalent monitors

7
Continuous Data Completeness by Species and Month
Millbrook Focus Site
Data Completeness gt75 achieved for most species
most months
8
Continuous Data Completeness by Species and Month
Look Rock Focus Site
Data Completeness gt75 achieved for most species
most months
9
Continuous Data Completeness by Species and Month
Cape Romain Focus Site
Data Completeness gt75 achieved for most species
most months
10
Hourly
11
Hourly
12
Daily
13
and compare..
IMPROVE Graphic Viewer
14
SEARCH Southeastern Aerosol Research and
Characterization Study
How do VISTAS Focus Site Data Compare to
Historical SEARCH Data?
15
Best Estimate PM2.5 Composition at SEARCH Sites
(mg/m3) 1999-2002
SEARCH PM 2.5 Speciation Data Demonstrate a
consistent picture of aerosol composition
throughout the SE will VISTAS data indicate
that NC, SC and TN are similar?
16
SEARCH Style "Best Estimate" Pie for Millbrook,
NC 1/2002-10/2003Best Estimate Mass 18.45
ug/m3STN Mass 15.65 ug/m3
Millbrook STN data provide an indication that the
VISTAS sites do demonstrate a similar aerosol
mixture as that seen in SEARCH
17
Monthly PM 2.5 SpeciationMillbrook Focus Site
(STN Data)
How about seasonal variability is that also
similar to SEARCH?
18
Monthly PM 2.5 SpeciationJefferson St, Atlanta
SEARCH Site
Seasonal patterns do appear similar between
Millbrook (Raleigh, NC) and Jefferson St
(Atlanta, GA). Wintertime mass and sulfate
minima with nitrate maxima summertime mass and
sulfate maxima with nitrate minima. Relatively
persistent carbon burden year round.
19
Table 2. Comparison of Within-Day and Between
Day Variability Look Rock, September, 2003
Continuous instrumentation allow observation of
within-day (hour to hour) and between day (using
daily averages generated from continuous data)
variability not possible with 3 day or 6 day
filter sampling.
20
Continuous data allow the observation of rapidly
varying chemical composition. Note the rapid
shift from sulfur dominated aerosol to a
carbon-rich aerosol from late August to early
September
21
Hourly data allow the calculation of diurnal
profile data and the observation that the
profile can change seasonally
22
Aethelometer BC data show good agreement with
filter EC data with minimal data processing
23
Early Comparison of Millbrook Continuous Sulfate
data to Filter Sulfate Data
Sulfate date from Millbrook demonstrate
moderately good correlation but will need
adjustment to match filter data quantitatively
24
Example of SEARCH Continuous PM Data Validation
Process
25
Early Comparison of Millbrook Continuous Total
Carbon data to Filter Total Carbon Data
TC date from Millbrook demonstrate very good
correlation but also will need adjustment to
match filter data quantitatively
26
Aethelometer BC data show good agreement with
filter EC data with minimal data processing
27
Early Comparison of Cape Romain and Millbrook
Continuous Sulfate data to Filter Sulfate Data
Millbrook - STN
Cape Romain - IMPROVE
28
Focus Site Continuous Particulate Data

• Qualitative
• Comparable between sites and methods
• BUT
• Filter data is needed to enable and improve
  correlation between the continuous data and the
  Gold Standard (IMPROVE)

29
Next focus

• Make the normalized data available s soon as
  possible after filter data is available.
• Identify Episodes?

30
Next focus

• Make the normalized data available s soon as
  possible after filter data is available.
• Identify Episodes?
• Chemical Mass Balance / C14 HiVol collection and
  analysis