Bags with oven-dried moss for the active monitoring of airborne trace elements in urban areas.

PubMed

Giordano, S; Adamo, P; Monaci, F; Pittao, E; Tretiach, M; Bargagli, R

2009-10-01

To define a harmonized methodology for the use of moss and lichen bags as active monitoring devices of airborne trace elements in urban areas, we evaluated the element accumulation in bags exposed in Naples in different spring weather conditions for 6- and 12-weeks. Three different pre-exposure treatments were applied to moss and lichen materials: water-washing, acid-washing and oven-drying. During the different exposure periods in the Naples urban environment the moss accumulated always higher amounts of elements (except Hg) than lichens and the element accumulation increased during wetter weather and higher PM(10) conditions. The oven pre-treatment did not substantially modify the morphology and element composition of moss and the exposure in bags of this material for 6-weeks was sufficient to detect the pattern of airborne trace elements.

Airborne biological hazards and urban transport infrastructure: current challenges and future directions.

PubMed

Nasir, Zaheer Ahmad; Campos, Luiza Cintra; Christie, Nicola; Colbeck, Ian

2016-08-01

Exposure to airborne biological hazards in an ever expanding urban transport infrastructure and highly diverse mobile population is of growing concern, in terms of both public health and biosecurity. The existing policies and practices on design, construction and operation of these infrastructures may have severe implications for airborne disease transmission, particularly, in the event of a pandemic or intentional release of biological of agents. This paper reviews existing knowledge on airborne disease transmission in different modes of transport, highlights the factors enhancing the vulnerability of transport infrastructures to airborne disease transmission, discusses the potential protection measures and identifies the research gaps in order to build a bioresilient transport infrastructure. The unification of security and public health research, inclusion of public health security concepts at the design and planning phase, and a holistic system approach involving all the stakeholders over the life cycle of transport infrastructure hold the key to mitigate the challenges posed by biological hazards in the twenty-first century transport infrastructure.

Correspondence Between Urban Bird Roosts and the Presence of Aerosolised Fungal Pathogens.

PubMed

Irga, Peter J; Armstrong, Brigette; King, William L; Burchett, Margaret; Torpy, Fraser R

2016-10-01

Habitat fragmentation in urban environments concentrates bird populations that have managed to adapt to these newly developed areas. Consequently, the roosts of these birds are potentially creating environments conducive to fungal growth and dissemination. Airborne fungi derived from these environments are relatively unstudied, as is the potential health risk arising from these fungi. This study documented the diversity of culturable airborne fungal propagules associated with forty urban bird roosts. Environmental variables from each site were recorded to allow us to analyse the correspondence between different bird species, the substrate they occupy and airborne fungal propagules. Associations were established between Rhodotorula and Pacific black ducks, wood ducks, myna birds and miner birds when in the presence of bare soil as a substrate. Further associations were established between Penicillium, Scopulariopsis and Cunninghamella and pigeons, sparrows and swallows living in areas with hard surfaces such as bitumen and rocks.

A Web-GIS Procedure Based on Satellite Multi-Spectral and Airborne LIDAR Data to Map the Road blockage Due to seismic Damages of Built-Up Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costanzo, Antonio; Montuori, Antonio; Silva, Juan Pablo; Silvestri, Malvina; Musacchio, Massimo; Buongiorno, Maria Fabrizia; Stramondo, Salvatore

2016-08-01

In this work, a web-GIS procedure to map the risk of road blockage in urban environments through the combined use of space-borne and airborne remote sensing sensors is presented. The methodology concerns (1) the provision of a geo-database through the integration of space-borne multispectral images and airborne LiDAR data products; (2) the modeling of building vulnerability, based on the corresponding 3D geometry and construction time information; (3) the GIS-based mapping of road closure due to seismic- related building collapses based on the building characteristic height and the width of the road. Experimental results, gathered for the Cosenza urban area, allow demonstrating the benefits of both the proposed approach and the GIS-based integration of multi-platforms remote sensing sensors and techniques for seismic road assessment purposes.

Airborne Observations of Urban-Derived Water Vapor and Potential Impacts on Chemistry and Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, O. E.; Shepson, P. B.; Grundman, R. M., II; Stirm, B. H.; Ren, X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Fuentes, J. D.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric conditions typical of wintertime, such as lower boundary layer heights and reduced turbulent mixing, provide a unique environment for anthropogenic pollutants to accumulate and react. Wintertime enhancements in water vapor (H2O) have been observed in urban areas, and are thought to result from fossil fuel combustion and urban heat island-induced evaporation. The contribution of urban-derived water vapor to the atmosphere has the potential to locally influence atmospheric chemistry and weather for the urban area and surrounding region due to interactions between H2O and other chemical species, aerosols, and clouds. Airborne observations of urban-derived H2O, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone, and aerosols were conducted from Purdue University's Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) and the University of Maryland's (UMD) Twin Cessna research aircraft during the winter of 2015. Measurements were conducted as part of the collaborative airborne campaign, Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emissions, and Reactivity (WINTER), which investigated seasonal trends in anthropogenic emissions and reactivity in the Northeastern United States. ALAR and the UMD aircraft participated in mass balance experiments around Washington D.C.-Baltimore to determine total city emission rates of H2O and other greenhouse gases. Average enhancements in H2O mixing ratio of 0.048%, and up to 0.13%, were observed downwind of the urban centers on ten research flights. In some cases, downwind H2O concentrations clearly track CO2 and NO2 enhancements, suggesting a strong combustion signal. Analysis of Purdue and UMD data collected during the WINTER campaign shows an average urban-derived H2O contribution of 5.3%, and as much as 13%, to the local boundary layer from ten research flights flown in February and March of 2015. In this paper, we discuss the potential chemical and physical implications of these results.

Synergistic Use of WorldView-2 Imagery and Airborne LiDAR Data for Urban Land Cover Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, M. F.; Sun, Z. C.; Yang, B.; Yu, S. S.

2017-02-01

There are lots of challenges for deriving urban land cover types for high resolution optical imagery because of spectral similarity of different objects, mixed pixels, shadows of buildings and large tree crowns. In order to reduce these uncertainties, recently, it’s a trend of the classification of urban land cover from multi-source sensors in the field of urban remote sensing. In this study, a hierarchical support vector machine (SVM) classification method was applied to the urban land cover mapping, using the WorldView-2 imagery and airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. The results showed that: (1) The overall accuracy (OA) and overall kappa (OK) were 72.92% and 0.66 for WorldView-2 imagery alone; while the OA and OK were improved up to 89.44% and 0.87 for the synergistic use of the two types of data source. (2) Buildings and road/parking lots extracted from fused data were more precision and well-shaped. The two classes from fused data were optimally classified with higher producer’s accuracy and user’s accuracy than WorldView-2 imagery alone. The trees were also easily separated from the grasslands when the airborne LiDAR data was added. (3) The fused data could reduce the phenomenon of different spectral character of the complex and detailed objects. It was also helpful to address the problem of shadows from the high-rise buildings. The results from this study indicate that the synergistic use of high resolution optical imagery and airborne LiDAR data can be an efficient approach to improving the classification of urban land cover.

Environmental contamination by lead and cadmium in plants from urban area of Madrid, Spain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hernandez, L.M.; Rico, M.C.; Gonzalez, J.

1987-02-01

The monitoring of atmospheric pollution is of great importance. The use of biological materials as metal indicators has been reported to be a relatively cheap, simple and reliable method. Many studies have been made on the influence of air pollution upon plants; however, studies on the relation between metals in airborne particulates and plants are few. Plants are important in the biogeochemical cycle of heavy metals: lead associated with leaves or other deciduous tissue is recycled relatively fast, while lead contained in woody parts of the plant is recycled over a much longer period of time. The aim of thismore » paper is: (a) to determine the lead and cadmium content of the plants investigated; (b) to determine the variations in lead and cadmium in 15 places of the city of Madrid (Spain); (c) to obtain correlations between lead, cadmium, motor traffic, and rain.« less

Test plan and preliminary report of airborne electromagentic environment survey over USA urban areas 0.4 to 18.0 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1975-01-01

An airborne electromagnetic environment survey is described of five urban areas where terrestrially-generated radio-frequency interference was measured over the frequency range from 0.4 to 18.0 GHz. A chartered Cessna 402 aircraft contained necessary measurement test equipment, including the receiving antennas mounted beneath the fuselage. Urban areas including Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; Chicago, ILL; and Palestine, TX were surveyed. A flight test plan and preliminary test results for the 0.4 to 1.4 GHz frequency range, are included; a final test report describes more detailed results.

A Technique for Airborne Aerobiological Sampling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mill, R. A.; And Others

1972-01-01

Report of a study of airborne micro-organisms collected over the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area and immediate environments, to investigate the possibility that a cloud of such organisms might account for the prevalence of some respiratory diseases in and around urban areas. (LK)

The 1979 Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study (SEV-UPS): Surface and airborne studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, J. H.; Eaton, W. C.; Saeger, M. L.; Strong, R. B.; Tommerdahl, J. B.

1980-01-01

The operation of two surface monitoring stations (one in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, one south of the city near the Great Dismal Swamp) and the collection of 40 hours of airborne measurements is described. Surface site measurements of ozone, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, temperature, dew point, b sub seat, and condensation nuclei were made. Instrument calibrations, quality assurance audits, and preliminary data analysis in support of the Urban Plume Study were also made. The air pollution problems that were addressed are discussed. Data handling procedures followed for the surface stations are presented. The operation of the aircraft sampling platform is described. Aircraft sampling procedures are discussed. A preliminary descriptive analysis of the aircraft data is given along with data or plots for surface sites, airborne studies, hydrocarbon species, and instrument performance audits. Several of the aircraft flights clearly show the presence of an urban ozone plume downwind of Norfolk in the direction of the mean wind flow.

DIFFERENTIAL LUNG GENE EXPRESSION IN IMMUNOLOGICALLY-CHALLENGED RATS EXPOSED TO CONCENTRATED AIRBORNE PARTICULATES

EPA Science Inventory

Children residing in urbanized areas suffer disproportionately higher asthma-related morbidity and mortality. One explanation is that inner city children are exposured to higher levels of environmental asthma triggers such as airborne particulate matter. To elucidate gene-environ...

Efficient Feature Extraction and Likelihood Fusion for Vehicle Tracking in Low Frame Rate Airborne Video

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

imagery, persistent sensor array I. Introduction New device fabrication technologies and heterogeneous embedded processors have led to the emergence of a...geometric occlusions between target and sensor , motion blur, urban scene complexity, and high data volumes. In practical terms the targets are small...distributed airborne narrow-field-of-view video sensor networks. Airborne camera arrays combined with com- putational photography techniques enable the

Using AVIRIS data and multiple-masking techniques to map urban forest trees species

Treesearch

Q. Xiao; S.L. Ustin; E.G. McPherson

2004-01-01

Tree type and species information are critical parameters for urban forest management, benefit cost analysis and urban planning. However, traditionally, these parameters have been derived based on limited field samples in urban forest management practice. In this study we used high-resolution Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data and multiple-...

Extraction of Urban Trees from Integrated Airborne Based Digital Image and LIDAR Point Cloud Datasets - Initial Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogon-yaro, M. A.; Kumar, P.; Rahman, A. Abdul; Buyuksalih, G.

2016-10-01

Timely and accurate acquisition of information on the condition and structural changes of urban trees serves as a tool for decision makers to better appreciate urban ecosystems and their numerous values which are critical to building up strategies for sustainable development. The conventional techniques used for extracting tree features include; ground surveying and interpretation of the aerial photography. However, these techniques are associated with some constraint, such as labour intensive field work, a lot of financial requirement, influences by weather condition and topographical covers which can be overcome by means of integrated airborne based LiDAR and very high resolution digital image datasets. This study presented a semi-automated approach for extracting urban trees from integrated airborne based LIDAR and multispectral digital image datasets over Istanbul city of Turkey. The above scheme includes detection and extraction of shadow free vegetation features based on spectral properties of digital images using shadow index and NDVI techniques and automated extraction of 3D information about vegetation features from the integrated processing of shadow free vegetation image and LiDAR point cloud datasets. The ability of the developed algorithms shows a promising result as an automated and cost effective approach to estimating and delineated 3D information of urban trees. The research also proved that integrated datasets is a suitable technology and a viable source of information for city managers to be used in urban trees management.

Spatio-temporal variability of airborne bacterial communities and their correlation with particulate matter chemical composition across two urban areas.

PubMed

Gandolfi, I; Bertolini, V; Bestetti, G; Ambrosini, R; Innocente, E; Rampazzo, G; Papacchini, M; Franzetti, A

2015-06-01

The study of spatio-temporal variability of airborne bacterial communities has recently gained importance due to the evidence that airborne bacteria are involved in atmospheric processes and can affect human health. In this work, we described the structure of airborne microbial communities in two urban areas (Milan and Venice, Northern Italy) through the sequencing, by the Illumina platform, of libraries containing the V5-V6 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene and estimated the abundance of airborne bacteria with quantitative PCR (qPCR). Airborne microbial communities were dominated by few taxa, particularly Burkholderiales and Actinomycetales, more abundant in colder seasons, and Chloroplasts, more abundant in warmer seasons. By partitioning the variation in bacterial community structure, we could assess that environmental and meteorological conditions, including variability between cities and seasons, were the major determinants of the observed variation in bacterial community structure, while chemical composition of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) had a minor contribution. Particularly, Ba, SO4 (2-) and Mg(2+) concentrations were significantly correlated with microbial community structure, but it was not possible to assess whether they simply co-varied with seasonal shifts of bacterial inputs to the atmosphere, or their variation favoured specific taxa. Both local sources of bacteria and atmospheric dispersal were involved in the assembling of airborne microbial communities, as suggested, to the one side by the large abundance of bacteria typical of lagoon environments (Rhodobacterales) observed in spring air samples from Venice and to the other by the significant effect of wind speed in shaping airborne bacterial communities at all sites.

Poaceae pollen as the leading aeroallergen worldwide: A review.

PubMed

García-Mozo, H

2017-12-01

The Poaceae family comprises over 12 000 wind-pollinated species, which release large amounts of pollen into the atmosphere. Poaceae pollen is currently regarded as the leading airborne biological pollutant and the chief cause of pollen allergy worldwide. Sensitization rates vary by country, and those variations are reviewed here. Grass pollen allergens are grouped according to their protein structure and function. In Poaceae, although species belonging to different subfamilies are characterized by distinct allergen subsets, there is a considerable degree of cross-reactivity between many species. Cross-reactivity between grass pollen protein and fresh fruit pan-allergens is associated with the appearance of food allergies. The additional influence of urban pollution may prompt a more severe immunological response. The timing and the intensity of the pollen season are governed by species genetics, but plant phenology is also influenced by climate; as a result, climate changes may affect airborne pollen concentrations. This article reviews the findings of worldwide research which has highlighted the major impact of climate change on plant phenology and also on the prevalence and severity of allergic disease. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

An automated data exploitation system for airborne sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hai-Wen; McGurr, Mike

2014-06-01

Advanced wide area persistent surveillance (WAPS) sensor systems on manned or unmanned airborne vehicles are essential for wide-area urban security monitoring in order to protect our people and our warfighter from terrorist attacks. Currently, human (imagery) analysts process huge data collections from full motion video (FMV) for data exploitation and analysis (real-time and forensic), providing slow and inaccurate results. An Automated Data Exploitation System (ADES) is urgently needed. In this paper, we present a recently developed ADES for airborne vehicles under heavy urban background clutter conditions. This system includes four processes: (1) fast image registration, stabilization, and mosaicking; (2) advanced non-linear morphological moving target detection; (3) robust multiple target (vehicles, dismounts, and human) tracking (up to 100 target tracks); and (4) moving or static target/object recognition (super-resolution). Test results with real FMV data indicate that our ADES can reliably detect, track, and recognize multiple vehicles under heavy urban background clutters. Furthermore, our example shows that ADES as a baseline platform can provide capability for vehicle abnormal behavior detection to help imagery analysts quickly trace down potential threats and crimes.

Assessing urban forest canopy cover using airborne or satellite imagery

Treesearch

Jeffrey T. Walton; David J. Nowak; Eric J. Greenfield

2008-01-01

With the availability of many sources of imagery and various digital classification techniques, assessing urban forest canopy cover is readily accessible to most urban forest managers. Understanding the capability and limitations of various types of imagery and classification methods is essential to interpreting canopy cover values. An overview of several remote...

Carcinogenicity of airborne combustion products observed in subcutaneous tissue and lungs of laboratory rodents.

PubMed Central

Pott, F; Stöber, W

1983-01-01

Most air pollution in West Germany is caused by combustion products. Particulate organic matter released by incomplete combustion is suspected to contribute to the "urban factor" of lung cancer frequency in urban-industrial centers. The carcinogenic potential of single components, groups of compounds and total source emissions of combustion processes was investigated in laboratory animals by subcutaneous injection, intratracheal instillation or inhalation. Tests by subcutaneous injection of condensates of automobile exhaust, extracts of coal furnace emissions and of airborne particles and different fractions of these extracts showed that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with four to six benzene rings have the strongest experimental carcinogenicity. However, polar compounds (heterocyclic nitrogen-containing PAH, phenols, and others) also show remarkable carcinogenic potency. There were large differences between the dose-response relationships of several PAHs. In the subcutaneous tissue, benzo(a)pyrene and dibenz(a,h)anthracene are the most carcinogenic of the tested airborne PAHs. Furthermore, they can induce high tumor rates in the lung after subcutaneous injection in newborn mice and after intratracheal instillation of mice or hamsters. The tumor rate of benzo(a)pyrene did not further increase after simultaneous instillation of carbon black, but lead chloride may have a promoting effect. Far more than 100 PAHs are found in the urban atmosphere. However, because of the remarkable similarity of the PAH profiles in the examined samples, it may be sufficient to measure just a few stable PAHs in the urban air in order to facilitate an assessment of the carcinogenic potency of the PAH content in the atmosphere. To examine the carcinogenic or cocarcinogenic effects of gas and vapor emissions, studies with a two-phase model were carried out: phase 1 relates to the induction of a basic tumor rate in the lung by a well known carcinogen, while phase 2 is characterized by an inhalation of the substance under investigation. In an experiment with mice, the inhalation of a mixture of SO2 and NO2 seemed to increase the basic tumor rate induced by dibenz(a,h)anthracene. In a similar two-phase experiment conducted with hamsters, the inhalation of diesel exhaust (total exhaust as well as exhaust without particles) increased a basic tumor rate induced by diethyl nitrosamine. These experiments deserve confirmation before a detailed interpretation is attempted. PMID:6186480

Carcinogenicity of airborne combustion products observed in subcutaneous tissue and lungs of laboratory rodents.

PubMed

Pott, F; Stöber, W

1983-01-01

Most air pollution in West Germany is caused by combustion products. Particulate organic matter released by incomplete combustion is suspected to contribute to the "urban factor" of lung cancer frequency in urban-industrial centers. The carcinogenic potential of single components, groups of compounds and total source emissions of combustion processes was investigated in laboratory animals by subcutaneous injection, intratracheal instillation or inhalation. Tests by subcutaneous injection of condensates of automobile exhaust, extracts of coal furnace emissions and of airborne particles and different fractions of these extracts showed that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with four to six benzene rings have the strongest experimental carcinogenicity. However, polar compounds (heterocyclic nitrogen-containing PAH, phenols, and others) also show remarkable carcinogenic potency. There were large differences between the dose-response relationships of several PAHs. In the subcutaneous tissue, benzo(a)pyrene and dibenz(a,h)anthracene are the most carcinogenic of the tested airborne PAHs. Furthermore, they can induce high tumor rates in the lung after subcutaneous injection in newborn mice and after intratracheal instillation of mice or hamsters. The tumor rate of benzo(a)pyrene did not further increase after simultaneous instillation of carbon black, but lead chloride may have a promoting effect. Far more than 100 PAHs are found in the urban atmosphere. However, because of the remarkable similarity of the PAH profiles in the examined samples, it may be sufficient to measure just a few stable PAHs in the urban air in order to facilitate an assessment of the carcinogenic potency of the PAH content in the atmosphere. To examine the carcinogenic or cocarcinogenic effects of gas and vapor emissions, studies with a two-phase model were carried out: phase 1 relates to the induction of a basic tumor rate in the lung by a well known carcinogen, while phase 2 is characterized by an inhalation of the substance under investigation. In an experiment with mice, the inhalation of a mixture of SO2 and NO2 seemed to increase the basic tumor rate induced by dibenz(a,h)anthracene. In a similar two-phase experiment conducted with hamsters, the inhalation of diesel exhaust (total exhaust as well as exhaust without particles) increased a basic tumor rate induced by diethyl nitrosamine. These experiments deserve confirmation before a detailed interpretation is attempted.

Lead in a Baltimore shipyard.

PubMed

Hall, Francis X

2006-12-01

The goal was to monitor the effectiveness of the Coast Guard Yard's lead program by comparing a shipyard period in 1991 to one in 2002-2003. Comparisons of airborne lead levels by paint removal techniques, airborne lead levels by welding techniques, and blood lead levels of workers were evaluated by chi2 analysis. Airborne lead levels in paint removal techniques decreased over time for all methods used. Airborne lead levels in welding techniques decreased over time for all methods used. Blood lead levels of the high-risk group revealed a 2-fold reduction (prevalence rate ratio = 8.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.7-18.6) and in the low-risk group revealed a 1.6-fold reduction (prevalence rate ratio = 6.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-44.7). The Coast Guard Yard runs an effective lead program that exceeds the national Healthy People 2010 goal for lead. The results validate the Coast Guard Yard's use of air-line respirators and lead-free paint on all vessels.

Tracing the origin of pollution in French Alpine snow and aerosols using lead isotopic ratios.

PubMed

Veysseyre, A M; Bollhöfer, A F; Rosman, K J; Ferrari, C P; Boutron, C F

2001-11-15

Fresh snow samples collected at 15 remote locations and aerosols collected at one location in the French Alps between November 1998 and April 1999 have been analyzed for Pb concentration and isotopic composition by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The snow samples contained 19-1300 pg/g of Pb with isotopic ratios 206Pb/207Pb (208Pb/207Pb) of 1.1279-1.1607 (2.3983-2.4302). Airborne Pb concentrations at one sampling site ranged from 0.42 to 6.0 ng/m3 with isotopic ratios of 1.1321-1.1427 (2.4029-2.4160). Air mass trajectory analysis combined with isotopic compositions of potential source regions did not show discernible evidence of the long-range atmospheric transport of pollutants. Isotopic ratios in the Alpine snow samples and thus the free troposphere were generally higher than airborne Pb isotopic ratios in urban France, which coupled with the relatively high Pb concentrations suggested a regional anthropogenic Pb source, probably Italy but possibly Eastern Europe.

[Association between airborne pollen distribution and allergic diseases in Beijing urban area].

PubMed

Wang, X Y; Tian, Z M; Ning, H Y; Wang, X Y

2017-05-20

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of airborne pollen in urban Beijing area on the consultation rate of allergic diseases. Method: A modified pollen sampler was used to monitor the distribution of main airborne pollen during Jan 1st 2015 to Dec 31 2015.The consultation rate of allergic rhinitis and asthma was obtained meanwhile among allergy, ENT and pneumology department. Relationship between pollen and consultation rate was analyzed by Pearson index. Result: ①Through the whole year of 2015 the total quantity of pollens amounted to 76164 grains. Two pollen peaks were observed which happened in spring (March 29.7%, April 34.8%) and autumn (August 9.9%, September 10.5%). The main airborne pollens in spring were cypress, sycamore, and poplar, while in autumn were artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, and Humulus. ②The peak consultation season of allergic rhinitis was presented in March to April and August to September with a positive correlation between allergy and ENT department ( r =0.625, P <0.05). Consultation peak of asthma was observed in allergy department but not pneumology department. ③Allergic rhinitis and asthma consultation rate was higher in autumn than spring while the pollen distribution was the opposite. No correlation was found between consultation rate and pollen distribution P >0.05. Conclusion: The airborne pollen distribution was in accordance with consultation rate in allergy department. The pollen count in spring was higher than autumn in Beijing urban area with a consultation peak in autumn inversely. This indicates a higher sensitization ability of autumn pollen compared with spring pollen. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Secondary Aerosol Formation over the ESCOMPTE Area: Results from airborne Aerosol and Trace Gas Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dingenen, R.; Martins-Dos Santos, S.; Putaud, J. P.; Allet, C.; Bretton, E.; Perros, P.

2003-04-01

From June 10th to July 14th 2001, the ESCOMPTE campaign took place in the Marseille-Berre area in Southern France. The goal of the campaign was to produce a high quality 3-D data base from emissions, transport and air composition measurements during urban photochemical pollution episodes at the meso-scale. The CAATER AEROPLUM project was embedded within this international field campaign. AEROPLUM aimed at mapping size distributions of aerosols and photo-oxidants in the mixed layer over the ESCOMPTE domain, using the ARAT Fokker 27 as measurement platform. Aircraft sub-micrometer aerosol measurements are validated during overpasses against ground-based measurements, carried out with similar instrumentation. We will present and discuss data during periods of seabreeze, transporting coastal industrial and urban pollution land-inwards. This leads to intense photochemical activity, evidenced by elevated O_3 concentrations and aerosol levels.

Urban planning and agriculture. Methodology for assessing rooftop greenhouse potential of non-residential areas using airborne sensors.

PubMed

Nadal, Ana; Alamús, Ramón; Pipia, Luca; Ruiz, Antonio; Corbera, Jordi; Cuerva, Eva; Rieradevall, Joan; Josa, Alejandro

2017-12-01

The integration of rooftop greenhouses (RTGs) in urban buildings is a practice that is becoming increasingly important in the world for their contribution to food security and sustainable development. However, the supply of tools and procedures to facilitate their implementation at the city scale is limited and laborious. This work aims to develop a specific and automated methodology for identifying the feasibility of implementation of rooftop greenhouses in non-residential urban areas, using airborne sensors. The use of Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) data and the Leica ALS50-II and TASI-600 sensors allow for the identification of some building roof parameters (area, slope, materials, and solar radiation) to determine the potential for constructing a RTG. This development represents an improvement in time and accuracy with respect to previous methodology, where all the relevant information must be acquired manually. The methodology has been applied and validated in a case study corresponding to a non-residential urban area in the industrial municipality of Rubí, Barcelona (Spain). Based on this practical application, an area of 36,312m 2 out of a total area of 1,243,540m 2 of roofs with ideal characteristics for the construction of RTGs was identified. This area can produce approximately 600tons of tomatoes per year, which represents the average yearly consumption for about 50% of Rubí total population. The use of this methodology also facilitates the decision making process in urban agriculture, allowing a quick identification of optimal surfaces for the future implementation of urban agriculture in housing. It also opens new avenues for the use of airborne technology in environmental topics in cities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Spatial Resolution Airborne Multispectral Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing Data for Analysis of Urban Landscape Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.; Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We have used airborne multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing data collected at a high spatial resolution (i.e., 10m) over several cities in the United States to study thermal energy characteristics of the urban landscape. These TIR data provide a unique opportunity to quantify thermal responses from discrete surfaces typical of the urban landscape and to identify both the spatial arrangement and patterns of thermal processes across the city. The information obtained from these data is critical to understanding how urban surfaces drive or force development of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which exists as a dome of elevated air temperatures that presides over cities in contrast to surrounding non-urbanized areas. The UHI is most pronounced in the summertime where urban surfaces, such as rooftops and pavement, store solar radiation throughout the day, and release this stored energy slowly after sunset creating air temperatures over the city that are in excess of 2-4'C warmer in contrast with non-urban or rural air temperatures. The UHI can also exist as a daytime phenomenon with surface temperatures in downtown areas of cities exceeding 38'C. The implications of the UHI are significant, particularly as an additive source of thermal energy input that exacerbates the overall production of ground level ozone over cities. We have used the Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS), flown onboard a Lear 23 jet aircraft from the NASA Stennis Space Center, to acquire high spatial resolution multispectral TIR data (i.e., 6 bandwidths between 8.2-12.2 (um) over Huntsville, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Sacramento, California. These TIR data have been used to produce maps and other products, showing the spatial distribution of heating and cooling patterns over these cities to better understand how the morphology of the urban landscape affects development of the UHI. In turn, these data have been used by government officials, urban planners, and other decision-makers, to make more informed decisions on how to mitigate the UHI and its subsequent impacts.

Exposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) in Childcare Centers of Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jitlada, C.; Pentamwa, P.

2018-03-01

This study aims to characterize airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as of particulate and vapor phases variation. The samples were collected from the childcare centers where divided into urban and rural areas in Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand. The airborne samples were collected from five childcare centers during the dry season in the year 2017. The PAHs species were determined by the gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GS/MS) method. Results show that the total concentrations of PAHs were higher than vapor phase that both similar in urban area and rural area. The dominant PAHs compounds of both urban and rural areas were benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of PAHs in municipality (urban) childcare centers were higher than rural childcare centers area of Nakhon Ratchasima province. The risks associated with exposure to PAHs were evaluated using the TEF approach. The estimated value of lifetime lung cancer risks children in urban were significantly (p < 0.05) 2 times of children in rural, thus demonstrating that exposure to PAHs at levels found at urban site may be cause potential health risks.

Lead Exposure in Military Outdoor Firing Ranges.

PubMed

Greenberg, Nili; Frimer, Ron; Meyer, Robert; Derazne, Estella; Chodick, Gabrial

2016-09-01

Several studies have reported significant airborne lead exposures during training at indoor firing ranges. Scarce attention has been given to airborne lead exposures in outdoor shooting ranges with automatic weapons. To assess the prevalence and magnitude of airborne and blood lead levels (BLL) among firing instructors and shooters in military outdoor ranges. Exposure assessment, for both trainees and instructors, included airborne and BLL during basic and advanced training at outdoor firing ranges. Personal airborne samples were collected in both day and night shooting during both training periods. During basic training, there is 95% likelihood that up to 25% of instructors and 99% likelihood that up to 5% of trainees might be exposed above the action level (AL) (25 μg/m(3)). During advanced training, there is 90% likelihood that 10% of instructors and 99% likelihood that up to 10% of trainees might be exposed above the AL. Military personnel participating in automatic weapon marksmanship training can be exposed to considerable levels of airborne lead during outdoor firing range training. As a result, the Israel Defense Force Medical Corp has classified firing range instructors as workers that require periodic medical examinations. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

High-Resolution Urban Greenery Mapping for Micro-Climate Modelling Based on 3d City Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofierka, J.; Gallay, M.; Kaňuk, J.; Šupinský, J.; Šašak, J.

2017-10-01

Urban greenery has various positive micro-climate effects including mitigation of heat islands. The primary root of heat islands in cities is in absorption of solar radiation by the mass of building structures, roads and other solid materials. The absorbed heat is subsequently re-radiated into the surroundings and increases ambient temperatures. The vegetation can stop and absorb most of incoming solar radiation mostly via the photosynthesis and evapotranspiration process. However, vegetation in mild climate of Europe manifests considerable annual seasonality which can also contribute to the seasonal change in the cooling effect of the vegetation on the urban climate. Modern methods of high-resolution mapping and new generations of sensors have brought opportunity to record the dynamics of urban greenery in a high resolution in spatial, spectral, and temporal domains. In this paper, we use the case study of the city of Košice in Eastern Slovakia to demonstrate the methodology of 3D mapping and modelling the urban greenery during one vegetation season in 2016. The purpose of this monitoring is to capture 3D effects of urban greenery on spatial distribution of solar radiation in urban environment. Terrestrial laser scanning was conducted on four selected sites within Košice in ultra-high spatial resolution. The entire study area, which included these four smaller sites, comprised 4 km2 of the central part of the city was flown within a single airborne lidar and photogrammetric mission to capture the upper parts of buildings and vegetation. The acquired airborne data were used to generate a 3D city model and the time series of terrestrial lidar data were integrated with the 3D city model. The results show that the terrestrial and airborne laser scanning techniques can be effectively used to monitor seasonal changes in foliage of trees in order to assess the transmissivity of the canopy for microclimate modelling.

Laboratory testing of airborne brake wear particle emissions using a dynamometer system under urban city driving cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagino, Hiroyuki; Oyama, Motoaki; Sasaki, Sousuke

2016-04-01

To measure driving-distance-based mass emission factors for airborne brake wear particulate matter (PM; i.e., brake wear particles) related to the non-asbestos organic friction of brake assembly materials (pads and lining), and to characterize the components of brake wear particles, a brake wear dynamometer with a constant-volume sampling system was developed. Only a limited number of studies have investigated brake emissions under urban city driving cycles that correspond to the tailpipe emission test (i.e., JC08 or JE05 mode of Japanese tailpipe emission test cycles). The tests were performed using two passenger cars and one middle-class truck. The observed airborne brake wear particle emissions ranged from 0.04 to 1.4 mg/km/vehicle for PM10 (particles up to 10 μm (in size), and from 0.04 to 1.2 mg/km/vehicle for PM2.5. The proportion of brake wear debris emitted as airborne brake wear particles was 2-21% of the mass of wear. Oxygenated carbonaceous components were included in the airborne PM but not in the original friction material, which indicates that changes in carbon composition occurred during the abrasion process. Furthermore, this study identified the key tracers of brake wear particles (e.g., Fe, Cu, Ba, and Sb) at emission levels comparable to traffic-related atmospheric environments.

AIR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR LEAD (1977)

EPA Science Inventory

The document summarizes current knowledge about the relationships between airborne lead and consequent effects on man and his environment. The effects that have been observed to occur when airborne lead has reached or exceeded specific levels for time periods constitute the centr...

Airborne East Coast/Midwest urban survey at 121.5/243 MHz. [radio frequency interference measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1979-01-01

Results of an airborne RF interference measurement survey of the emergency-distress, Search and Rescue frequency bands at 121.5 and 243 MHz at an altitude of 25,000 ft over the U.S. East Coast and Midwest urban areas are presented. Included are a series of minutely median profile plots of antenna-noise temperature computed from RF interference power measurements at the output terminal of a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna, for both daytime and nighttime observations. The greatest value, 450,000 K, of minutely median temperature was recorded over New York City at 121.5 MHz during the day. East Coast urban areas exhibited a day-night effect at 121.5 MHz, where nighttime observations had a median value of 8.6-dB below daytime values; Midwest counterparts did not exhibit a significant day-night effect at 121.5 MHz.

Modelling Mean Albedo of Individual Roofs in Complex Urban Areas Using Satellite Images and Airborne Laser Scanning Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalantar, B.; Mansor, S.; Khuzaimah, Z.; Sameen, M. Ibrahim; Pradhan, B.

2017-09-01

Knowledge of surface albedo at individual roof scale is important for mitigating urban heat islands and understanding urban climate change. This study presents a method for quantifying surface albedo of individual roofs in a complex urban area using the integration of Landsat 8 and airborne LiDAR data. First, individual roofs were extracted from airborne LiDAR data and orthophotos using optimized segmentation and supervised object based image analysis (OBIA). Support vector machine (SVM) was used as a classifier in OBIA process for extracting individual roofs. The user-defined parameters required in SVM classifier were selected using v-fold cross validation method. After that, surface albedo was calculated for each individual roof from Landsat images. Finally, thematic maps of mean surface albedo of individual roofs were generated in GIS and the results were discussed. Results showed that the study area is covered by 35% of buildings varying in roofing material types and conditions. The calculated surface albedo of buildings ranged from 0.16 to 0.65 in the study area. More importantly, the results indicated that the types and conditions of roofing materials significantly effect on the mean value of surface albedo. Mean albedo of new concrete, old concrete, new steel, and old steel were found to be equal to 0.38, 0.26, 0.51, and 0.44 respectively. Replacing old roofing materials with new ones should highly prioritized.

Factors associated with the seasonality of blood lead levels among preschool Wisconsin children.

PubMed

Havlena, Jeff; Kanarek, Marty S; Coons, Margie

2009-05-01

Aggregate blood lead testing data for Wisconsin children younger than age 6 exhibit seasonal trends in both average blood lead levels and in the percent of those tested and found to have blood lead levels in excess of the 10 mcg/dL threshold for poisoning. Blood lead levels and poisoning rates typically peak during the late summer and early fall months, and are at their minimum during the late winter. Blood test data was analyzed to determine variations by month and age. Seasonal variations are evident even among the very young: infants younger than 10 months who likely have limited opportunity to encounter lead hazards within their home or in the outdoor soil. Seasonal periodicity is most evident among infants who reside in very urban and very rural communities. The observed seasonal periodicity might be associated with the seasonal availability of lead within the children's environment. Particulate matter data measured at several ambient air quality monitoring stations exhibit a similar periodic seasonality, suggesting a possible relationship between blood lead levels and the availability of dust and airborne particulates during the summer months. Clinicians should consider the seasonality of blood lead levels when scheduling tests and interpreting test results.

Complex anthropogenic sources of platinum group elements in aerosols on Cape Cod, USA.

PubMed

Sen, Indra S; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Bernhard; Geboy, Nicholas

2013-09-17

Platinum group elements (PGE) of anthropogenic origin have been reported in rainwater, snow, roadside soil and vegetation, industrial waste, and urban airborne particles around the world. As recent studies have shown that PGE are bioavailable in the environment and pose health risks at chronic levels, the extent of PGE pollution is of global concern. In this study, we report PGE concentrations and osmium isotope ((187)Os/(188)Os) ratios of airborne particles (particulate matter, PM10) collected in Woods Hole, a small coastal village on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The sampling site is more than 100 km away from the nearest urban centers (Boston, Providence) and has no large industrial emission center within a 30 km radius. The study reveals that, although PGE concentrations in rural airborne particulate matter are orders of magnitude lower than in urban aerosols, 69% of the total osmium is of anthropogenic origin. Anthropogenic PGE signatures in airborne particles are thus not restricted to large cities with high traffic flows and substantial industries; they can also be found in rural environments. We further conclude that the combination of Pt/Rh concentration ratios and (187)Os/(188)Os composition can be used to trace PGE sources. The Pt/Rh and (187)Os/(188)Os composition of Woods Hole aerosols indicate that the anthropogenic PGE fraction is primarily sourced from ore smelting processes, with possible minor contributions from fossil fuel burning and automobile catalyst-derived materials. Our results further substantiate the use of (187)Os/(188)Os in source apportionment studies on continental scales.

Variability of airborne bacteria in an urban Mediterranean area (Thessaloniki, Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genitsaris, Savvas; Stefanidou, Natassa; Katsiapi, Matina; Kormas, Konstantinos A.; Sommer, Ulrich; Moustaka-Gouni, Maria

2017-05-01

The abundance, biomass and the taxonomic composition of the total airborne bacterial communities in a coastal urban area of Northeastern Mediterranean Sea were examined. In total, 27 air samples were collected across three seasons from a sampling point of approximately 30 m altitude in the center of the city. The abundance and biomass were determined with the use of epifluorescent microscopy, while the taxonomic composition was characterized by next-generation sequencing methods. Overall, the highest values of bacterial abundance were recorded during summer, with values exceeding abundances recorded in other urban sites across Europe, reaching 41 × 104 cells m-3. Out of 6 core meteorological parameters, only air temperature was found to significantly affect the abundance and biomass of airborne bacteria. Concerning the taxonomic composition of the airborne bacterial community, the group of Proteobacteria was the most diverse, with 47% of the total number of OTUs belonging to them, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The most dominant OTU belonged to γ-Proteobacteria, and was closely affiliated to Pseudomonas sp., a taxon commonly found to actively participate in the formation of ice-nuclei in the atmosphere. Finally, 19 OTUs were shared between all seasons and were found to be among the most dominant overall. The majority of these OTUs were affiliated to genera from soil and wastewater origin, while several were affiliated to genera that include known or opportunistic pathogens. Yet, only rare OTUs were affiliated to taxa with possible marine origin (e.g. Synechococcus sp.). The results showed that the atmosphere of the study area harbors a diverse and abundant bacterial community.

The Use of ATLAS Data to Quantify Surface Radiative Budgets in Four US Cities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey; Gonzalez, Jorge; Rickman, Douglas; Quattrochi, Dale; Schiller, Steve; Comarazamy, Daniel; Estes, Maury

2011-01-01

The additional heating of the air over the city is the result of the replacement of naturally vegetated surfaces with those composed of asphalt, concrete, rooftops and other manmade materials. The temperatures of these artificial surfaces can be 20 to 40 C higher than vegetated surfaces. This produces a dome of elevated air temperatures 5 to 8 C greater over the city, compared to the air temperatures over adjacent rural areas. This effect is called the "urban heat island". Urban landscapes are a complex mixture of vegetated and non-vegetated surfaces. It is difficult to take enough temperature measurements over a large city area to. The use of remotely sensed data from airborne scanners is ideal to characterize the complexity of urban albedo and radiant surface temperatures. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS) operates in the visual and IR bands was used to collect data from Salt Lake City, UT, Sacramento, CA, Baton Rouge, LA. And San Juan, Puerto Rico with the main objective of investigating the Urban Heat Island (UHI). In this presentation we will examine the techniques of analyzing remotely sensed data for measuring the effect of various urban surfaces on their contribution to the urban heat island effect.

Improving urban land use and land cover classification from high-spatial-resolution hyperspectral imagery using contextual information

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper, we propose approaches to improve the pixel-based support vector machine (SVM) classification for urban land use and land cover (LULC) mapping from airborne hyperspectral imagery with high spatial resolution. Class spatial neighborhood relationship is used to correct the misclassified ...

Automatic 3D Building Detection and Modeling from Airborne LiDAR Point Clouds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Shaohui

2013-01-01

Urban reconstruction, with an emphasis on man-made structure modeling, is an active research area with broad impact on several potential applications. Urban reconstruction combines photogrammetry, remote sensing, computer vision, and computer graphics. Even though there is a huge volume of work that has been done, many problems still remain…

Estimating the relationship between urban 3D morphology and land surface temperature using airborne LiDAR and Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. H.

2015-12-01

Urban forests are known for mitigating the urban heat island effect and heat-related health issues by reducing air and surface temperature. Beyond the amount of the canopy area, however, little is known what kind of spatial patterns and structures of urban forests best contributes to reducing temperatures and mitigating the urban heat effects. Previous studies attempted to find the relationship between the land surface temperature and various indicators of vegetation abundance using remote sensed data but the majority of those studies relied on two dimensional area based metrics, such as tree canopy cover, impervious surface area, and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index, etc. This study investigates the relationship between the three-dimensional spatial structure of urban forests and urban surface temperature focusing on vertical variance. We use a Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor image (acquired on July 24, 2014) to estimate the land surface temperature of the City of Sacramento, CA. We extract the height and volume of urban features (both vegetation and non-vegetation) using airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and high spatial resolution aerial imagery. Using regression analysis, we apply empirical approach to find the relationship between the land surface temperature and different sets of variables, which describe spatial patterns and structures of various urban features including trees. Our analysis demonstrates that incorporating vertical variance parameters improve the accuracy of the model. The results of the study suggest urban tree planting is an effective and viable solution to mitigate urban heat by increasing the variance of urban surface as well as evaporative cooling effect.

Green Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

A New Technology Demonstration Publication Green roofs can improve the energy performance of federal buildings, help manage stormwater, reduce airborne emissions, and mitigate the effects of urban heat islands.

Measurement of airborne gunshot particles in a ballistics laboratory by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Diaz, Ernesto; Sarkis, Jorge E Souza; Viebig, Sônia; Saldiva, Paulo

2012-01-10

The present study aimed determines lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and barium (Ba) as the major elements present in GSR in the environmental air of the Ballistics Laboratory of the São Paulo Criminalistics Institute (I.C.-S.P.), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Micro environmental monitors (mini samplers) were located at selected places. The PM(2.5) fraction of this airborne was collected in, previously weighted filters, and analyzed by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-HR-ICP-MS). The higher values of the airborne lead, antimony and barium, were found at the firing range (lead (Pb): 58.9 μg/m(3); barium (Ba): 6.9 μg/m(3); antimony (Sb): 7.3 μg/m(3)). The mean value of the airborne in this room during 6 monitored days was Pb: 23.1 μg/m(3); Ba: 2.2 μg/m(3); Sb: 1.5 μg/m(3). In the water tank room, the air did not show levels above the limits of concern. In general the airborne lead changed from day to day, but the barium and antimony remained constant. Despite of that, the obtained values suggest that the workers may be exposed to airborne lead concentration that can result in an unhealthy environment and could increase the risk of chronic intoxication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A metagenomic framework for the study of airborne microbial communities.

PubMed

Yooseph, Shibu; Andrews-Pfannkoch, Cynthia; Tenney, Aaron; McQuaid, Jeff; Williamson, Shannon; Thiagarajan, Mathangi; Brami, Daniel; Zeigler-Allen, Lisa; Hoffman, Jeff; Goll, Johannes B; Fadrosh, Douglas; Glass, John; Adams, Mark D; Friedman, Robert; Venter, J Craig

2013-01-01

Understanding the microbial content of the air has important scientific, health, and economic implications. While studies have primarily characterized the taxonomic content of air samples by sequencing the 16S or 18S ribosomal RNA gene, direct analysis of the genomic content of airborne microorganisms has not been possible due to the extremely low density of biological material in airborne environments. We developed sampling and amplification methods to enable adequate DNA recovery to allow metagenomic profiling of air samples collected from indoor and outdoor environments. Air samples were collected from a large urban building, a medical center, a house, and a pier. Analyses of metagenomic data generated from these samples reveal airborne communities with a high degree of diversity and different genera abundance profiles. The identities of many of the taxonomic groups and protein families also allows for the identification of the likely sources of the sampled airborne bacteria.

A Metagenomic Framework for the Study of Airborne Microbial Communities

PubMed Central

Tenney, Aaron; McQuaid, Jeff; Williamson, Shannon; Thiagarajan, Mathangi; Brami, Daniel; Zeigler-Allen, Lisa; Hoffman, Jeff; Goll, Johannes B.; Fadrosh, Douglas; Glass, John; Adams, Mark D.; Friedman, Robert; Venter, J. Craig

2013-01-01

Understanding the microbial content of the air has important scientific, health, and economic implications. While studies have primarily characterized the taxonomic content of air samples by sequencing the 16S or 18S ribosomal RNA gene, direct analysis of the genomic content of airborne microorganisms has not been possible due to the extremely low density of biological material in airborne environments. We developed sampling and amplification methods to enable adequate DNA recovery to allow metagenomic profiling of air samples collected from indoor and outdoor environments. Air samples were collected from a large urban building, a medical center, a house, and a pier. Analyses of metagenomic data generated from these samples reveal airborne communities with a high degree of diversity and different genera abundance profiles. The identities of many of the taxonomic groups and protein families also allows for the identification of the likely sources of the sampled airborne bacteria. PMID:24349140

[The "silica" component in the PM10 of an urban site].

PubMed

De Berardis, Barbara; Incocciati, Emma; Massera, S; Gargaro, G; Paoletti, L

2007-01-01

In vivo and in vitro toxicological studies have shown that the aged fracturated crystalline silica, which is a component of airborne particulate, exerts an important inflammatory action on airways. The evaluation of the concentration level of airborne crystalline silica in an urban area is an important research subject in order to determine the exposure levels of the general population. The aim was to study the seasonal trend of the quartz (the most common form of crystalline silica) concentration levels in the particulate inhalable faction (PM10) in the urban area of Rome. PM10, sampled by a cascade impactor, was analysed by scanning electron microscopy, equipped with a thin-window system for X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX) for qualitative analysis. Parallely the concentration levels of quartz in the particulate were determined by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) for quantitative analysis, using the NIOSH 7500 method (NIOSH, 1994). From September 2004 to October 2005 the abundance of silica particles, evaluated by SEM/EDX was in the range 1.6/10.4%, with a concentration level of free crystalline silica in the range 0.25/2.87 microg/mi. The equivalent diameter of silica particles ranged from 0.3 to 10.5 mircom, moreover, more than 87% of particles showed a diameter less than 2.5 microm. The correlations between SEM/EDX and XRD data seem to suggest that the airborne silica particles in the urban location studied consisted mostly of crystalline silica. Moreover, the data suggest the existence of a significant contribution of silica particles due to southwest wind carrying a fine dust from the Sahara desert to Mediterranean Europe.

A comparative study on capability of different tree species in accumulating heavy metals from soil and ambient air.

PubMed

Alahabadi, Ahmad; Ehrampoush, Mohammad Hassan; Miri, Mohammad; Ebrahimi Aval, Hamideh; Yousefzadeh, Samira; Ghaffari, Hamid Reza; Ahmadi, Ehsan; Talebi, Parvaneh; Abaszadeh Fathabadi, Zeynab; Babai, Fatemeh; Nikoonahad, Ali; Sharafi, Kiomars; Hosseini-Bandegharaei, Ahmad

2017-04-01

Heavy metals (HMs) in the urban environment can be bio-accumulated by plant tissues. The aim of this study was to compare fourteen different tree species in terms of their capability to accumulate four airborne and soilborne HMs including; zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd). Samplings were performed during spring, summer, and fall seasons. To compare bioaccumulation ability, bio-concentration factor (BCF), comprehensive bio-concentration index (CBCI), and metal accumulation index (MAI) were applied. Species with the highest accumulation for single metal which shown using BCF did not have the highest CBCI and MAI. Based on CBCI and MAI, Pinus eldarica (7.74), Wistaria sinensis (8.82), Morus alba (8.7), and Nigral morus (27.15) had the highest bioaccumulation capacity of HMs, respectively. Therefore, these species can be used for phytoextraction of HMs pollution and green and buffer zone in the urban. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Airborne SAR systems for infrastructures monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perna, Stefano; Berardino, Paolo; Esposito, Carmen; Natale, Antonio

2017-04-01

The present contribution is aimed at showing the capabilities of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems mounted onboard airborne platforms for the monitoring of infrastructures. As well known, airborne SAR systems guarantee narrower spatial coverage than satellite sensors [1]. On the other side, airborne SAR products are characterized by geometric resolution typically higher than that achievable in the satellite case, where larger antennas must be necessarily exploited. More important, airborne SAR platforms guarantee operational flexibility significantly higher than that achievable with satellite systems. Indeed, the revisit time between repeated SAR acquisitions in the satellite case cannot be freely decided, whereas in the airborne case it can be kept very short. This renders the airborne platforms of key interest for the monitoring of infrastructures, especially in case of emergencies. However, due to the platform deviations from a rectilinear, reference flight track, the generation of airborne SAR products is not a turn of the crank procedure as in the satellite case. Notwithstanding proper algorithms exist in order to circumvent this kind of limitations. In this work, we show how the exploitation of airborne SAR sensors, coupled to the use of such algorithms, allows obtaining high resolution monitoring of infrastructures in urban areas. [1] G. Franceschetti, and R.Lanari, Synthetic Aperture Radar Processing, CRC PRESS, New York, 1999.

Airborne Observations of Water Vapor Deuterium Excess in the Mid-Latitude Lower Troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, O. E.; Welp, L.; Shepson, P. B.; Stirm, B. H.

2017-12-01

Water vapor is responsible for over half of the natural atmospheric greenhouse effect. As global temperatures increase due to fossil fuel combustion, atmospheric water vapor concentrations are also expected to increase in positive feedback. Additionally, studies have shown that urban areas can influence humidity levels, and the frequency and intensity of precipitation events. It is thus important to understand anthropogenic modification of the hydrological cycle, particularly around urban areas, where over half of the world's population resides. Airborne measurements of water vapor isotopologues containing 2H and 18O were conducted to better understand processes influencing atmospheric moisture levels around urban areas. Airborne measurements were conducted around the Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.-Baltimore areas during afternoon hours in February and March 2016, using a Los Gatos Research Water Vapor Isotope Analyzer installed in Purdue University's experimental aircraft, the Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research. The measurements of 2H and 18O allow for the calculation of deuterium excess (= δ2H - 8*δ18O), which provides information about non-equilibrium processes, such as kinetic effects, air parcel mixing, and transpiration. There are few studies that have reported observations of deuterium excess above the surface level ( 100 m). During the measurement campaign, vertical profiles were frequently conducted from 300 m above the ground to an altitude of approximately 1.5 km, effectively characterizing water vapor isotope profiles spanning the boundary layer and lower free troposphere. Measurements probed the transition from planetary boundary layer air to free troposphere air to provide high resolution deuterium excess information across this interface. Processes such as Rayleigh distillation, atmospheric mixing, and surface fluxes potentially impacting water vapor deuterium excess through the boundary layer and free troposphere with be discussed.

Characteristics of lead isotope ratios and elemental concentrations in PM 10 fraction of airborne particulate matter in Shanghai after the phase-out of leaded gasoline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Jian; Tan, Mingguang; Shibata, Yasuyuki; Tanaka, Atsushi; Li, Yan; Zhang, Guilin; Zhang, Yuanmao; Shan, Zuci

The stable lead (Pb) isotope ratios and the concentrations of 23 elements, including heavy metals and toxic elements, were measured in the PM 10 airborne particle samples collected at seven monitoring sites in Shanghai, China, to evaluate the current elemental compositions and local airborne Pb isotope ratio characteristics. Some source-related samples, such as cement, coal and oil combustion dust, metallurgic dust, vehicle exhaust particles derived from leaded gasoline and unleaded gasoline, and polluted soils were analyzed for their Pb content and isotope ratio and compared to those observed in PM 10 samples. Airborne Pb concentration ranged from 167 to 854 ng/m 3 in the seven monitored sites with an average of 515 ng/m 3 in Shanghai, indicating that a high concentration of Pb remains in the air after the phasing out of leaded gasoline. Lead isotopic compositions in airborne particles ( 207Pb/ 206Pb, 0.8608±0.0018; 208Pb/ 206Pb, 2.105±0.005) are clearly distinct from the vehicle exhaust particles ( 207Pb/ 206Pb, 0.8854±0.0075; 208Pb/ 206Pb, 2.145±0.006), suggesting that the automotive lead is not currently the major component of Pb in the air. By using a binary mixing equation, a source apportionment based on 207Pb/ 206Pb ratios, indicates that the contribution from automotive emission to the airborne Pb is around 20%. The Pb isotope ratios obtained in the source-related samples confirmed that the major emission sources are metallurgic dust, coal combustion, and cement.

Metal uptake of Nerium oleander from aerial and underground organs and its use as a biomonitoring tool for airborne metallic pollution in cities.

PubMed

Vázquez, S; Martín, A; García, M; Español, C; Navarro, E

2016-04-01

The analysis of the airborne particulate matter-PM-incorporated to plant leaves may be informative of the air pollution in the surroundings, allowing their use as biomonitoring tools. Regarding metals, their accumulation in leaves can be the result of both atmospheric incorporation of metallic PM on aboveground plant organs and root uptake of soluble metals. In this study, the use of Nerium oleander leaves as a biomonitoring tool for metallic airborne pollution has been assessed. The metal uptake in N. oleander was assessed as follows: (a) for radicular uptake by irrigation with airborne metals as Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, Ce and Zn (alone and in mixture) and (b) for direct leave exposure to urban PM. Plants showed a high resistance against the toxicity of metals under both single and multiple metal exposures. Except for Zn, the low values of translocation and bioaccumulation factors confirmed the excluder behaviour of N. oleander with respect to the metals provided by the irrigation. For metal uptake from airborne pollution, young plants grown under controlled conditions were deployed during 42 days in locations of the city of Zaragoza (700,000 h, NE Spain), differing in their level of traffic density. Samples of PM2.5 particles and the leaves of N. oleander were simultaneously collected weekly. High correlations in Pb concentrations were found between leaves and PM2.5; in a lesser extent, correlations were also found for Fe, Zn and Ti. Scanning electron microscopy showed the capture of airborne pollution particles in the large and abundant substomatal chambers of N. oleander leaves. Altogether, results indicate that N. Oleander, as a metal resistant plant by metal exclusion, is a suitable candidate as a biomonitoring tool for airborne metal pollution in urban areas.

Exposure assessment of JAVELIN missile combustion products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundy, Donald O.; Langford, Roland E.

1994-02-01

Characterization and analysis of combustion products resulting from firing the JAVELIN missile were performed. Of those combustion products analyzed, it was determined that airborne lead concentrations exceeded the OSHA PEL of 50 micrograms each time the missile was fired while in the enclosure. Since the OSHA PEL standard is based upon a continuous rather than a short-term exposures blood lead concentrations were sought to ascertain the relationship between a short duration airborne exposure and its physiological effect on the body. Blood lead levels were taken on 49 test subjects prior to various JAVELIN missile test firings. Of those 49, 21 were outfitted With personal sampling equipment to determine airborne concentrations at the Assistant Gunner and Gunner positions. Periodic blood sampling after a single exposure showed an average increase of 2.27 micrograms/dL for all test subjects. Recommendations were made to consider changes in the positioning of the enclosure inhabitants to minimize airborne lead concentrations, to limit the number of missiles fired (situation dependent), and replacement of the lead B-resorcyolate with a non-lead containing burn rate modifier for the launch motor.

Aeromicrobiology/air quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andersen, Gary L.; Frisch, A.S.; Kellogg, Christina A.; Levetin, E.; Lighthart, Bruce; Paterno, D.

2009-01-01

The most prevalent microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, and fungi, are introduced into the atmosphere from many anthropogenic sources such as agricultural, industrial and urban activities, termed microbial air pollution (MAP), and natural sources. These include soil, vegetation, and ocean surfaces that have been disturbed by atmospheric turbulence. The airborne concentrations range from nil to great numbers and change as functions of time of day, season, location, and upwind sources. While airborne, they may settle out immediately or be transported great distances. Further, most viable airborne cells can be rendered nonviable due to temperature effects, dehydration or rehydration, UV radiation, and/or air pollution effects. Mathematical microbial survival models that simulate these effects have been developed.

Identification of the sources of primary organic aerosols at urban schools: a molecular marker approach.

PubMed

Crilley, Leigh R; Qadir, Raeed M; Ayoko, Godwin A; Schnelle-Kreis, Jürgen; Abbaszade, Gülcin; Orasche, Jürgen; Zimmermann, Ralf; Morawska, Lidia

2014-08-01

Children are particularly susceptible to air pollution and schools are examples of urban microenvironments that can account for a large portion of children's exposure to airborne particles. Thus this paper aimed to determine the sources of primary airborne particles that children are exposed to at school by analyzing selected organic molecular markers at 11 urban schools in Brisbane, Australia. Positive matrix factorization analysis identified four sources at the schools: vehicle emissions, biomass burning, meat cooking and plant wax emissions accounting for 45%, 29%, 16% and 7%, of the organic carbon respectively. Biomass burning peaked in winter due to prescribed burning of bushland around Brisbane. Overall, the results indicated that both local (traffic) and regional (biomass burning) sources of primary organic aerosols influence the levels of ambient particles that children are exposed at the schools. These results have implications for potential control strategies for mitigating exposure at schools. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of ATLAS Data to Quantify Surface Radiative Budget Alteration Through Urbanization for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, Douglas L.; Gonzalez, Jorge; Schiller, Steve

2006-01-01

The additional heating of the air over the city is the result of the replacement of naturally vegetated surfaces with those composed of asphalt, concrete, rooftops and other manmade materials. The temperatures of these artificial surfaces can be 20 to 40 0 C higher than vegetated surfaces. Materials such as asphalt store much of the sun s energy and remains hot long after sunset. This produces a dome of elevated air temperatures 5 to 8 C greater over the city, compared to the air temperatures over adjacent rural areas. This effect is called the "urban heat island". Urban landscapes are a complex mixture of vegetated and nonvegetated surfaces. It is difficult to take enough temperature measurements over a large city area to characterize the complexity of urban radiant surface temperature variability. However, the use of remotely sensed thermal data from airborne scanners are ideal for the task. The NASA Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS) operates in the visual and IR bands was used in February 2004 to collect data from San Juan, Puerto Rico with the main objective of investigating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) in tropical cities. In this presentation we will examine the techniques of analyzing remotely sensed data for measuring the effect of various urban surfaces on their contribution to the urban heat island effect. Results from data collected from other US cities of Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Baton Rouge will be used to compare the "urban fabric" among the cities.

Environmental magnetism and magnetic mapping of urban metallic pollution (Paris, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isambert, Aude; Franke, Christine; Macouin, Mélina; Rousse, Sonia; Philip, Aurélio; de Villeneuve, Sybille Henry

2017-04-01

Airborne pollution in dense urban areas is nowadays a subject of major concern. Fine particulate pollution events are ever more frequent and represent not only an environmental and health but also a real economic issue. In urban atmosphere, the so-called PM2.5 (particulate matter < 2.5 μm in diameter) and ultrafine fractions (< 100 nm) due to combustion, causes many adverse health effects. Environmental magnetic studies of airborne PM collected on air filters or plants have demonstrated their potential to follow the metallic pollution and determine their sources (Sagnotti et al., 2012). In this study, we report on magnetic measurements of traffic-related airborne PM in the city of Paris, France. Two distinct environments were sampled and analyzed along the Seine River: the aquatic environment in studying fluvial bank and river bed sediments and the atmospheric environment by regarding magnetic particles trapped in adjacent tree barks (Platanus hispanica). About 50 sediment samples and 350 bark samples have been collected and analysed to determine their magnetic properties (susceptibility, hysteresis parameters, IRM, frequency-dependent susceptibility) and to estimate the presence and spatial concentration of superparamagnetic or multi-domain particles for each sample type. The bark results allow proposing a high spatial resolution mapping (< 50 m) of magnetic susceptibility and frequency dependent susceptibility on a 30 km long profile along the river. Variations in that profile may be linked to the atmospheric metallic pollution. In addition to that, the sampling of banks and riverbed sediments of the Seine allow a global estimation on the anthropogenic versus detrital and biologic input in the city of Paris. The first results presented here show a general increase of the concentration in magnetic particles from upstream to downstream Paris probably linked to urban pollutions as previously observed for suspended particulate matter (Franke et al. 2009; Kayvantash, 2016). Sagnotti, L., & Winkler, A. (2012). On the magnetic characterization and quantification of the superparamagnetic fraction of traffic-related urban airborne PM in Rome, Italy. Atmospheric environment, 59, 131-140. Franke, C., Kissel, C., Robin, E., Bonté, P., & Lagroix, F. (2009). Magnetic particle characterization in the Seine river system: Implications for the determination of natural versus anthropogenic input. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 10(8). Kayvantash, D., 2016. Characterization of ferruginous particles in the Seine River using environmental magnetism, Ph.D. thesis, MINES ParisTech/LSCE, France.

Structure-level fuel load assessment in the wildland-urban interface: a fusion of airborne laser scanning and spectral remote-sensing methodologies

Treesearch

Nicholas S. Skowronski; Scott Haag; Jim Trimble; Kenneth L. Clark; Michael R. Gallagher; Richard G. Lathrop

2015-01-01

Large-scale fuel assessments are useful for developing policy aimed at mitigating wildfires in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), while finer-scale characterisation is necessary for maximising the effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments and directing suppression activities. We developed and tested an objective, consistent approach for characterising hazardous fuels...

Airborne lidar mapping of vertical ozone distributions in support of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uthe, Edward E.; Nielsen, Norman B.; Livingston, John M.

1992-01-01

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments mandated attainment of the ozone standard established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Improved photochemical models validated by experimental data are needed to develop strategies for reducing near surface ozone concentrations downwind of urban and industrial centers. For more than 10 years, lidar has been used on large aircraft to provide unique information on ozone distributions in the atmosphere. However, compact airborne lidar systems are needed for operation on small aircraft of the type typically used on regional air quality investigations to collect data with which to develop and validate air quality models. Data presented in this paper will consist of a comparison between airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) and airborne in-situ ozone measurements. Also discussed are future plans to improve the airborne ultraviolet-DIAL for ozone and other gas observations and addition of a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) emission spectrometer to investigate the effects of other gas species on vertical ozone distribution.

Impacts of Urbanization in the Coastal Tropical City of San Juan, Puerto Rico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comarazamy, Daniel E.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, Douglass

2007-01-01

Urban sprawl in tropical locations is rapidly accelerating and it is more evident in islands where a large percentage of the population resides along the coasts. This paper focuses on the analysis of the impacts of land use and land cover for urbanization in the tropical coastal city of San Juan, in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. A mesoscale numerical model, the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), is used to study the impacts of land use for urbanization in the environment including specific characteristics of the urban heat island in the San Juan Metropolitan Area (SJMA), one of the most noticeable urban cores of the Caribbean. The research also makes use of the observations obtained during the airborne San Juan Atlas Mission. Surface and raw insonde data from the mission are used to validate the atmospheric model yielding satisfactory results. Airborne high resolution remote sensing data are used to update the model's surface characteristics in order to obtain a more accurate and detailed configuration of the SJMA and perform a climate impact analysis based on land cover/land use (LCLU) changes. The impact analysis showed that the presence of the urban landscape of San Juan has an impact reflected in higher air temperatures over the area occupied by the city, with positive values of up to 2.5 degrees C, for the simulations that have specified urban LCLU indexes in the model's bottom boundary. One interesting result of the impact analysis was the finding of a precipitation disturbance shown as a difference in total accumulated rainfall between the present urban landscape and with a potential natural vegetation, apparently induced by the presence of the urban area. Results indicate that the urban-enhanced cloud formation and precipitation development occur mainly downwind of the city, including the accumulated precipitation. This spatial pattern can be explained by the presence of a larger urbanized area in the southwest sector of the city, and of the approaching northeasterly trade winds.

An airborne remote sensing system for urban air quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, L. J.; Friedman, E. J.; Keitz, E. L.; Ward, E. A.

1974-01-01

Several NASA sponsored remote sensors and possible airborne platforms were evaluated. Outputs of dispersion models for SO2 and CO pollution in the Washington, D.C. area were used with ground station data to establish the expected performance and limitations of the remote sensors. Aircraft/sensor support requirements are discussed. A method of optimum flight plan determination was made. Cost trade offs were performed. Conclusions about the implementation of various instrument packages as parts of a comprehensive air quality monitoring system in Washington are presented.

Second-hand tobacco smoke in public places in urban and rural China.

PubMed

Stillman, Frances; Navas-Acien, Ana; Ma, Jiemin; Ma, Shaojun; Avila-Tang, Erika; Breysse, Patrick; Yang, Gonghuan; Samet, Jonathan

2007-08-01

To assess airborne nicotine concentrations as an indicator of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places in both urban and rural areas of China. Measurement of vapour-phase nicotine concentration using a common protocol in all locations. A total of 273 samplers were placed for 7 days in urban and rural areas of China, including Beijing and the capital city, and a county (rural) area of the following provinces: Sichuan (Chengdu/Mianzhu), Jiangxi (Nanchang/Anyi) and Henan (Zhengzhou/Xin'an). Samplers were placed in hospitals, secondary schools, city government buildings, train stations, restaurants and entertainment establishments (internet cafes, mahjong parlours and karaoke bars) in each location. The time-weighted average airborne concentration of nicotine (microg/m3) was measured by gas chromatography. Airborne nicotine was detected in 91% of the locations sampled. Beijing had the highest nicotine concentrations in most indoor environments (median 3.01 microg/m3) and Chengdu had the lowest concentrations (median 0.11 microg/m3). Overall, restaurants and entertainment establishments had the highest nicotine concentrations (median 2.17 and 7.48 microg/m3, respectively). High nicotine concentrations were also found in government buildings and in train stations. The data collected in this study provide evidence that SHS exposure is frequent in public places in China. Environmental nicotine concentrations in China provide evidence for implementation and enforcement of smoke-free initiatives in public places in China and indicate the need for protecting the public from exposure to SHS.

Assessing visual green effects of individual urban trees using airborne Lidar data.

PubMed

Chen, Ziyue; Xu, Bing; Gao, Bingbo

2015-12-01

Urban trees benefit people's daily life in terms of air quality, local climate, recreation and aesthetics. Among these functions, a growing number of studies have been conducted to understand the relationship between residents' preference towards local environments and visual green effects of urban greenery. However, except for on-site photography, there are few quantitative methods to calculate green visibility, especially tree green visibility, from viewers' perspectives. To fill this research gap, a case study was conducted in the city of Cambridge, which has a diversity of tree species, sizes and shapes. Firstly, a photograph-based survey was conducted to approximate the actual value of visual green effects of individual urban trees. In addition, small footprint airborne Lidar (Light detection and ranging) data was employed to measure the size and shape of individual trees. Next, correlations between visual tree green effects and tree structural parameters were examined. Through experiments and gradual refinement, a regression model with satisfactory R2 and limited large errors is proposed. Considering the diversity of sample trees and the result of cross-validation, this model has the potential to be applied to other study sites. This research provides urban planners and decision makers with an innovative method to analyse and evaluate landscape patterns in terms of tree greenness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of pollutant lead decline in urban air and human blood: A case study from northwestern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petit, Daniel; Véron, Alain; Flament, Pascal; Deboudt, Karine; Poirier, André

2015-09-01

A review of the transient decline of pollutant lead in the air (PbA) and the blood (PbB) has been conducted in order to assess the relationship between these environmental reservoirs. We have demonstrated that PbA decreased 20 to 100 times more than PbB for the past 30 years, suggesting another significant intake besides airborne lead to explain lead accumulated in humans. This trend has also been observed in two blood surveys we have completed in 1976-1978 and 2008-2009 in northern France and Belgium. Nowadays, the mean PbB (1.5-3.5 μg/dL) remains at least 100 times higher than the estimated non-contaminated PbB. Lead isotope imprints in blood could help decipher specific contamination cases, and were coherent with the decline of PbA, but could not help discriminate the source of blood lead owing to the lack of source imprints, especially from dietary intakes. Correlations between recent PbB, isotopic imprints and the age of the subjects suggested that lead released from bones has become a significant source of lead in blood. The significant cause for human exposure to lead may have shifted from direct pollutant lead input accumulated in exogenous reservoirs (air and diet) to endogenous lead release from bone tissues consequential to metabolic calcium homeostasis and bone turnover.

Lead exposures and biological responses in military weapons systems: Aerosol characteristics and acute lead effects among US Army artillerymen: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhattacharyya, M.H.; Stebbings, J.H.; Peterson, D.P.

1993-03-01

This study was to determine the concentration and chemical nature of lead (Pb) aerosols produced during the firing of artillery and to determine the exposures and biological responses of crew members exposed to lead aerosols during such firing. The concentrations of lead-containing aerosols at crew positions depended on wind conditions, with higher concentrations when firing into a head wind. Aerosol concentrations were highest in the muzzle blast zone. Concentrations of lead in the blood of crew members rose during the first 12 days of exposure to elevated airborne lead concentrations and then leveled off. There was no rapid decrease inmore » blood lead concentrations after completion of firing. Small decreases in hematocrit and small increases in free erythrocyte porphyrin were correlated with increasing exposure to airborne lead. These changes were reversed by seven weeks after firing. Changes in nerve conduction velocity had borderline statistical significance to airborne lead exposure. In measuring nerve conduction velocity, differences in skin temperature must be taken into account.« less

Demand-based urban forest planning using high-resolution remote sensing and AHP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolanuvada, Srinivasa Raju; Mariappan, Muneeswaran; Krishnan, Vani

2016-05-01

Urban forest planning is important for providing better urban ecosystem services and conserve the natural carbon sinks inside the urban area. In this study, a demand based urban forest plan was developed for Chennai city by using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Population density, Tree cover, Air quality index and Carbon stocks are the parameters were considered in this study. Tree cover and Above Ground Biomass (AGB) layers were prepared at a resolution of 1m from airborne LiDAR and aerial photos. The ranks and weights are assigned by the spatial priority using AHP. The results show that, the actual status of the urban forest is not adequate to provide ecosystem services on spatial priority. From this perspective, we prepared a demand based plan for improving the urban ecosystem.

Inter-agency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telemetry Systems (IWGADTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, Chris; Freudinger, Lawrence; Sorenson, Carl; Myers, Jeff; Sullivan, Don; Oolman, Larry

2009-01-01

The Interagency Coordinating Committee for Airborne Geosciences Research and Applications (ICCAGRA) was established to improve cooperation and communication among agencies sponsoring airborne platforms and instruments for research and applications, and to serve as a resource for senior level management on airborne geosciences issues. The Interagency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telecommunications Systems (IWGADTS) is a subgroup to ICCAGRA for the purpose of developing recommendations leading to increased interoperability among airborne platforms and instrument payloads, producing increased synergy among research programs with similar goals, and enabling the suborbital layer of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems.

Cycling of Lead Through Soil, Air, and Household Dust in El Paso, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pingitore, N. E.; Clague, J.; Amaya, M. A.

2008-12-01

Elimination of leaded gasoline in the US is associated with a dramatic overall decrease in ambient lead in the environment and blood lead levels in our population. However, Pb is such a potent neurotoxin for children during the formative growth years that legislation for additional reduction of airborne lead levels is under consideration. X-ray absorption spectroscopy of a suite of samples of local (El Paso) soil, airborne particulate matter, and household dust reveals that lead humate is the dominant Pb species in these diverse environmental materials. Lead humate is a stable complex of Pb with the humus component of soil, a product of interaction between the humus and such introduced contaminant lead species as lead oxide, lead sulfate, etc. Because lead humate forms only in soil, we conclude that the source of the majority of the lead in El Paso's airborne particulate matter and household dust is local soils. Analysis of lead isotopes in selected samples is consistent with this conclusion. Re-entrainment of low-density (relative to most Pb species) humus soil particles is the apparent pathway from soil to air. Deposition of airborne particulate matter and pedal traction are the presumed mechanisms for transfer to household interiors. Reduction of airborne lead in El Paso by reducing input from its dominant local source may require extensive soil remediation, a tedious and expensive prospect. X-Ray absorption spectroscopy experiments were conducted at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory on beam lines 7-3, 10-2, and 11-2. Spectra were collected at the Pb L-III absorption edge in fluorescence mode using a 13-element or a 30-element Ge solid-state detector. This publication was made possible by grant numbers 1RO1-ES11367 and 1 S11 ES013339-04 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS, NIH. Partial travel support provided by SSRL-DOE- UTEP Gateway Program.

Comparison of particulate lead levels for different ammunition types used with the M16 rifle. Final report, July 1987-June 1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoke, S.H.; Beard, A.S.; Brueggemann, E.E.

1988-07-01

Airborne lead generated during firing of conventional ammunition has lead to health concerns at indoor firing ranges. This study compares the relative amounts of airborne lead produced by the M16 rifle firing the M193 standard M16 5.56-mm conventional ammunition, the M862 5.56-mm plastic training ammunition, and the conventional caliber .22 rifle cartridge. Both breech and breech-plus-muzzle lead emissions were determined for each type of ammunition.

Health effects of particulate air pollution and airborne desert dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lelieveld, J.; Pozzer, A.; Giannadaki, D.; Fnais, M.

2013-12-01

Air pollution by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has increased strongly with industrialization and urbanization. In the past decades this increase has taken place at a particularly high pace in South and East Asia. We estimate the premature mortality and the years of human life lost (YLL) caused by anthropogenic PM2.5 and airborne desert dust (DU2.5) on regional and national scales (Giannadaki et al., 2013; Lelieveld et al., 2013). This is based on high-resolution global model calculations that resolve urban and industrial regions in relatively great detail. We apply an epidemiological health impact function and find that especially in large countries with extensive suburban and rural populations, air pollution-induced mortality rates have been underestimated given that previous studies largely focused on the urban environment. We calculate a global premature mortality by anthropogenic aerosols of 2.2 million/year (YLL ≈ 16 million/year) due to lung cancer and cardiopulmonary disease. High mortality rates by PM2.5 are found in China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia. Desert dust DU2.5 aerosols add about 0.4 million/year (YLL ≈ 3.6 million/year). Particularly significant mortality rates by DU2.5 occur in Pakistan, China and India. The estimated global mean per capita mortality caused by airborne particulates is about 0.1%/year (about two thirds of that caused by tobacco smoking). We show that the highest premature mortality rates are found in the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions (about 25% and 46% of the global rate, respectively) where more than a dozen of the most highly polluted megacities are located. References: Giannadaki, D., A. Pozzer, and J. Lelieveld, Modeled global effects of airborne desert dust on air quality and premature mortality, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss. (submitted), 2013. Lelieveld, J., C. Barlas, D. Giannadaki, and A. Pozzer, Model calculated global, regional and megacity premature mortality due to air pollution by ozone and fine particulate matter, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 7023-7037, 2013.

Physico-chemical characterisation of glass soiling in rural, urban and industrial environments.

PubMed

Lombardo, T; Chabas, A; Verney-Carron, A; Cachier, H; Triquet, S; Darchy, S

2014-01-01

Glass materials are broadly used in the built environment (windows, facades, roofs, museum showcases, and solar panels) due to their optical (transparency) and thermal properties. Their interaction with the multiphase atmospheric medium results in a more or less pronounced transparency loss called soiling. This phenomenon leads to a loss of amenity of artefacts; consequently, high cleaning costs have to be supported by public and private entities. Complete understanding of the nature of surface deposit appears thus extremely important for addressing strategies to control it. The present research is based on the sheltered exposure, in different environments, of durable glass panels during 1 year. At these different locations, airborne pollutant concentrations have also been monitored. Three environments have been investigated: rural (R), urban (U) and industrial (I). Results show that the mass of the deposit and the optical impairment of the glass (haze) are too spread to allow discriminating between different environments. However, the analyses of soluble species and particulate organic matter allow identifying factors responsible for soiling and highlighted the reactivity of deposit to relative humidity which favours post-deposit evolution.

Environmental urban lead exposure and blood lead levels in children of Mexico City.

PubMed Central

Romieu, I; Carreon, T; Lopez, L; Palazuelos, E; Rios, C; Manuel, Y; Hernandez-Avila, M

1995-01-01

Lead contamination is now a leading public health problem in Mexico. However, there are few data on the lead content of various environmental sources, and little is known about the contribution of these sources to the total lead exposure in the population of children residing in Mexico City. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a random sample of 200 children younger than 5 years of age who lived in one of two areas of Mexico City. Environmental samples of floor, window, and street dust, paint, soil, water, and glazed ceramics were obtained from the participants' households, as well as blood samples and dirt from the hands of the children. Blood lead levels ranged from 1 to 31 micrograms/dl with a mean of 9.9 micrograms/dl (SD 5.8 micrograms/dl). Forty-four percent of the children 18 months of age or older had blood lead levels exceeding 10 micrograms/dl. The lead content of environmental samples was low, except in glazed ceramic. The major predictors of blood lead levels were the lead content of the glazed ceramics used to prepare children's food, exposure to airborne lead due to vehicular emission, and the lead content of the dirt from the children's hands. We conclude that the major sources of lead exposure in Mexico City could be controlled by adequate public health programs to reinforce the use of unleaded gasoline and to encourage production and use of unleaded cookware instead of lead-glazed ceramics. PMID:8605853

DO AIRBORNE PARTICLES INDUCE HERITABLE MUTATIONS?

EPA Science Inventory

Urban air is contaminated by gaseous and particulate emissions from a variety of sources, including industrial, vehicular, power generation, and natural. These emissions, as well as their atmospheric transformation products, damage ecological systems and causes adverse effects on...

Seeking More Effective Management of Freshwater Pollution

EPA Science Inventory

The atmosphere contains airborne pollutants such as mercury, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides released from automobiles, factories, and power plants. Similarly, land surfaces such as croplands, feedlots, logged forests, construction sites, and urban land surfaces may be reserv...

Ozone production during an urban air stagnation episode over Nashville, Tennessee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valente, R. J.; Imhoff, R. E.; Tanner, R. L.; Meagher, J. F.; Daum, P. H.; Hardesty, R. M.; Banta, R. M.; Alvarez, R. J.; McNider, R. T.; Gillani, N. V.

1998-09-01

The highest O3 levels observed during the 1995 Southern Oxidants Study in middle Tennessee occurred during a period of air stagnation from July 11 through July 15. Extensive airborne (two fixed wing and one helicopter) and ground-based measurements of the chemistry and meteorology of this episode near Nashville, Tennessee, are presented. In situ airborne measurements include O3, NOy, NO, NO2, SO2, CO, nitrate, hydrocarbons, and aldehydes. Airborne LIDAR O3 measurements are also utilized to map the vertical and horizontal extent of the urban plume. The use of multiple instrumented research aircraft permitted highly detailed mapping of the plume chemistry in the vertical and horizontal dimensions. Interactions between the urban Nashville plume (primarily a NOx and hydrocarbon source) and the Gallatin coal-fired power plant plume (primarily a NOx and SO2 source) are also documented, and comparisons of ozone formation in the isolated and mixed urban and power plant plume are presented. The data suggest that during this episode the background air and the edges of the urban plume are NOx sensitive and the core of the urban plume is hydrocarbon sensitive. Under these worst case meteorological conditions, ambient O3 levels well over the level of the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone (80 ppb) were observed over and just downwind of Nashville. For example, on July 12, the boundary layer air upwind of Nashville showed 60 to 70 ppb O3, while just downwind of the city the urban plume maximum was over 140 ppb O3. With a revised ozone standard set at 80 ppb (8 hour average) and upwind levels already within 10 or 20 ppb of the standard, only a slight increase in ozone from the urban area will cause difficulty in attaining the standard at monitors near the core of the urban plume during this type of episode. The helicopter mapping and LIDAR aircraft data clearly illustrate that high O3 levels can occur during stagnation episodes within a few kilometers of and even within the urban area. The extremely light boundary layer winds (1-3 m s-1) contributed to the creation of an ozone dome or blob which stayed very near to the city rather than an elongated plume. The small spatial scale of the zone of high O3 concentrations is mapped in detail demonstrating that the regulatory monitoring network failed to document the maximum O3 concentrations. Modelers using such regulatory data to test photochemical algorithms need to bear in mind that magnitude and frequency of urban ozone may be underestimated by monitoring networks, especially in medium-sized urban areas under slow transport conditions. Finally, this effort shows the value of collaborative field measurements from multiple platforms in developing a more complete picture of the chemistry and transport of photochemical O3.

A study to identify and compare airborne systems for in-situ measurements of launch vehicle effluents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, T. J.; Chace, A. S.

1974-01-01

An in-situ system for monitoring the concentration of HCl, CO, CO2, and Al2O3 in the cloud of reaction products that form as a result of a launch of solid propellant launch vehicle is studied. A wide array of instrumentation and platforms are reviewed to yield the recommended system. An airborne system suited to monitoring pollution concentrations over urban areas for the purpose of calibrating remote sensors is then selected using a similar methodology to yield the optimal configuration.

Second‐hand tobacco smoke in public places in urban and rural China

PubMed Central

Stillman, Frances; Navas‐Acien, Ana; Ma, Jiemin; Ma, Shaojun; Avila‐Tang, Erika; Breysse, Patrick; Yang, Gonghuan; Samet, Jonathan

2007-01-01

Objective To assess airborne nicotine concentrations as an indicator of second‐hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places in both urban and rural areas of China. Design Measurement of vapour‐phase nicotine concentration using a common protocol in all locations. A total of 273 samplers were placed for 7 days in urban and rural areas of China, including Beijing and the capital city, and a county (rural) area of the following provinces: Sichuan (Chengdu/Mianzhu), Jiangxi (Nanchang/Anyi) and Henan (Zhengzhou/Xin'an). Setting Samplers were placed in hospitals, secondary schools, city government buildings, train stations, restaurants and entertainment establishments (internet cafes, mahjong parlours and karaoke bars) in each location. Main outcome measure The time‐weighted average airborne concentration of nicotine (μg/m3) was measured by gas chromatography. Results Airborne nicotine was detected in 91% of the locations sampled. Beijing had the highest nicotine concentrations in most indoor environments (median 3.01 μg/m3) and Chengdu had the lowest concentrations (median 0.11 μg/m3). Overall, restaurants and entertainment establishments had the highest nicotine concentrations (median 2.17 and 7.48 μg/m3, respectively). High nicotine concentrations were also found in government buildings and in train stations. Conclusions The data collected in this study provide evidence that SHS exposure is frequent in public places in China. Environmental nicotine concentrations in China provide evidence for implementation and enforcement of smoke‐free initiatives in public places in China and indicate the need for protecting the public from exposure to SHS. PMID:17652237

A Hierarchical Object-oriented Urban Land Cover Classification Using WorldView-2 Imagery and Airborne LiDAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, M. F.; Sun, Z. C.; Yang, B.; Yu, S. S.

2016-11-01

In order to reduce the “salt and pepper” in pixel-based urban land cover classification and expand the application of fusion of multi-source data in the field of urban remote sensing, WorldView-2 imagery and airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data were used to improve the classification of urban land cover. An approach of object- oriented hierarchical classification was proposed in our study. The processing of proposed method consisted of two hierarchies. (1) In the first hierarchy, LiDAR Normalized Digital Surface Model (nDSM) image was segmented to objects. The NDVI, Costal Blue and nDSM thresholds were set for extracting building objects. (2) In the second hierarchy, after removing building objects, WorldView-2 fused imagery was obtained by Haze-ratio-based (HR) fusion, and was segmented. A SVM classifier was applied to generate road/parking lot, vegetation and bare soil objects. (3) Trees and grasslands were split based on an nDSM threshold (2.4 meter). The results showed that compared with pixel-based and non-hierarchical object-oriented approach, proposed method provided a better performance of urban land cover classification, the overall accuracy (OA) and overall kappa (OK) improved up to 92.75% and 0.90. Furthermore, proposed method reduced “salt and pepper” in pixel-based classification, improved the extraction accuracy of buildings based on LiDAR nDSM image segmentation, and reduced the confusion between trees and grasslands through setting nDSM threshold.

Mapping Urban Tree Canopy Cover Using Fused Airborne LIDAR and Satellite Imagery Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmehr, Ebadat G.; Amati, Marco; Fraser, Clive S.

2016-06-01

Urban green spaces, particularly urban trees, play a key role in enhancing the liveability of cities. The availability of accurate and up-to-date maps of tree canopy cover is important for sustainable development of urban green spaces. LiDAR point clouds are widely used for the mapping of buildings and trees, and several LiDAR point cloud classification techniques have been proposed for automatic mapping. However, the effectiveness of point cloud classification techniques for automated tree extraction from LiDAR data can be impacted to the point of failure by the complexity of tree canopy shapes in urban areas. Multispectral imagery, which provides complementary information to LiDAR data, can improve point cloud classification quality. This paper proposes a reliable method for the extraction of tree canopy cover from fused LiDAR point cloud and multispectral satellite imagery data. The proposed method initially associates each LiDAR point with spectral information from the co-registered satellite imagery data. It calculates the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) value for each LiDAR point and corrects tree points which have been misclassified as buildings. Then, region growing of tree points, taking the NDVI value into account, is applied. Finally, the LiDAR points classified as tree points are utilised to generate a canopy cover map. The performance of the proposed tree canopy cover mapping method is experimentally evaluated on a data set of airborne LiDAR and WorldView 2 imagery covering a suburb in Melbourne, Australia.

Urban forest ecosystem analysis using fused airborne hyperspectral and lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonzo, Mike Gerard

Urban trees are strategically important in a city's effort to mitigate their carbon footprint, heat island effects, air pollution, and stormwater runoff. Currently, the most common method for quantifying urban forest structure and ecosystem function is through field plot sampling. However, taking intensive structural measurements on private properties throughout a city is difficult, and the outputs from sample inventories are not spatially explicit. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to develop methods for mapping urban forest structure and function using fused hyperspectral imagery and waveform lidar data at the individual tree crown scale. Urban forest ecosystem services estimated using the USDA Forest Service's i-Tree Eco (formerly UFORE) model are based largely on tree species and leaf area index (LAI). Accordingly, tree species were mapped in my Santa Barbara, California study area for 29 species comprising >80% of canopy. Crown-scale discriminant analysis methods were introduced for fusing Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometry (AVIRIS) data with a suite of lidar structural metrics (e.g., tree height, crown porosity) to maximize classification accuracy in a complex environment. AVIRIS imagery was critical to achieving an overall species-level accuracy of 83.4% while lidar data was most useful for improving the discrimination of small and morphologically unique species. LAI was estimated at both the field-plot scale using laser penetration metrics and at the crown scale using allometry. Agreement of the former with photographic estimates of gap fraction and the latter with allometric estimates based on field measurements was examined. Results indicate that lidar may be used reasonably to measure LAI in an urban environment lacking in continuous canopy and characterized by high species diversity. Finally, urban ecosystem services such as carbon storage and building energy-use modification were analyzed through combination of aforementioned methods and the i-Tree Eco modeling framework. The remote sensing methods developed in this dissertation will allow researchers to more precisely constrain urban ecosystem spatial analyses and equip cities to better manage their urban forest resource.

A Numerical Study of the Urban Heat Island in the Coastal Tropical City of San Juan, Puerto Rico: Model Validation and Impacts of LCLU Changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comarazamy, Daniel E.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Luvall, Jeff; Rickman, Douglas L.

2007-01-01

Urban sprawls in tropical locations are rapidly accelerating and it is more evident in islands where a large percentage of the population resides along the coasts. This paper focuses on the analysis of the impacts of land use and land cover for urbanization in the tropical coastal city of San Juan, in the tropical island of Puerto Rico. A mesoscale numerical model, the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), is used to study specific characteristics and patterns of the urban heat island in the San Juan Metropolitan Area (SJMA), the most noticeable urban core of the Caribbean. The research present in this paper makes use of the observations obtained during the airborne San Juan Atlas Mission in two ways. First, surface and rawinsonde data are used to validate the atmospheric model yielding satisfactory results. Second, airborne remote sensing information is used to update the model's surface characteristics to obtain a detailed configuration of the SJMA in order to perform the LCLU changes impact analysis. This analysis showed that the presence of San Juan has an impact reflected in higher air temperatures over the area occupied by the city, with positive values of up to 2.5 C, for the simulations that have specified urban LCLU indexes in the bottom boundary. One interesting result of the impact analysis was the finding of a precipitation disturbance shown as a difference in total accumulated rainfall between simulation with the city and with a potential natural vegetation induced by the presence of the urban area. Model results indicate that the urban-induced cloud formation and precipitation development occur mainly downwind of the city, including the accumulated precipitation. This spatial pattern can be explained by the presence of a-larger urbanized area in the southwest sector of the city, and of the approaching northeasterly trade winds.

Bacterial community structure in atmospheric particulate matters of different sizes during the haze days in Xi'an, China.

PubMed

Lu, Rui; Li, Yanpeng; Li, Wanxin; Xie, Zhengsheng; Fan, Chunlan; Liu, Pengxia; Deng, Shunxi

2018-05-09

Serious air pollution events have frequently occurred in China associated with the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization in recent years. Exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) of high concentration can lead to adverse effects on human health. Airborne bacteria are important constituents of microbial aerosols and contain lots of pathogens. However, variations in bacterial community structure in atmospheric PM of different sizes (PM 2.5 , PM 10 and TSP) have not yet been explored. In this study, PM samples of different sizes were collected during the hazy days from Jul.2016 to Apr.2017 to determine bacterial diversity and community structure. Samples from soils and leaf surfaces were also collected to determine potential sources of bacterial aerosols. High-throughput sequencing technology was used generate bacterial community profiles, where we determined their diversity and abundances in the samples. Results showed that the dominant bacterial community structures in PM 2.5 , PM 10 and TSP were strongly similar. Compared with non-haze days, the relative abundances of most bacterial pathogens on the haze days did not increase. Meanwhile, temperature, O 3 and NO 2 had more significant effects on bacterial community than the other environmental factors. Source tracking analysis indicated that the airborne bacteria might be not from local environment. It may come from the entire city or other regions by long distance airflow transport. Results of this study improved our understanding of the influence of bioaerosols on human health and the potential sources of airborne microbes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Urbanization in the Coastal Tropical City of San Juan, Puerto Rico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comarazamy, Daniel E.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, Douglas L.; Mulero, Pedro J.

2007-01-01

Urban sprawl in tropical locations is rapidly accelerating and it is more evident in islands where a large percentage of the population resides along the coasts. This paper focuses on the analysis of the impacts of land use and land cover for urbanization in the tropical coastal city of San Juan, in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. A mesoscale numerical model, the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), is used to study the impacts of land use for urbanization in the environment including specific characteristics of the urban heat island in the San Juan Metropolitan Area (SJMA), one of the most noticeable urban cores of the Caribbean. The research also makes use of the observations obtained during the airborne San Juan Atlas Mission. Surface and rawinsonde data from the mission are used to validate the atmospheric model yielding satisfactory results. Airborne high resolution remote sensing data are used to update the model's surface characteristics in order to obtain a more accurate and detailed configuration of the SJMA and perform a climate impact analysis based on land cover/land use (LCLU) changes. The impact analysis showed that the presence of the urban landscape of San Juan has an impact reflected in higher air temperatures over the area occupied by the city, with positive values of up to 2.5 C, for the simulations that have specified urban LCLU indexes in the model's bottom boundary. One interesting result of the impact analysis was the finding of a precipitation disturbance shown as a difference in total accumulated rainfall between the present urban landscape and with a potential natural vegetation, apparently induced by the presence of the urban area. Results indicate that the urban enhanced cloud formation and precipitation development occur mainly downwind of the city, including the accumulated precipitation. This spatial pattern can be explained by the presence of a larger urbanized area in the southwest sector of the city, and of the approaching northeasterly trade winds. No significant impacts were found in the sea breeze patterns of the city.

Assessment of Urbanization on the Integrated Land-Ocean-Atmosphere Environment in Coastal Metropolis in Preparation for HyspIRI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sequera, Pedro; McDonald, Kyle C.; Gonzalez, Jorge; Arend, Mark; Krakauer, Nir; Bornstein, Robert; Luvll, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

The need for comprehensive studies of the relationships between past and projected changes of regional climate and human activity in comple x urban environments has been well established. The HyspIRI preparato ry airborne activities in California, associated science and applicat ions research, and eventually HyspIRI itself provide an unprecedented opportunity for development and implementation of an integrated data and modeling analysis system focused on coastal urban environments. We will utilize HyspIRI preparatory data collections in developing ne w remote sensing-based tools for investigating the integrated urban e nvironment, emphasizing weather, climate, and energy demands in compl ex coastal cities.

Airborne Remote Earth Sensing (ARES) Program: an operational airborne MWIR imaging spectrometer and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, Kevin D.; Diestel, Michael J.

1996-11-01

Since 1993, the Airborne Remote Earth Sensing (ARES) Program has collected a wide variety of mid-wave infrared hyperspectral data on an interesting assortment of atmospheric, geologic, urban and chemical emission/absorption features. Flown in NASA's high altitude WB-57F aircraft, the ARES sensor is a 75 channel cryo-cooled prism spectrometer covering the 2 - 6 micrometers spectral region, and is capable of up or down-looking measurements over a wide range of collection geometries. Sensor characteristics, pointing capabilities, and overall performance are discussed. Highlights from some of the recent data collections, such as the 1993 and 95 thermal mapping of the active lava flow areas from the Kilauea volcano; the 1993 collection of the direct solar specular reflection off high altitude (ice) cloud layers over West Texas; upper atmospheric H2O vapor sounding using the 6 micrometers solar absorption spectra; Sulfur Dioxide detection from a coal burning power plant in Page, AZ (SO2 in emission) and from the Pu'u O'o vent of the Kilauea volcano (SO2 in absorption); and MWIR imagery from various terrestrial and urban background scenes, including West Los Angeles, and the Capitol area of Washington, D.C. Supporting spectral analysis and radiometric modeling are presented.

Detection of airborne genetically modified maize pollen by real-time PCR.

PubMed

Folloni, Silvia; Kagkli, Dafni-Maria; Rajcevic, Bojan; Guimarães, Nilson C C; Van Droogenbroeck, Bart; Valicente, Fernando H; Van den Eede, Guy; Van den Bulcke, Marc

2012-09-01

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has raised numerous concerns in the European Union and other parts of the world about their environmental and economic impact. Especially outcrossing of genetically modified organisms (GMO) was from the beginning a critical issue as airborne pollen has been considered an important way of GMO dispersal. Here, we investigate the use of airborne pollen sampling combined with microscopic analysis and molecular PCR analysis as an approach to monitor GM maize cultivations in a specific area. Field trial experiments in the European Union and South America demonstrated the applicability of the approach under different climate conditions, in rural and semi-urban environment, even at very low levels of airborne pollen. The study documents in detail the sampling of GM pollen, sample DNA extraction and real-time PCR analysis. Our results suggest that this 'GM pollen monitoring by bioaerosol sampling and PCR screening' approach might represent an useful aid in the surveillance of GM-free areas, centres of origin and natural reserves. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Microbial Transformation of Dicarboxylic Acids by Airborne Bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cote, V.; Ariya, P.

2004-05-01

Organic aerosols are assumed to be key players in driving climatic changes and can cause health problems for human. Dicarboxylic acids (DCA) include a large fraction of identified important class of organic aerosols. In addition to direct sources, DCA are partly formed as the result of ozonolysis of terpenes and cyclic alkenes. Previous works in our laboratory show that airborne fungi collected from urban and suburban air play an important role in the transformation of severals organic aerosols such as DCA. Our present study focuses on understanding the potential chemical transformation induced by airborne bacteria and on identification of the transformation products. Airborne bacteria have been collected using a biosampler and cultivated on a solid media. Each bacterial colony is being tested by HPLC for their ability to transform DCA in liquid cultures. Also, GC-MS, SPME and NMR are being used to identify the metabolites generated from the transformation. We will present our preliminary results and we will discuss the application of bacterial activities on the chemical transformation of organics in atmosphere.

CFD-RANS prediction of individual exposure from continuous release of hazardous airborne materials in complex urban environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthimiou, G. C.; Andronopoulos, S.; Bartzis, J. G.; Berbekar, E.; Harms, F.; Leitl, B.

2017-02-01

One of the key issues of recent research on the dispersion inside complex urban environments is the ability to predict individual exposure (maximum dosages) of an airborne material which is released continuously from a point source. The present work addresses the question whether the computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology can be used to predict individual exposure for various exposure times. This is feasible by providing the two RANS concentration moments (mean and variance) and a turbulent time scale to a deterministic model. The whole effort is focused on the prediction of individual exposure inside a complex real urban area. The capabilities of the proposed methodology are validated against wind-tunnel data (CUTE experiment). The present simulations were performed 'blindly', i.e. the modeller had limited information for the inlet boundary conditions and the results were kept unknown until the end of the COST Action ES1006. Thus, a high uncertainty of the results was expected. The general performance of the methodology due to this 'blind' strategy is good. The validation metrics fulfil the acceptance criteria. The effect of the grid and the turbulence model on the model performance is examined.

THE GENOTOXICITY OF AMBIENT OUTDOOR AIR, A REVIEW: SALMONELLA MUTAGENICITY

EPA Science Inventory

The genotoxicity of ambient outdoor air, a review: Salmonella mutagenicity

Abstract
Mutagens in urban air pollution come from anthropogenic sources (especially combustion sources) and are products of airborne chemical reactions. Bacterial mutation tests have been used ...

Elimination of Airborne Lead Contamination from Caliber .22 Ammunition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

R191 365 ELIMINATION OF AIRBORNE LEAD CONTAMINATION FROM CALIBER 1/1 Ri ’ 3 5 22 N INITION(U) ARMY ARMAMENT RESEARCH DE VELOPMENT AM D...E JUNE 1987 U. S. MMW ARKM SRcKH, IDVROPMEff n U COOE US" ARMY EARMLMA CLOSE COMBAT ARMAMENT CENTER - MUNITBONS Et CHEMICAL COMMANDR D RA - A9~laIENT...Command tasked the U.S. Army Armament, Research , Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) to determine if the sources of lead contamination could be

Automatic registration of Iphone images to LASER point clouds of the urban structures using shape features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirmacek, B.; Lindenbergh, R. C.; Menenti, M.

2013-10-01

Fusion of 3D airborne laser (LIDAR) data and terrestrial optical imagery can be applied in 3D urban modeling and model up-dating. The most challenging aspect of the fusion procedure is registering the terrestrial optical images on the LIDAR point clouds. In this article, we propose an approach for registering these two different data from different sensor sources. As we use iPhone camera images which are taken in front of the interested urban structure by the application user and the high resolution LIDAR point clouds of the acquired by an airborne laser sensor. After finding the photo capturing position and orientation from the iPhone photograph metafile, we automatically select the area of interest in the point cloud and transform it into a range image which has only grayscale intensity levels according to the distance from the image acquisition position. We benefit from local features for registering the iPhone image to the generated range image. In this article, we have applied the registration process based on local feature extraction and graph matching. Finally, the registration result is used for facade texture mapping on the 3D building surface mesh which is generated from the LIDAR point cloud. Our experimental results indicate possible usage of the proposed algorithm framework for 3D urban map updating and enhancing purposes.

Combined and isolated effects of pCO2 and soil water content on carbon isotope discrimination during C3 photosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, O. E.; Welp, L.; Shepson, P. B.; Stirm, B. H.

2016-12-01

Water vapor is responsible for over half of the natural atmospheric greenhouse effect. As global temperatures increase due to fossil fuel combustion, atmospheric water vapor concentrations are also expected to increase in positive feedback. Additionally, studies have shown that urban areas can influence humidity levels, and the frequency and intensity of precipitation events. It is thus important to understand anthropogenic modification of the hydrological cycle, particularly around urban areas, where over half of the world's population resides. Airborne measurements of water vapor isotopologues containing 2H and 18O were conducted to better understand processes influencing atmospheric moisture levels around urban areas. Airborne measurements were conducted around the Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.-Baltimore areas during afternoon hours in February and March 2016, using a Los Gatos Research Water Vapor Isotope Analyzer installed in Purdue University's experimental aircraft, the Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research. The measurements of 2H and 18O allow for the calculation of deuterium excess (= δ2H - 8*δ18O), which provides information about non-equilibrium processes, such as kinetic effects, air parcel mixing, and transpiration. There are few studies that have reported observations of deuterium excess above the surface level ( 100 m). During the measurement campaign, vertical profiles were frequently conducted from 300 m above the ground to an altitude of approximately 1.5 km, effectively characterizing water vapor isotope profiles spanning the boundary layer and lower free troposphere. Measurements probed the transition from planetary boundary layer air to free troposphere air to provide high resolution deuterium excess information across this interface. Processes such as Rayleigh distillation, atmospheric mixing, and surface fluxes potentially impacting water vapor deuterium excess through the boundary layer and free troposphere with be discussed.

Dust in the wind: challenges for urban aerodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boris, Jay P.

2007-04-01

The fluid dynamics of airflow through a city controls the transport and dispersion of airborne contaminants. This is urban aerodynamics, not meteorology. The average flow, large-scale fluctuations and turbulence are closely coupled to the building geometry. Buildings create large "rooster-tail" wakes; there are systematic fountain flows up the backs of tall buildings; and dust in the wind can move perpendicular to or even against the locally prevailing wind. Requirements for better prediction accuracy demand time-dependent, three-dimensional CFD computations that include solar heating and buoyancy, complete landscape and building geometry specification including foliage and, realistic wind fluctuations. This fundamental prediction capability is necessary to assess urban visibility and line-of-sight sensor performance in street canyons and rugged terrain. Computing urban aerodynamics accurately is clearly a time-dependent High Performance Computing (HPC) problem. In an emergency, on the other hand, prediction technology to assess crisis information, sensor performance, and obscured line-of-sight propagation in the face of industrial spills, transportation accidents, or terrorist attacks has very tight time requirements that suggest simple approximations which tend to produce inaccurate results. In the past we have had to choose one or the other: a fast, inaccurate model or a slow accurate model. Using new fluid-dynamic principles, an urban-oriented emergency assessment system called CT-Analyst® was invented that solves this dilemma. It produces HPC-quality results for airborne contaminant scenarios nearly instantly and has unique new capabilities suited to sensor optimization. This presentation treats the design and use of CT-Analyst and discusses the developments needed for widespread use with advanced sensor and communication systems.

Nickel and blood counts in workers exposed to urban stressors.

PubMed

Rosati, Maria Valeria; Casale, Teodorico; Ciarrocca, Manuela; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Capozzella, Assunta; Schifano, Maria Pia; Tomei, Francesco; Nieto, Hector Alberto; Marrocco, Mariasilvia; Tomei, Gianfranco; Caciari, Tiziana; Sancini, Angela

2016-06-01

Nickel (Ni) and Ni compounds are widely present in the urban air. The purpose of this study is to estimate exposure of individuals to Ni and the correlation between this exposure and the values of blood counts in outdoor workers. This study focused on a sample of 101 outdoor workers (55 male and 46 female; 65 nonsmokers and 36 smokers), all employed in the municipal police in a large Italian city. The personal levels of exposure to Ni were assessed through (a) environmental monitoring of Ni present in the urban air obtained from individual samples and (b) biological monitoring of urinary and blood Ni. The blood count parameters were obtained from the hemochromocytometric tests. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to assess the association between the blood and urinary Ni and the complete blood count. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between the complete blood count and the independent variables (age, gender, years of work for current tasks, cigarette smoking habit (current and never smoker), values of airborne Ni, and blood and urinary Ni). Multiple linear regression analysis performed on the total group of 101 subjects confirms the association among the red blood cells count, the hematocrit, and the urinary Ni (R(2) = 0.520, p = 0.025 and R(2) = 0.530, p = 0.030). These results should lead to further studies on the effects of Ni in working populations exposed to urban pollutants. The possibility that the associations found in our study may be partially explained by other urban pollutants (such as benzene, toluene, and other heavy metals) not taken into consideration in this study cannot be ruled out. © The Author(s) 2014.

Environmental and biological monitoring of benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural outdoor male workers.

PubMed

Manuela, Ciarrocca; Francesco, Tomei; Tiziana, Caciari; Assunta, Capozzella; Lara, Scimitto; Nadia, Nardone; Giorgia, Andreozzi; Barbara, Scala; Maria, Fiaschetti; Carlotta, Cetica; Valeria, Di Giorgio; Pia, Schifano Maria; Gianfranco, Tomei; Angela, Sancini

2012-05-01

To evaluate exposure to benzene in urban and rural areas, an investigation into personal exposure to benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural (roadmen) male outdoor workers was carried out. Personal samples and data acquired using fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city were used to measure personal exposure to benzene in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen. Blood benzene, urinary trans-trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) and S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (S-PMA) were measured at the end of work shift in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen and 34 smoker traffic policemen, 21 police drivers and 53 roadmen. Exposure to benzene was similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers and higher among non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA were similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers; blood benzene and t,t-MA were significantly higher in non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Significant increases in t,t-MA were found in smokers vs. non-smokers. In non-smoker urban workers airborne benzene and blood benzene, and t,t-MA and S-PMA were significantly correlated. This study gives an evaluation of the exposure to benzene in an urban area, comparing people working in the street or in cars, to people working in a rural area. Benzene is a certain carcinogen for humans. The results we showed should lead to more in-depth studies about the effects on health of these categories of workers.

Assessment of airborne bacteria in selected occupational environments in Quezon City, Philippines.

PubMed

Rendon, Rhoshela Vi C; Garcia, Bea Clarise B; Vital, Pierangeli G

2017-05-04

Exposure to bioaerosols has been associated with health deterioration among workers in several occupational environments. This highlights the need to study the microbiological quality of air of workplaces as no such study has been conducted yet in the Philippines. To detect and characterize the culturable mesophilic airborne bacteria in selected occupational environments we used passive sedimentation technique. It was observed that the number of colony-forming units was highest in junk shop, followed by the light railway transit station and last the office. By contrast, the bacterial composition was similar in all sites: Gram-positive cocci > Gram-positive bacilli > Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus spp. were also detected in all sites. These findings suggest that the presence of airborne bacteria may be a potential health hazard in urban occupational environments in the Philippines.

Preliminary Assessment of Operational Hazards and Safety Requirements for Airborne Trajectory Management (ABTM) Roadmap Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotton, William B.; Hilb, Robert; Koczo, Stefan, Jr.; Wing, David J.

2016-01-01

A set of five developmental steps building from the NASA TASAR (Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests) concept are described, each providing incrementally more efficiency and capacity benefits to airspace system users and service providers, culminating in a Full Airborne Trajectory Management capability. For each of these steps, the incremental Operational Hazards and Safety Requirements are identified for later use in future formal safety assessments intended to lead to certification and operational approval of the equipment and the associated procedures. Two established safety assessment methodologies that are compliant with the FAA's Safety Management System were used leading to Failure Effects Classifications (FEC) for each of the steps. The most likely FEC for the first three steps, Basic TASAR, Digital TASAR, and 4D TASAR, is "No effect". For step four, Strategic Airborne Trajectory Management, the likely FEC is "Minor". For Full Airborne Trajectory Management (Step 5), the most likely FEC is "Major".

Dose-Response Relationship between Cumulative Occupational Lead Exposure and the Associated Health Damages: A 20-Year Cohort Study of a Smelter in China

PubMed Central

Wu, Yue; Gu, Jun-Ming; Huang, Yun; Duan, Yan-Ying; Huang, Rui-Xue; Hu, Jian-An

2016-01-01

Long-term airborne lead exposure, even below official occupational limits, has been found to cause lead poisoning at higher frequencies than expected, which suggests that China’s existing occupational exposure limits should be reexamined. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1832 smelting workers from 1988 to 2008 in China. These were individuals who entered the plant and came into continuous contact with lead at work for longer than 3 months. The dose-response relationship between occupational cumulative lead exposure and lead poisoning, abnormal blood lead, urinary lead and erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) were analyzed and the benchmark dose lower bound confidence limits (BMDLs) were calculated. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between cumulative lead dust and lead fumes exposures and workplace seniority, blood lead, urinary lead and ZPP values. A dose-response relationship was observed between cumulative lead dust or lead fumes exposure and lead poisoning (p < 0.01). The BMDLs of the cumulative occupational lead dust and fumes doses were 0.68 mg-year/m3 and 0.30 mg-year/m3 for lead poisoning, respectively. The BMDLs of workplace airborne lead concentrations associated with lead poisoning were 0.02 mg/m3 and 0.01 mg/m3 for occupational exposure lead dust and lead fume, respectively. In conclusion, BMDLs for airborne lead were lower than occupational exposure limits, suggesting that the occupational lead exposure limits need re-examination and adjustment. Occupational cumulative exposure limits (OCELs) should be established to better prevent occupational lead poisoning. PMID:26999177

Airborne lead and other elements derived from local fires in the Himalayas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davidson, C.I.; Grimm, T.C.; Nasta, M.A.

1981-12-18

The combustion of wood and yak dung for heating and cooking in a populated Nepal Himalayan valley contributes significantly to the ambient airborne concentrations of lead, copper, aluminum, magnesium, and elemental and organic carbon. A comparison of the concentrations of these elements in fresh snow with corresponding values in air suggests that the pollution aerosol is confined to the valley, with pristine air aloft.

COMMUNITY-SCALE MODELING FOR AIR TOXICS AND HOMELAND SECURITY

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this task is to develop and evaluate numerical and physical modeling tools for simulating ambient concentrations of airborne substances in urban settings at spatial scales ranging from <1-10 km. Research under this task will support client needs in human exposure ...

The inflammatory response in lungs of rats exposed on the airborne particles collected during different seasons in four European cities.

PubMed

Halatek, Tadeusz; Stepnik, Maciej; Stetkiewicz, Jan; Krajnow, Aleksander; Kur, Barbara; Szymczak, Wieslaw; Rydzynski, Konrad; Dybing, Erik; Cassee, Fleming R

2011-01-01

Epidemiological studies have reported associations of ambient particulate air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM) less than 10 μm with exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In an in vivo model, we have tested the toxicity of urban airborne particles collected during spring, summer, and winter seasons in four cities (Amsterdam, Lodz, Oslo, and Rome) spread across Europe. The seasonal differences in inflammatory responses were striking, and almost all the study parameters were affected by PM. Coarse fractions of the urban particle samples were less potent per unit mass than the fine fractions in increasing cytokine [macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] levels and in reducing Clara-cell secretory protein (CC16) levels. This study shows that PM collected at 4 contrasting sites across Europe and during different seasons have differences in toxic potency. These differences were even more prominent between the fine and coarse fractions of the PM.

On the assessment of exposure to airborne ultrafine particles in urban environments.

PubMed

Gomes, João Fernando Pereira; Bordado, João Carlos Moura; Albuquerque, Paula Cristina Silva

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to contribute to the assessment of exposure levels of ultrafine particles in the urban environment of Lisbon, Portugal, due to automobile traffic, by monitoring lung deposited alveolar surface area (resulting from exposure to ultrafine particles) in a major avenue leading to the town center during late spring, as well as in indoor buildings facing it. Data revealed differentiated patterns for week days and weekends, consistent with PM(2.5) and PM₁₀ patterns currently monitored by air quality stations in Lisbon. The observed ultrafine particulate levels may be directly correlated with fluxes in automobile traffic. During a typical week, amounts of ultrafine particles per alveolar deposited surface area varied between 35 and 89.2 μm²/cm³, which are comparable with levels reported for other towns in Germany and the United States. The measured values allowed for determination of the number of ultrafine particles per cubic centimeter, which are comparable to levels reported for Madrid and Brisbane. In what concerns outdoor/indoor levels, we observed higher levels (32 to 63%) outdoors, which is somewhat lower than levels observed in houses in Ontario.

Characteristics of airborne bacteria in Mumbai urban environment.

PubMed

Gangamma, S

2014-08-01

Components of biological origin constitute small but a significant proportion of the ambient airborne particulate matter (PM). However, their diversity and role in proinflammatory responses of PM are not well understood. The present study characterizes airborne bacterial species diversity in Mumbai City and elucidates the role of bacterial endotoxin in PM induced proinflammatory response in ex vivo. Airborne bacteria and endotoxin samples were collected during April-May 2010 in Mumbai using six stage microbial impactor and biosampler. The culturable bacterial species concentration was measured and factors influencing the composition were identified by principal component analysis (PCA). The biosampler samples were used to stimulate immune cells in whole blood assay. A total of 28 species belonging to 17 genera were identified. Gram positive and spore forming groups of bacteria dominated the airborne culturable bacterial concentration. The study indicated the dominance of spore forming and human or animal flora derived pathogenic/opportunistic bacteria in the ambient air environment. Pathogenic and opportunistic species of bacteria were also present in the samples. TNF-α induction by PM was reduced (35%) by polymyxin B pretreatment and this result was corroborated with the results of blocking endotoxin receptor cluster differentiation (CD14). The study highlights the importance of airborne biological particles and suggests need of further studies on biological characterization of ambient PM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An investigation of airborne allergenic pollen at different heights.

PubMed

Xiao, Xiaojun; Fu, Aixiang; Xie, Xiongjie; Kang, Minxiong; Hu, Dongsheng; Yang, Pingchang; Liu, Zhigang

2013-01-01

Airborne pollen is an important source of allergens in a number of allergic diseases. Data on the concentrations of pollen at different heights in the air are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate different types and numbers of airborne pollen and their seasonal variation at different heights in the urban area of Shenzhen (China) and their associations with meteorological factors. The concentration of airborne pollen at different heights was monitored with Burkard traps from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, in Shenzhen; the results were analyzed with SAS 9.13 software. In total, 1,095 films (at 3 heights, 365 films at each height) were exposed throughout the year, and 48 families and 85 genera of pollen taxa were identified. The total pollen count was 55,830 grains (25,204 grains at 1.5 m; 16,218 grains at 35 m, and 14,408 grains at 70 m); pollen grains were present in the atmosphere throughout the year, with two peaks of airborne pollen: one peak in February to April and the other in September to November. On the basis of our local investigations, the pollen concentrations and the pollen types in the air decrease gradually with increasing height. The distribution and concentrations of airborne pollen at different heights in the atmosphere were influenced by composite factors such as the season and meteorological factors. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Analysis of airborne particulate matter pollution in Timisoara city urban area and correlations between measurements and meteorological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lungu, Mihai; Lungu, Antoanetta; Stefu, Nicoleta; Neculae, Adrian; Strambeanu, Nicolae

2017-01-01

Air pollution is known to have many adverse effects, among which those on human health are considered the most important. Healthy people of all ages can be adversely affected by high levels of air pollutants. Nanoparticles can be considered among the most harmful of all pollutants as they can penetrate straight into the lungs and blood stream. Their role in the aging process has also recently been revealed. In Romania, practically in all important urban areas (Bucureşti, Iaşi, Timişoara, Braşov, Baia Mare, etc.) the daily limit values for airborne particulate matter are exceeded, so more efforts in controlling air quality are required, along with more research and policies with positive impact on reducing the pollutants concentration in air. The approaches that have been developed to assess the air quality and health impacts of pollution sources are based on analytical methods such as source apportionment, factor analyses, and the measurement of source-relevant indicator compounds. The goal of the present study is to offer preliminary but relevant information on the particulate matter distribution in the city of Timisoara, Romania. Measurements of inhalable coarse and fine particles in two areas of the city, the most affected by industrial particulate emissions, were performed in days with various meteorological conditions. Meteorological parameters for the specific measurement days were recorded (wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, pressure, etc.) and the influence of these parameters on the particulate matter dispersion was studied. The results show that the meteorological conditions cause differences between airborne particulate matter distributions in different days in the same zones. Measurements were made in northern and southern areas of the city of Timisoara because previous results have shown high levels of airborne particulate matter in these areas.

Indoor dust and air concentrations of endotoxin in urban and rural environments.

PubMed

Barnig, C; Reboux, G; Roussel, S; Casset, A; Sohy, C; Dalphin, J-C; de Blay, F

2013-03-01

Rural dairy farming is associated with high exposure to indoor endotoxins as compared to rural nonfarming houses and urban houses. The time spent on the mattress (7 h for an adult) and of the proximity of the contaminated source should be taken into account with the other causes of exposure. Studies in European children from a farming background have shown that these children have a reduced risk of asthma and atopic sensitization compared to their urban counterparts. It has been suggested that this might be due to exposure to high levels of endotoxin in the farming environment. The aim of this study was to compare indoor endotoxin concentrations in air and dust samples from randomly selected urban and rural dwellings. In the rural area, endotoxins were analysed in farmhouses and nonfarmhouses as well as housing characteristics, lifestyle factors and agricultural practices likely to influence air and dust endotoxin levels. Endotoxin levels were significantly higher in floor (6600 ± 6100 vs 3600 ± 5600 and 3800 ± 17,000 ng g⁻¹; P < 0·001) and mattress dust (2900 ± 4100 vs 1100 ± 2400 and 800 ± 2600 ng g⁻¹; P < 0·001) from farmhouses compared to other rural and urban homes. However, no difference was observed between endotoxin concentrations in the air of urban and rural houses, and airborne endotoxin levels did not correlate to dust levels. Lack of ventilation and direct entry into the house were correlated with an increase in dust endotoxin levels. These results confirm that dairy farming is associated with high exposure to endotoxins in indoor dust samples. No difference was observed between indoor airborne concentrations between urban and rural houses. These results suggest that measuring endotoxin in dust is the most relevant method to assess endotoxin exposure. © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

OVERVIEW OF THE MUTAGENICITY OF URBAN AIR

EPA Science Inventory

For the past 25 years, there has been great interest in the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of ambient air and in the sources of those genotoxicants. Prior to the 1980's, the evaluation of airborne toxicants was done on a pollutant-by-pollutant basis. However, the assessment of ...

Long-term airborne contamination studied by attic dust in an industrial area: Ajka, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Völgyesi, P.; Jordan, G.; Szabo, Cs.

2012-04-01

Heavy industrial activities such as mining, metal industry, coal fired power plants have produced large amount of by-products and wide-spread pollution, particularly in the period of centrally dictated economy after WWII, in Hungary. Several studies suggest that significant amount of these pollutants have been deposited in the urban environment. Nowadays, more than half of the world's population is living in urban areas and people spend almost 80% of their lives indoors in developed countries increasing human health risk due to contamination present in urban dwellings. Attic dust sampling was applied to determine the long-term airborne contamination load in the industrial town of Ajka (Hungary). There has been a high industrial activity in Ajka since the end of the 19th century. In addition to aluminum and alumina industry, coal mining, coal fired power plant and glass industry sites, generated numerous waste heaps which act as multi-contamination sources in the area. In October 2010 the Ajka red mud tailings pond failed and caused an accidental regional contamination of international significance. The major objective of this research was to study and map the spatial distribution of heavy metal contamination in airborne attic dust samples. At 27 sampling sites 30 attic dust samples were collected. Sampling strategy followed a grid-based stratified random sampling design. In each cell a house for attic dust sample collection was selected that was located the closest to a randomly generated point in the grid cell. The project area covers a 8x8 grid of 1x1 km cells with a total area of 64 km2. In order to represent long-term industrial pollution, houses with attics kept intact for at least 30-40 years were selected for sampling. Sampling included the collection of background samples remotely placed from the industrialized urban area. The concentration of the major and toxic elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, and As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn) were measured with ICP-OES and the mercury content was measured with atom absorption spectrometry. Our results show a good spatial correlation of contamination sources and attic dust sampling locations reveal spatial trends as well. Attic dust seems to be an efficient and cheep sampling medium to study long-term airborne contamination and possibly associated human health risk in an industrial area.

Developing a semi/automated protocol to post-process large volume, High-resolution airborne thermal infrared (TIR) imagery for urban waste heat mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Mir Mustafizur

In collaboration with The City of Calgary 2011 Sustainability Direction and as part of the HEAT (Heat Energy Assessment Technologies) project, the focus of this research is to develop a semi/automated 'protocol' to post-process large volumes of high-resolution (H-res) airborne thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to enable accurate urban waste heat mapping. HEAT is a free GeoWeb service, designed to help Calgary residents improve their home energy efficiency by visualizing the amount and location of waste heat leaving their homes and communities, as easily as clicking on their house in Google Maps. HEAT metrics are derived from 43 flight lines of TABI-1800 (Thermal Airborne Broadband Imager) data acquired on May 13--14, 2012 at night (11:00 pm--5:00 am) over The City of Calgary, Alberta (˜825 km 2) at a 50 cm spatial resolution and 0.05°C thermal resolution. At present, the only way to generate a large area, high-spatial resolution TIR scene is to acquire separate airborne flight lines and mosaic them together. However, the ambient sensed temperature within, and between flight lines naturally changes during acquisition (due to varying atmospheric and local micro-climate conditions), resulting in mosaicked images with different temperatures for the same scene components (e.g. roads, buildings), and mosaic join-lines arbitrarily bisect many thousands of homes. In combination these effects result in reduced utility and classification accuracy including, poorly defined HEAT Metrics, inaccurate hotspot detection and raw imagery that are difficult to interpret. In an effort to minimize these effects, three new semi/automated post-processing algorithms (the protocol) are described, which are then used to generate a 43 flight line mosaic of TABI-1800 data from which accurate Calgary waste heat maps and HEAT metrics can be generated. These algorithms (presented as four peer-reviewed papers)---are: (a) Thermal Urban Road Normalization (TURN)---used to mitigate the microclimatic variability within a thermal flight line based on varying road temperatures; (b) Automated Polynomial Relative Radiometric Normalization (RRN)---which mitigates the between flight line radiometric variability; and (c) Object Based Mosaicking (OBM)---which minimizes the geometric distortion along the mosaic edge between each flight line. A modified Emissivity Modulation technique is also described to correct H-res TIR images for emissivity. This combined radiometric and geometric post-processing protocol (i) increases the visual agreement between TABI-1800 flight lines, (ii) improves radiometric agreement within/between flight lines, (iii) produces a visually seamless mosaic, (iv) improves hot-spot detection and landcover classification accuracy, and (v) provides accurate data for thermal-based HEAT energy models. Keywords: Thermal Infrared, Post-Processing, High Spatial Resolution, Airborne, Thermal Urban Road Normalization (TURN), Relative Radiometric Normalization (RRN), Object Based Mosaicking (OBM), TABI-1800, HEAT, and Automation.

Microfluidic electrochemical sensor for on-line monitoring of aerosol oxidative activity.

PubMed

Sameenoi, Yupaporn; Koehler, Kirsten; Shapiro, Jeff; Boonsong, Kanokporn; Sun, Yele; Collett, Jeffrey; Volckens, John; Henry, Charles S

2012-06-27

Particulate matter (PM) air pollution has a significant impact on human morbidity and mortality; however, the mechanisms of PM-induced toxicity are poorly defined. A leading hypothesis states that airborne PM induces harm by generating reactive oxygen species in and around human tissues, leading to oxidative stress. We report here a system employing a microfluidic electrochemical sensor coupled directly to a particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) system to measure aerosol oxidative activity in an on-line format. The oxidative activity measurement is based on the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, where, after being oxidized by PM, the remaining reduced DTT is analyzed by the microfluidic sensor. The sensor consists of an array of working, reference, and auxiliary electrodes fabricated in a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic device. Cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-modified carbon paste was used as the working electrode material, allowing selective detection of reduced DTT. The electrochemical sensor was validated off-line against the traditional DTT assay using filter samples taken from urban environments and biomass burning events. After off-line characterization, the sensor was coupled to a PILS to enable on-line sampling/analysis of aerosol oxidative activity. Urban dust and industrial incinerator ash samples were aerosolized in an aerosol chamber and analyzed for their oxidative activity. The on-line sensor reported DTT consumption rates (oxidative activity) in good correlation with aerosol concentration (R(2) from 0.86 to 0.97) with a time resolution of approximately 3 min.

Metric Evaluation Pipeline for 3d Modeling of Urban Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosch, M.; Leichtman, A.; Chilcott, D.; Goldberg, H.; Brown, M.

2017-05-01

Publicly available benchmark data and metric evaluation approaches have been instrumental in enabling research to advance state of the art methods for remote sensing applications in urban 3D modeling. Most publicly available benchmark datasets have consisted of high resolution airborne imagery and lidar suitable for 3D modeling on a relatively modest scale. To enable research in larger scale 3D mapping, we have recently released a public benchmark dataset with multi-view commercial satellite imagery and metrics to compare 3D point clouds with lidar ground truth. We now define a more complete metric evaluation pipeline developed as publicly available open source software to assess semantically labeled 3D models of complex urban scenes derived from multi-view commercial satellite imagery. Evaluation metrics in our pipeline include horizontal and vertical accuracy and completeness, volumetric completeness and correctness, perceptual quality, and model simplicity. Sources of ground truth include airborne lidar and overhead imagery, and we demonstrate a semi-automated process for producing accurate ground truth shape files to characterize building footprints. We validate our current metric evaluation pipeline using 3D models produced using open source multi-view stereo methods. Data and software is made publicly available to enable further research and planned benchmarking activities.

Airborne incidents : an econometric analysis of severity, December 19, 2014 : Final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-19

Airborne loss of separation incidents occur when an aircraft breaches the defined separation limit (vertical and/or horizontal) with another aircraft or terrain imposed by Air Traffic Control. Identifying conditions that lead to more severe loss of s...

Metagenomic analysis of the airborne environment in urban spaces.

PubMed

Be, Nicholas A; Thissen, James B; Fofanov, Viacheslav Y; Allen, Jonathan E; Rojas, Mark; Golovko, George; Fofanov, Yuriy; Koshinsky, Heather; Jaing, Crystal J

2015-02-01

The organisms in aerosol microenvironments, especially densely populated urban areas, are relevant to maintenance of public health and detection of potential epidemic or biothreat agents. To examine aerosolized microorganisms in this environment, we performed sequencing on the material from an urban aerosol surveillance program. Whole metagenome sequencing was applied to DNA extracted from air filters obtained during periods from each of the four seasons. The composition of bacteria, plants, fungi, invertebrates, and viruses demonstrated distinct temporal shifts. Bacillus thuringiensis serovar kurstaki was detected in samples known to be exposed to aerosolized spores, illustrating the potential utility of this approach for identification of intentionally introduced microbial agents. Together, these data demonstrate the temporally dependent metagenomic complexity of urban aerosols and the potential of genomic analytical techniques for biosurveillance and monitoring of threats to public health.

Airborne survey of major air basins in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gloria, H. R.; Bradburn, G.; Reinisch, R. F.; Pitts, J. N., Jr.; Behar, J. V.; Zafonte, L.

1974-01-01

An instrumented aircraft was used to study the chemical and transport properties of air pollution in two major urban centers in California and to survey certain aspects of air pollution within this state. State-of-the-art measurement techniques and sampling procedures are discussed. It is found that meteorological transport mechanisms are better portrayed by vertical pollutant profiles. Airborne measurements define the nature of the mixing layer for atmospheric pollutants. Results show that the pollutants are found to be concentrated in distinct layers up to at least 18,000 feet and the O3 buildup occurring in advected air masses is a result of a continuous photochemical aging of air mass.

SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF ORGANIC MOLECULAR MARKERS IN URBAN PARTICULATE MATTER FROM PHILADELPHIA, PA

EPA Science Inventory

Organic molecular markers were measured in airborne particulate matter (PM₁₀) from the City of Philadelphia North Broad Street air quality monitoring site to identify the seasonal abundances of key tracer compounds together with their dominant sources. Daily PM_10...

How Cities Breathe: Ground-Referenced, Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging Precursor Measurements To Space-Based Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leifer, Ira; Tratt, David; Quattrochi, Dale; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Gerilowski, Konstantin; Buchwitz, Michael; Burrows, John

2013-01-01

Methane's (CH4) large global warming potential (Shindell et al., 2012) and likely increasing future emissions due to global warming feedbacks emphasize its importance to anthropogenic greenhouse warming (IPCC, 2007). Furthermore, CH4 regulation has far greater near-term climate change mitigation potential versus carbon dioxide CO2, the other major anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas (GHG) (Shindell et al., 2009). Uncertainties in CH4 budgets arise from the poor state of knowledge of CH4 sources - in part from a lack of sufficiently accurate assessments of the temporal and spatial emissions and controlling factors of highly variable anthropogenic and natural CH4 surface fluxes (IPCC, 2007) and the lack of global-scale (satellite) data at sufficiently high spatial resolution to resolve sources. Many important methane (and other trace gases) sources arise from urban and mega-urban landscapes where anthropogenic activities are centered - most of humanity lives in urban areas. Studying these complex landscape tapestries is challenged by a wide and varied range of activities at small spatial scale, and difficulty in obtaining up-to-date landuse data in the developed world - a key desire of policy makers towards development of effective regulations. In the developing world, challenges are multiplied with additional political access challenges. As high spatial resolution satellite and airborne data has become available, activity mapping applications have blossomed - i.e., Google maps; however, tap a minute fraction of remote sensing capabilities due to limited (three band) spectral information. Next generation approaches that incorporate high spatial resolution hyperspectral and ultraspectral data will allow detangling of the highly heterogeneous usage megacity patterns by providing diagnostic identification of chemical composition from solids (refs) to gases (refs). To properly enable these next generation technologies for megacity include atmospheric radiative transfer modeling the complex and often aerosol laden, humid, urban microclimates, atmospheric transport and profile monitoring, spatial resolution, temporal cycles (diurnal and seasonal which involve interactions with the surrounding environment diurnal and seasonal cycles) and representative measurement approaches given traffic realities. Promising approaches incorporate contemporaneous airborne remote sensing and in situ measurements, nocturnal surface surveys, with ground station measurement

Airborne surveys of USA urban areas at 121.5/243 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1979-01-01

In situ, aircraft flight measurements were made in 1976 and 1977 by NASA of the radio-frequency environment over USA urban areas within the emergency distress search and rescue frequency bands at 121.5 and 243.0 MHz. This paper analyzes test results reported previously for USA East Coast and Midwest flight surveys; presented also are test results obtained in May 1977 for the USA West Coast during the NASA, ASSESS-II, Space Shuttle/Spacelab simulation aircraft flights. The USA West Coast flight include data at 121.5/243 MHz during an extensive series of aircraft passes for the Los Angeles urban area. The USA East Coast/Midwest measurements show correlation with population count.

An evaluation of airborne nickel, zinc, and lead exposure at hot dip galvanizing plants.

PubMed

Verma, D K; Shaw, D S

1991-12-01

Industrial hygiene surveys were conducted at three hot dip galvanizing plants to determine occupational exposure to nickel, zinc, and lead. All three plants employed the "dry process" and used 2% nickel, by weight, in their zinc baths. A total of 32 personal and area air samples were taken. The air samples were analyzed for nickel, zinc, and lead. Some samples were also analyzed for various species of nickel (i.e., metallic, soluble, and oxidic). The airborne concentrations observed for nickel and its three species, zinc, and lead at the three plants were all well below the current and proposed threshold limit values recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

Filtering Airborne LIDAR Data by AN Improved Morphological Method Based on Multi-Gradient Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.

2013-05-01

The technology of airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) is capable of acquiring dense and accurate 3D geospatial data. Although many related efforts have been made by a lot of researchers in the last few years, LIDAR data filtering is still a challenging task, especially for area with high relief or hybrid geographic features. In order to address the bare-ground extraction from LIDAR point clouds of complex landscapes, a novel morphological filtering algorithm is proposed based on multi-gradient analysis in terms of the characteristic of LIDAR data distribution in this paper. Firstly, point clouds are organized by an index mesh. Then, the multigradient of each point is calculated using the morphological method. And, objects are removed gradually by choosing some points to carry on an improved opening operation constrained by multi-gradient iteratively. 15 sample data provided by ISPRS Working Group III/3 are employed to test the filtering algorithm proposed. These sample data include those environments that may lead to filtering difficulty. Experimental results show that filtering algorithm proposed by this paper is of high adaptability to various scenes including urban and rural areas. Omission error, commission error and total error can be simultaneously controlled in a relatively small interval. This algorithm can efficiently remove object points while preserves ground points to a great degree.

Sequential Extractions and Toxicity Potential of Trace Metals Absorbed into Airborne Particles in an Urban Atmosphere of Southwestern Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ediagbonya, Thompson Faraday

2018-01-01

The paper investigates the hypothesis that biotoxicities of trace metals depend not only on the concentration as expressed by the total amount, but also on their geochemical fractions and bioavailability. Airborne particles were collected using SKC Air Check XR 5000 high volume Sampler at a human breathing height of 1.5–2.0 meters, during the dry season months from November 2014 to March 2015 at different locations in Akure (7°10′N and 5°15′E). The geochemical-based sequential extractions were performed on the particles using a series of increasingly stringent solutions selected to extract metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Mn) into four operational geochemical phases—exchangeable, reducible, organic, and residual—and then quantified using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results showed metals concentration of order Pb > Cr > Cd > Zn > Ni > Cu > Mn. However, most metals in the samples exist in nonmobile fractions: exchangeable (6.43–16.2%), reducible (32.58–47.39%), organic (4.73–9.88%), and residual (18.28–27.53%). The pollution indices show ingestion as the leading route of metal exposure, with noncarcinogenic (HQ) and cancer risk (HI) for humans in the area being higher than 1.0 × 10−4, indicating a health threat. PMID:29686588

Classification of urban features using airborne hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesh Babu, Bharath

Accurate mapping and modeling of urban environments are critical for their efficient and successful management. Superior understanding of complex urban environments is made possible by using modern geospatial technologies. This research focuses on thematic classification of urban land use and land cover (LULC) using 248 bands of 2.0 meter resolution hyperspectral data acquired from an airborne imaging spectrometer (AISA+) on 24th July 2006 in and near Terre Haute, Indiana. Three distinct study areas including two commercial classes, two residential classes, and two urban parks/recreational classes were selected for classification and analysis. Four commonly used classification methods -- maximum likelihood (ML), extraction and classification of homogeneous objects (ECHO), spectral angle mapper (SAM), and iterative self organizing data analysis (ISODATA) - were applied to each data set. Accuracy assessment was conducted and overall accuracies were compared between the twenty four resulting thematic maps. With the exception of SAM and ISODATA in a complex commercial area, all methods employed classified the designated urban features with more than 80% accuracy. The thematic classification from ECHO showed the best agreement with ground reference samples. The residential area with relatively homogeneous composition was classified consistently with highest accuracy by all four of the classification methods used. The average accuracy amongst the classifiers was 93.60% for this area. When individually observed, the complex recreational area (Deming Park) was classified with the highest accuracy by ECHO, with an accuracy of 96.80% and 96.10% Kappa. The average accuracy amongst all the classifiers was 92.07%. The commercial area with relatively high complexity was classified with the least accuracy by all classifiers. The lowest accuracy was achieved by SAM at 63.90% with 59.20% Kappa. This was also the lowest accuracy in the entire analysis. This study demonstrates the potential for using the visible and near infrared (VNIR) bands from AISA+ hyperspectral data in urban LULC classification. Based on their performance, the need for further research using ECHO and SAM is underscored. The importance incorporating imaging spectrometer data in high resolution urban feature mapping is emphasized.

Meteorological factors associated with abundance of airborne fungal spores over natural vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandall, Sharifa G.; Gilbert, Gregory S.

2017-08-01

The abundance of airborne fungal spores in agricultural and urban settings increases with greater air temperature, relative humidity, or precipitation. The same meteorological factors that affect temporal patterns in spore abundance in managed environments also vary spatially across natural habitats in association with differences in vegetation structure. Here we investigated how temporal and spatial variation in aerial spore abundance is affected by abiotic (weather) and biotic (vegetation) factors as a foundation for predicting how fungi may respond to changes in weather and land-use patterns. We measured the phenology of airborne fungal spores across a mosaic of naturally occurring vegetation types at different time scales to describe (1) how spore abundance changes over time, (2) which local meteorological variables are good predictors for airborne spore density, and (3) whether spore abundance differs across vegetation types. Using an air volumetric vacuum sampler, we collected spore samples at 3-h intervals over a 120-h period in a mixed-evergreen forest and coastal prairie to measure diurnal, nocturnal, and total airborne spore abundance across vegetation types. Spore samples were also collected at weekly and monthly intervals in mixed-evergreen forest, redwood forest, and maritime chaparral vegetation types from 12 field sites across two years. We found greater airborne spore densities during the wetter winter months compared to the drier summer months. Mean total spore abundance in the mixed-evergreen forest was twice than in the coastal prairie, but there were no significant differences in total airborne spore abundance among mixed-evergreen forest, redwood forest, and maritime chaparral vegetation types. Weekly and monthly peaks in airborne spore abundance corresponded with rain events and peaks in soil moisture. Overall, temporal patterns in meteorological factors were much more important in determining airborne fungal spore abundance than the vegetation type. This suggests that overall patterns of fungal spore dynamics may be predictable across heterogeneous landscapes based on local weather patterns.

Effect of land uses and wind direction on the contribution of local sources to airborne pollen.

PubMed

Rojo, Jesús; Rapp, Ana; Lara, Beatriz; Fernández-González, Federico; Pérez-Badia, Rosa

2015-12-15

The interpretation of airborne pollen levels in cities based on the contribution of the surrounding flora and vegetation is a useful tool to estimate airborne allergen concentrations and, consequently, to determine the allergy risk for local residents. This study examined the pollen spectrum in a city in central Spain (Guadalajara) and analysed the vegetation landscape and land uses within a radius of 20km in an attempt to identify and locate the origin of airborne pollen and to determine the effect of meteorological variables on pollen emission and dispersal. The results showed that local wind direction was largely responsible for changes in the concentrations of different airborne pollen types. The land uses contributing most to airborne pollen counts were urban green spaces, though only 0.1% of the total surface area studied, and broadleaved forest which covered 5% of the study area. These two types of land use together accounted for 70% of the airborne pollen. Crops, scrubland and pastureland, though covering 80% of the total surface area, contributed only 18.6% to the total pollen count, and this contribution mainly consisted of pollen from Olea and herbaceous plants, including Poaceae, Urticaceae and Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae. Pollen from ornamental species were mainly associated with easterly (Platanus), southerly (Cupressaceae) and westerly (Cupressaceae and Platanus) winds from the areas where the city's largest parks and gardens are located. Quercus pollen was mostly transported by winds blowing in from holm-oak stands on the eastern edge of the city. The highest Populus pollen counts were associated with easterly and westerly winds blowing in from areas containing rivers and streams. The airborne pollen counts generally rose with increasing temperature, solar radiation and hours of sunlight, all of which favour pollen release. In contrast, pollen counts declined with increased relative humidity and rainfall, which hinder airborne pollen transport. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Registration and Segmentation of Heterogeneous Laser Scanning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Durgham, Mohannad M.

Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) mapping has been emerging over the past few years as a mainstream tool for the dense acquisition of three dimensional point data. Besides the conventional mapping missions, LiDAR systems have proven to be very useful for a wide spectrum of applications such as forestry, structural deformation analysis, urban mapping, and reverse engineering. The wide application scope of LiDAR lead to the development of many laser scanning technologies that are mountable on multiple platforms (i.e., airborne, mobile terrestrial, and tripod mounted), this caused variations in the characteristics and quality of the generated point clouds. As a result of the increased popularity and diversity of laser scanners, one should address the heterogeneous LiDAR data post processing (i.e., registration and segmentation) problems adequately. Current LiDAR integration techniques do not take into account the varying nature of laser scans originating from various platforms. In this dissertation, the author proposes a methodology designed particularly for the registration and segmentation of heterogeneous LiDAR data. A data characterization and filtering step is proposed to populate the points' attributes and remove non-planar LiDAR points. Then, a modified version of the Iterative Closest Point (ICP), denoted by the Iterative Closest Projected Point (ICPP) is designed for the registration of heterogeneous scans to remove any misalignments between overlapping strips. Next, a region-growing-based heterogeneous segmentation algorithm is developed to ensure the proper extraction of planar segments from the point clouds. Validation experiments show that the proposed heterogeneous registration can successfully align airborne and terrestrial datasets despite the great differences in their point density and their noise level. In addition, similar testes have been conducted to examine the heterogeneous segmentation and it is shown that one is able to identify common planar features in airborne and terrestrial data without resampling or manipulating the data in any way. The work presented in this dissertation provides a framework for the registration and segmentation of airborne and terrestrial laser scans which has a positive impact on the completeness of the scanned feature. Therefore, the derived products from these point clouds have higher accuracy as seen in the full manuscript.

SUPPRESSION OF BASAL AND CYTOKINE INDUCED EXPRESSION OF ANTIGEN PRESENTATION MARKERS ON MOUSE LUNG EPITHELIAL CELLS EXPOSED TO DIESEL EXHAUST PARTICLES.

EPA Science Inventory

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) constitute a significant component of airborne particulates in urban environment. Exposure to DEP is known to enhance susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections. We hypothesized that DEP could partially exert its effect on disease susceptibili...

Methods for Characterizing the Distribution of Exhaust Emissions from Light-Duty, Gasoline-Powered Motor Vehicles in the U.S. Fleet

EPA Science Inventory

Mobile sources significantly contribute to ambient concentrations of airborne particulate matter. Source apportionment studies for PMlO and PM2.5 indicate that mobile sources can be responsible for over half of the ambient PM measured in an urban area. Recent source apportionment...

Vertical profiles of urban aerosol complex refractive index in the frame of ESQUIF airborne measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raut, J.-C.; Chazette, P.

2007-07-01

A synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements has been applied to airborne observations performed during the Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF), enabling the retrieval of vertical profiles for the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) and single-scattering albedo with a vertical resolution of 200 m over Paris area. The averaged value over the entire planetary boundary layer (PBL) for the ACRI is close to 1.51(±0.02)-i0.017(±0.003) at 532 nm. The single-scattering albedo of the corresponding aerosols is found to be ~0.9 at the same wavelength. A good agreement is found with previous studies for urban aerosols. A comparison of vertical profiles of ACRI with simulations combining in situ measurements and relative humidity (RH) profiles has highlighted a modification in aerosol optical properties linked to their history and the origin of the air mass. The determination of ACRI in the atmospheric column enabled to retrieve vertical profiles of extinction coefficient in accordance with lidar profiles measurements.

Vertical profiles of urban aerosol complex refractive index in the frame of ESQUIF airborne measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raut, J.-C.; Chazette, P.

2008-02-01

A synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements has been applied to airborne observations performed during the Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF), enabling the retrieval of vertical profiles for the aerosol complex refractive index (ACRI) and single-scattering albedo with a vertical resolution of 200 m over Paris area. The averaged value over the entire planetary boundary layer (PBL) for the ACRI is close to 1.51(±0.02)-i0.017(±0.003) at 532 nm. The single-scattering albedo of the corresponding aerosols is found to be ~0.9 at the same wavelength. A good agreement is found with previous studies for urban aerosols. A comparison of vertical profiles of ACRI with simulations combining in situ measurements and relative humidity (RH) profiles has highlighted a modification in aerosol optical properties linked to their history and the origin of the air mass. The determination of ACRI in the atmospheric column enabled to retrieve vertical profiles of extinction coefficient in accordance with lidar profiles measurements.

Multiple-Primitives Hierarchical Classification of Airborne Laser Scanning Data in Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, H.; Lin, X. G.; Zhang, J. X.

2017-09-01

A hierarchical classification method for Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data of urban areas is proposed in this paper. This method is composed of three stages among which three types of primitives are utilized, i.e., smooth surface, rough surface, and individual point. In the first stage, the input ALS data is divided into smooth surfaces and rough surfaces by employing a step-wise point cloud segmentation method. In the second stage, classification based on smooth surfaces and rough surfaces is performed. Points in the smooth surfaces are first classified into ground and buildings based on semantic rules. Next, features of rough surfaces are extracted. Then, points in rough surfaces are classified into vegetation and vehicles based on the derived features and Random Forests (RF). In the third stage, point-based features are extracted for the ground points, and then, an individual point classification procedure is performed to classify the ground points into bare land, artificial ground and greenbelt. Moreover, the shortages of the existing studies are analyzed, and experiments show that the proposed method overcomes these shortages and handles more types of objects.

Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from indoor air of an urban wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Teixeira, Juliana V; Cecílio, Pedro; Gonçalves, Daniela; Vilar, Vítor J P; Pinto, Eugénia; Ferreira, Helena N

2016-07-01

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been recognized as sources of bioaerosols that may act as vehicles for dissemination of pathogens and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The occurrence of MDR Enterobacteriaceae in indoor air of an urban WWTP was investigated. A possible airborne contamination with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae was also explored. Fourteen of 39 Enterobacteriaceae isolates were MDR. These isolates were found at all sampling sites, mainly at the secondary sedimentation settings. The highest levels of resistance were detected in three different species: Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Citrobacter freundii. Furthermore, one of the airborne E. coli isolates was phenotypically characterized as an ESBL producer. Additionally, five isolates showed non-susceptibility to at least one carbapenem tested. The presence of genes encoding relevant beta-lactamase types in these ESBL-producing and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates was investigated by PCR. Results showed amplification for bla CTX-M and bla OXA. These findings are relevant both in terms of occupational/public health and of environmental dissemination of MDR bacteria.

Assessment of seismic loading on structures based on airborne LiDAR data from the Kalochori urban area (N. Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovithis, Emmanouil; Kirtas, Emmanouil; Marini, Eleftheria; Bliziotis, Dimitris; Maltezos, Evangelos; Pitilakis, Dimitris; Makra, Konstantia; Savvaidis, Alexandros

2016-08-01

Airborne LiDAR monitoring integrated with field data is employed to assess the fundamental period and the seismic loading of structures composing an urban area under prescribed earthquake scenarios. Α piecewise work-flow is adopted by combining geometrical data of the building stock derived from a LiDAR-based 3D city model, structural data from in-situ inspections on representative city blocks and results of soil response analyses. The procedure is implemented in the residential area of Kalochori, (west of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece). Special attention is paid to the in-situ inspection of the building stock in order to discriminate recordings between actual buildings and man-made constructions that do not conform to seismic design codes and to acquire additional building stock data on structural materials, typologies and number of stories which is not feasible by the LiDAR process. The processed LiDAR and field data are employed to compute the fundamental period of each building by means of code-defined formulas. Knowledge of soil conditions in the Kalochoti area allows for soil response analyses to obtain free-field at ground surface under earthquake scenarios with varying return period. Upon combining the computed vibrational characteristics of the structures with the free-field response spectra, the seismic loading imposed on the structures of the urban area under investigation is derived for each one of the prescribed seismic motions. Results are presented in GIS environment in the form of spatially distributed spectral accelerations with direct implications in seismic vulnerability studies of an urban area.

Pre- and post-fire pollutant loads in an urban fringe watershed in Southern California.

PubMed

Burke, M P; Hogue, T S; Kinoshita, A M; Barco, J; Wessel, C; Stein, E D

2013-12-01

Post-fire runoff has the potential to be a large source of contaminants to downstream areas. However, the magnitude of this effect in urban fringe watersheds adjacent to large sources of airborne contaminants is not well documented. The current study investigates the impacts of wildfire on stormwater contaminant loading from the upper Arroyo Seco watershed, burned in 2009. This watershed is adjacent to the Greater Los Angeles, CA, USA area and has not burned in over 60 years. Consequently, it acts as a sink for regional urban pollutants and presents an opportunity to study the impacts of wildfire. Pre- and post-fire storm samples were collected and analyzed for basic cations, trace metals, and total suspended solids. The loss of vegetation and changes in soil properties from the fire greatly increased the magnitude of storm runoff, resulting in sediment-laden floods carrying high concentrations of particulate-bound constituents. Post-fire concentrations and loads were up to three orders of magnitude greater than pre-fire values for many trace metals, including lead and cadmium. A shift was also observed in the timing of chemical delivery, where maximum suspended sediment, trace metal, and cation concentrations coincided with, rather than preceded, peak discharge in the post-fire runoff, amplifying the fire's impacts on mass loading. The results emphasize the importance of sediment delivery as a primary mechanism for post-fire contaminant transport and suggest that traditional management practices that focus on treating only the early portion of storm runoff may be less effective following wildfire. We also advocate that watersheds impacted by regional urban pollutants have the potential to pose significant risk for downstream communities and ecosystems after fire.

Quantification of airborne fossil and biomass carbonylic carbon by combined radiocarbon and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, B. R.; Tudos, A.; Slanina, J.; Van der Borg, K.; Kotzias, D.

Airborne carbonyl compounds have been sampled at three European semi-remote to semi-urban test sites for radiocarbon ( 14C) analysis. The used methodology included collection on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine coated silica gel cartridges, chromatographic isolation of the formed hydrazones, combustion into CO 2, reduction into graphite followed by accelerator mass spectrometry. In combination with this, liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry was used for chemical speciation of the collected carbonyls. At all sites the carbonyls were found to be of a mixed biogenic/anthropogenic origin. The determining factor for the proportion of fossil (anthropogenic) carbon in the samples was the vicinity of urban sources for carbonyls and their photochemical precursors. At meteorological conditions, which gave the test sites semi-rural/semi-remote characteristics the samples contained an average of 24% (range: 10-34%) of fossil carbonylic carbon. When air masses were transported from urban areas to the test-sites significantly higher proportions of fossil carbonylic carbon were determined with a maximum of 61%. Principal component analysis on this limited data set indicated that a low fossil proportion of carbonylic carbon is associated with high proportions of acetaldehyde, acetone, pentanone and acrolein. Until further radicarbon studies are carried out the conclusion remains that for the carbonyl compounds measured European background levels are of a predominant biogenic origin.

Sources of Bacteria in Outdoor Air across Cities in the Midwestern United States ▿ †

PubMed Central

Bowers, Robert M.; Sullivan, Amy P.; Costello, Elizabeth K.; Collett, Jeff L.; Knight, Rob; Fierer, Noah

2011-01-01

Bacteria are abundant in the atmosphere, where they often represent a major portion of the organic aerosols. Potential pathogens of plants and livestock are commonly dispersed through the atmosphere, and airborne bacteria can have important effects on human health as pathogens or triggers of allergic asthma and seasonal allergies. Despite their importance, the diversity and biogeography of airborne microorganisms remain poorly understood. We used high-throughput pyrosequencing to analyze bacterial communities present in the aerosol fraction containing fine particulate matter of ≤2.5 μm from 96 near-surface atmospheric samples collected from cities throughout the midwestern United States and found that the communities are surprisingly diverse and strongly affected by the season. We also directly compared the airborne communities to those found in hundreds of samples representing potential source environments. We show that, in addition to the more predictable sources (soils and leaf surfaces), fecal material, most likely dog feces, often represents an unexpected source of bacteria in the atmosphere at more urbanized locations during the winter. Airborne bacteria are clearly an important, but understudied, component of air quality that needs to be better integrated into efforts to measure and model pollutants in the atmosphere. PMID:21803902

The lead isotopic composition of dust in the vicinity of a uranium mine in northern Australia and its use for radiation dose assessment.

PubMed

Bollhöfer, Andreas; Honeybun, Russell; Rosman, Kevin; Martin, Paul

2006-08-01

Airborne lead isotope ratios were measured via Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry in samples from the vicinity of Ranger uranium mine in northern Australia. Dust deposited on leaves of Acacia spp. was washed off and analysed to gain a geographical snapshot of lead isotope ratios in the region. Aerosols were also collected on Teflon filters that were changed monthly over one seasonal cycle using a low volume diaphragm pump. Lead isotope ratios in dust deposited on leaves overestimate the relative amount of mine origin airborne lead, most likely due to a difference of the size distribution of particles collected on leaves and true aerosol size distribution. Seasonal measurements show that the annual average mine contribution to airborne lead concentrations in Jabiru East, approximately 2.5 km northwest of the mine, amounted to 13%, with distinct differences between the wet and dry season. The relative contribution of mine origin lead deposited on leaves in the dry season drops to less than 1% at a distance of 12.5 km from the mine along the major wind direction. An approach is outlined, in which lead isotope ratios are used to estimate the effective radiation dose received from the inhalation of mine origin radioactivity trapped in or on dust. Using the data from our study, this dose has been calculated to be approximately 2 microSv year(-1) for people living and working in the area.

The evolutionary trend in airborne and satellite radar altimeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fedor, L. S.; Walsh, E. J.

1984-01-01

The manner in which airborne and satellite radar altimeters developed and where the trend is leading was investigated. The airborne altimeters have progressed from a broad beamed, narrow pulsed, nadir looking instrument, to a pulse compressed system that is computer controlled, to a scanning pencil beamed system which produce a topographic map of the surface beneath the aircraft in real time. It is suggested that the airborne systems lie in the use of multiple frequencies. The satellite altimeters evolve towards multifrequency systems with narrower effective pulses and higher pulse compression ratios to reduce peak transmitted power while improving resolution. Applications indicate wide swath systems using interferometric techniques or beam limited systems using 100 m diameter antennas.

*Evaluating the toxicity of airborne particulate matter and nanoparticles by measuring oxidative strett potential - A workshop report and consensus statement

EPA Science Inventory

BACKGROUND: There is a strong need for laboratory in vitro test systems for the toxicity of airborne particulate matter and nanoparticles. The measurement of oxidative stress potential offers a promising way forward. OBJECTIVES: A workshop was convened involving leading workers f...

[Development of a microenvironment test chamber for airborne microbe research].

PubMed

Zhan, Ningbo; Chen, Feng; Du, Yaohua; Cheng, Zhi; Li, Chenyu; Wu, Jinlong; Wu, Taihu

2017-10-01

One of the most important environmental cleanliness indicators is airborne microbe. However, the particularity of clean operating environment and controlled experimental environment often leads to the limitation of the airborne microbe research. This paper designed and implemented a microenvironment test chamber for airborne microbe research in normal test conditions. Numerical simulation by Fluent showed that airborne microbes were evenly dispersed in the upper part of test chamber, and had a bottom-up concentration growth distribution. According to the simulation results, the verification experiment was carried out by selecting 5 sampling points in different space positions in the test chamber. Experimental results showed that average particle concentrations of all sampling points reached 10 7 counts/m 3 after 5 minutes' distributing of Staphylococcus aureus , and all sampling points showed the accordant mapping of concentration distribution. The concentration of airborne microbe in the upper chamber was slightly higher than that in the middle chamber, and that was also slightly higher than that in the bottom chamber. It is consistent with the results of numerical simulation, and it proves that the system can be well used for airborne microbe research.

Land use classification utilizing remote multispectral scanner data and computer analysis techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leblanc, P. N.; Johannsen, C. J.; Yanner, J. E.

1973-01-01

An airborne multispectral scanner was used to collect the visible and reflective infrared data. A small subdivision near Lafayette, Indiana was selected as the test site for the urban land use study. Multispectral scanner data were collected over the subdivision on May 1, 1970 from an altitude of 915 meters. The data were collected in twelve wavelength bands from 0.40 to 1.00 micrometers by the scanner. The results indicated that computer analysis of multispectral data can be very accurate in classifying and estimating the natural and man-made materials that characterize land uses in an urban scene.

Comparison of measured ozone in southeastern Virginia with computer predictions from a photochemical model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakelyn, N. T.; Gregory, G. L.

1980-01-01

Data for one day of the 1977 southeastern Virginia urban plume study are compared with computer predictions from a traveling air parcel model using a contemporary photochemical mechanism with a minimal description of nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) constitution and chemistry. With measured initial NOx and O3 concentrations and a current separate estimate of urban source loading input to the model, and for a variation of initial NMHC over a reasonable range, an ozone increase over the day is predicted from the photochemical simulation which is consistent with the flight path averaged airborne data.

Road Asphalt Pavements Analyzed by Airborne Thermal Remote Sensing: Preliminary Results of the Venice Highway.

PubMed

Pascucci, Simone; Bassani, Cristiana; Palombo, Angelo; Poscolieri, Maurizio; Cavalli, Rosa

2008-02-22

This paper describes a fast procedure for evaluating asphalt pavement surface defects using airborne emissivity data. To develop this procedure, we used airborne multispectral emissivity data covering an urban test area close to Venice (Italy).For this study, we first identify and select the roads' asphalt pavements on Multispectral Infrared Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS) imagery using a segmentation procedure. Next, since in asphalt pavements the surface defects are strictly related to the decrease of oily components that cause an increase of the abundance of surfacing limestone, the diagnostic absorption emissivity peak at 11.2μm of the limestone was used for retrieving from MIVIS emissivity data the areas exhibiting defects on asphalt pavements surface.The results showed that MIVIS emissivity allows establishing a threshold that points out those asphalt road sites on which a check for a maintenance intervention is required. Therefore, this technique can supply local government authorities an efficient, rapid and repeatable road mapping procedure providing the location of the asphalt pavements to be checked.

Micro-scale variability of particulate matter and the influence of urban fabric on the aerosol distribution in two mid-sized German cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paas, Bastian; Schneider, Christoph

2016-04-01

Spatial micro-scale variability of particle mass concentrations is an important criterion for urban air quality assessment. The major proportion of the world's population lives in cities, where exceedances of air quality standards occur regularly. Current research suggests that both long-term and even short-term stays, e.g. during commuting or relaxing, at locations with high PM concentrations could have significant impacts on health. In this study we present results from model calculations in comparison to high resolution spatial and temporal measurements. Airborne particles were sampled using an optical particle counter in two inner-city park areas in Aachen and Munster. Both are mid-sized German cities which, however, are characterized by a different topology. The measurement locations represent spots with different degrees of outdoor particle exposure that can be experienced by a pedestrian walking in an intra-urban recreational area. Simulations of aerosol distributions induced by road traffic were conducted using both the German reference dispersion model Austal2000 and the numerical microclimate model ENVI-met. Simulation results reveal details in the distribution of urban particles with highest concentrations of PM10 in direct vicinity to traffic lines. The corresponding concentrations rapidly decline as the distances to the line sources increase. Still, urban fabric and obstacles like shrubs or trees are proved to have a major impact on the aerosol distribution in the area. Furthermore, the distribution of particles was highly dependent of wind direction and turbulence characteristics. The analysis of observational data leads to the hypothesis that besides motor traffic numerous diffuse particle sources e.g. on the ability of surfaces to release particles by resuspension which were dominantly apparent in measured PM(1;10) and PM(0.25;10) data are present in the urban roughness layer. The results highlight that a conclusive picture concerning micro-scale patterns of PM helps to understand the effects of urban fabric and obstacles of both natural and artificial origin (e.g. street furniture, vegetation elements and buildings) on the local patterns of aerosol distribution. Simulation results with Austal2000 and ENVI-met indicate that there is potential to support urban planners in designing urban infrastructure and open spaces with reduced local particle concentrations through modelling. This approach seemingly is i.e. relevant for inner-city recreational areas.

Study on the Adsorption Capacities for Airborne Particulates of Landscape Plants in Different Polluted Regions in Beijing (China)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wei-Kang; Wang, Bing; Niu, Xiang

2015-01-01

Urban landscape plants are an important component of the urban ecosystem, playing a significant role in the adsorption of airborne particulates and air purification. In this study, six common landscape plants in Beijing were chosen as research subjects, and the adsorption capacities for each different plant leaf and the effects of the leaf structures for the adsorption capacities for particulates were determined. Preliminary results show that needle-leaved tree species adsorbed more airborne particulates than broad-leaved tree species for the same leaf area. Pinus tabuliformis exhibits the highest adsorption capacity, at 3.89 ± 0.026 μg·cm−2, almost two times as much as that of Populus tomentosa (2.00 ± 0.118 μg·cm−2). The adsorption capacities for PM10 of the same tree species leaves, in different polluted regions had significant differences, and the adsorption capacities for PM10 of the tree species leaf beside the Fifth Ring Road were higher than those of the tree species leaves in the Botanical Garden, although the adsorption capacities for PM2.5 of the same tree species in different polluted regions had no significant differences. By determining the soluble ion concentrations of the airborne particulates in two regions, it is suggested that the soluble ion concentrations of PM10 in the atmosphere in the Botanical Garden and beside the Fifth Ring Road have significant differences, while those of PM2.5 in the atmosphere had no significant differences. In different polluted regions there are significant adaptive changes to the leaf structures, and when compared with slightly polluted region, in the seriously polluted region the epidermis cells of the plant leaves shrinked, the surface textures of the leaves became rougher, and the stomas’ frequency and the pubescence length increased. Even though the plant leaves exposed to the seriously polluted region changed significantly, these plants can still grow normally and healthily. PMID:26287227

Spatial-temporal variations, sources, and transport of airborne inhalable metals (PM10) in urban and rural areas of northern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, X. S.; Ip, C. C. M.; Li, W.; Tao, S.; Li, X. D.

2014-05-01

Atmospheric particle pollution is a serious environmental issue in China, especially the northern regions. Ambient air loadings (ng m-3), pollution sources and apportionment, and transport pathways of trace (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) and major (Al, Ca, Fe, and Mg) metals associated with inhalable particulate matters (PM10 aerosols) were characterized in urban, rural village, and rural field areas of seven cities (from inland in the west to the coast in the east: Wuwei, Yinchuan, Taiyuan, Beijing, Dezhou, Yantai, and Dalian) across northern China by taking one 72 h sample each site within a month for a whole year (April 2010 to March 2011). Ambient PM10 pollution in northern China is especially significant in the cold season (October-March) due to the combustion of coal for heating and dust storms in the winter and spring. Owing to variations in emission intensity and meteorological conditions, there is a trend of decrease in PM10 levels in cities from west to east. Both air PM10 and the associated metal loadings for urban and rural areas were comparable, showing that the current pattern of regional pollution in China differs from the decreasing urban-rural-background transect that is usual in other parts of the world. The average metal levels are Zn (276 ng m-3) ≫ Pb (93.7) ≫ Cu (54.9) ≫ Ni (9.37) > V (8.34) ≫ Cd (2.84) > Co (1.76). Judging from concentrations (mg kg-1), enrichment factors (EFs), a multivariate statistical analysis (principal component analysis, PCA), and a receptor model (absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression analysis, APCS-MLR), the airborne trace metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd) in northern China were mainly anthropogenic, and mostly attributable to coal combustion and vehicle emissions with additional industrial sources. However, the Co was mostly of crustal origin, and the V and Ni were mainly from soil/dust in the western region and mostly from the petrochemical industry/oil combustion in the east. The accumulation of typical "urban metals" (Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu) showed a trend of increase from west to east, indicating their higher anthropogenic contribution in eastern cities. The winter northwestern monsoon and westerly jet stream were the dominant forces in the long-range transport of airborne PM metals in northern China, with potentially global implications.

Deposition and processing of airborne nitrogen pollutants in mediterranean-type ecosystems of southern California

Treesearch

Philip J. Riggan; Robert N. Lockwood; Ernest N. Lopez

1985-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, associated with chronic urban air pollution, has produced stream water nitrate concentrations as high as 7.0 mg of N L-l in chaparral watersheds in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, CA. Stream water [NO3-] and discharge were greatest at high flow and may...

Low-Wind and Other Microclimatic Factors in Near-road Black Carbon Variability: A Case Study and Assessment Implications

EPA Science Inventory

Airborne black carbon from urban traffic is a climate forcing agent and has been associated with health risk to near-road populations. In this paper, we describe a case study of black carbon concentration and compositional variability at and near a traffic-laden multi-lane highw...

Nitrogen and sulfur emissions from the burning of forest products near large urban areas

Treesearch

Dean A. Hegg; Lawrence F. Radke; Peter V. Hobbs; Charles A. Brock; Phillip J. Riggan

1987-01-01

Airborne measuremens of trace gases and particles in the smoke from a prescribed burn of forest products in the Los Angeles basin show significantly higher emissions of NOx, SO2, and particulate NO3 than do measurements in smokes from the burning of biomass in rural areas. It is postulated that the...

Understanding the Impacts of Land Uses on the Source Apportionment of Atmospheric Contamination By Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons throughout a Small State in the Northeast United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schifman, L. A.; Boving, T. B.

2014-12-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous contaminants that enter the environment through combustion processes and are often found in higher concentration of urban areas. However, once released, these compounds can travel long distances via transport through the atmosphere and can be deposited on the landscape far away from their original source. This PAH deposition pattern can slowly lead to the diffuse contamination of whole landscapes. Since most of the air masses entering the northeastern United States originate from the Midwest where coal burning power plants are plentiful, several atmospheric pollutants are introduced to the region in addition to local sources. Here, atmospheric deposition of PAHs in six different locations throughout Rhode Island was measured using passive bulk-deposition samplers for 3 years. The data were analyzed statistically by principal component analysis and factor analysis to identify the source of contamination and respective apportionment. The data clearly show that an urban-to- rural gradient exists where deposition rates are significantly higher in urban areas (up to 12325 ng/d m2 ∑PAH) compared to rural areas (as low as 11 ng/d m2 ∑PAH) and also follow seasonal trends that show higher deposition rates in the fall and winter compared to the summer and spring time. Further, based on PAH source apportionment ratios, contamination origins differ spatially. For example, fossil fuel, coal, and vehicle combustion is present in all samples; however fossil fuel combustion is dominant in urban samples. In Rural areas biomass combustion is much more prevalent and is not as greatly represented in urban or suburban areas. Therefore, even in a small state such as Rhode Island airborne PAH contamination can be fingerprinted readily for different sampling areas, indicating that distant emission sources have a widespread impact on regional air quality.

Evaluating WRF Simulations of Urban Boundary Layer Processes during DISCOVER-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegarty, J. D.; Henderson, J.; Lewis, J. R.; McGrath-Spangler, E. L.; Scarino, A. J.; Ferrare, R. A.; DeCola, P.; Welton, E. J.

2015-12-01

The accurate representation of processes in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) in meteorological models is of prime importance to air quality and greenhouse gas simulations as it governs the depth to which surface emissions are vertically mixed and influences the efficiency by which they are transported downwind. In this work we evaluate high resolution (~1 km) WRF simulations of PBL processes in the Washington DC - Baltimore and Houston urban areas during the respective DISCOVER-AQ 2011 and 2013 field campaigns using MPLNET micro-pulse lidar (MPL), mini-MPL, airborne high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL), Doppler wind profiler and CALIPSO satellite measurements along with complimentary surface and aircraft measurements. We will discuss how well WRF simulates the spatiotemporal variability of the PBL height in the urban areas and the development of fine-scale meteorological features such as bay and sea breezes that influence the air quality of the urban areas studied.

SIRANERISK: Modelling dispersion of steady and unsteady pollutant releases in the urban canopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soulhac, L.; Lamaison, G.; Cierco, F.-X.; Ben Salem, N.; Salizzoni, P.; Mejean, P.; Armand, P.; Patryl, L.

2016-09-01

SIRANERISK is an operational model for the simulation of the dispersion of unsteady atmospheric releases of pollutant within and above an urban area. SIRANERISK is built on the same principles as the SIRANE model, and couples a street network model for the pollutant transfers within the urban canopy with a Gaussian puff model for the transfers above it. The performance of the model are here analysed by a detailed comparisons with wind-tunnel experiments. These experiments concern the dispersion of steady and unsteady pollutant releases within and above obstacle arrays with varying geometrical configurations, representing different topologies of idealised urban districts. The overall good agreement between numerical and experimental data demonstrates the reliability of SIRANERISK as an operational tool for the assessment of risk analysis and for the management of crises due to the accidental release of harmful airborne pollutants within a built environment.

Atmospheric transport of pesticides in the Sacramento, California, metropolitan area, 1996-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Majewski, Michael S.; Baston, David S.

2002-01-01

Weekly composite, bulk air was sampled with respect to wind speed and direction from January 1996 through December 1997 in one urban and two agricultural locations in Sacramento County, California. The sampling sites were located along a north-south transect, the dominant directions of the prevailing winds. The samples were analyzed for a variety of current-use pesticides, including dormant orchard spray insecticides and rice herbicides. A variety of pesticides were detected throughout the year, predominantly chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and trifluralin. The data obtained during the winter and spring suggest that some pesticides used in agricultural areas become airborne and may be transported into the urban area. Confirmation of this drift is difficult, however, because these three predominant pesticides, as well as other detected pesticides, also are heavily used in the urban environment. The spring data clearly show that molinate and thiobencarb, two herbicides used only in rice production, do drift into the urban environment.

Lead exposure and blood pressure among workers in diverse industrial plants in Kenya.

PubMed

Were, Faridah H; Moturi, M Charles; Gottesfeld, P; Wafula, Godfrey A; Kamau, Geoffrey N; Shiundu, Paul M

2014-01-01

The study evaluated airborne exposures and blood lead (BPb) levels in 233 production workers at six diverse industrial plants in Kenya. Blood and personal breathing zone air samples were collected and analyzed for lead (Pb) using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Blood pressure (BP) levels were measured using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. The results indicated mean airborne Pb levels ± standard deviation (SD) as follows: 183.2 ± 53.6 μg/m(3) in battery recycling, 133.5 ± 39.6 μg/m(3) in battery manufacturing, 126.2 ± 39.9 μg/m(3) in scrap metal welding, 76.3 ± 33.2 μg/m(3) in paint manufacturing, 27.3 ± 12.1 μg/m(3) in a leather manufacturing, and 5.5 ± 3.6 μg/m(3) in a pharmaceutical plant. The mean airborne Pb levels exceeded the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 8-hr time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for Pb of 50 μg/m(3) in the battery manufacturing, battery recycling, welding, and paint manufacturing plants. Similarly, mean BPb concentrations exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) biological exposure index (BEI) for Pb of 30 μg/dl. A significant positive association was observed between BPb and breathing zone air Pb (R(2) = 0.73, P < 0.001). Approximately 30% of the production workers (N = 233) were in the hypertensive range with an average systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) of 134.7 ± 12.7 mmHg and 86.4 ± 8.9 mmHg, respectively. In the multivariate regression analysis, age, duration of work, airborne Pb and BPb levels were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with a change in BP. We recommend improved engineering controls, work practices, and personal hygiene to reduce Pb exposures. In addition, workers should undergo comprehensive medical surveillance to include BPb and BP testing, and airborne Pb assessments in all industries with significant lead exposures.

Airborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer (ALIAS-II) for in situ Atmospheric Measurements of N(sub 2)0, CH(sub 4), CO, HCl, and NO(sub 2) from Balloon or RPA Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, D.; Herman, R.; Webster, C.; May, R.; Flesch, G.; Moyer, E.

1998-01-01

The Airborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer II (ALIAS-II) is a lightweight, high-resolution (0.0003 cm-1), scanning, mid-infrared absorption spectrometer based on cooled (80 K) lead-salt tunable diode laser sources.

Characterizing Urban Volumetry Using LIDAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, T.; Rodrigues, A. M.; Tenedório, J. A.

2013-05-01

Urban indicators are efficient tools designed to simplify, quantify and communicate relevant information for land planners. Since urban data has a strong spatial representation, one can use geographical data as the basis for constructing information regarding urban environments. One important source of information about the land status is imagery collected through remote sensing. Afterwards, using digital image processing techniques, thematic detail can be extracted from those images and used to build urban indicators. Most common metrics are based on area (2D) measurements. These include indicators like impervious area per capita or surface occupied by green areas, having usually as primary source a spectral image obtained through a satellite or airborne camera. More recently, laser scanning data has become available for large-scale applications. Such sensors acquire altimetric information and are used to produce Digital Surface Models (DSM). In this context, LiDAR data available for the city is explored along with demographic information, and a framework to produce volumetric (3D) urban indexes is proposed, and measures like Built Volume per capita, Volumetric Density and Volumetric Homogeneity are computed.

A GIS approach to urban heat island research: The case of Huntsville, Alabama

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, Chor Pong

1994-01-01

The urban heat island represents a case of inadvertent human modification of climate in an urban environment. Urbanization changes the nature of the surface and atmospheric properties of a region. As a result, radiation balance in the urban areas is altered and sensible heat is added to the point that urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas. At the boundary between the rural and urban area, a sharp rise in temperature occurs, culminating to a peak temperature at the central business district of the city, hence the name 'urban heat island'. The extent and intensity of the urban heat island are a function of population size, land use, and topography. Because the urban heat island exhibits spatial variations of temperatures, the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) is appropriate. The research on the urban heat island focuses on the acquisition of 15 bands of visible and thermal infrared data (ranging from 0.45 to 12.2 microns) from an aerial platform using NASA's ATLAS (Airborne Thermal/Visible Land Application Sensor) over Huntsville, Alabama. The research reported in this paper is an analysis of the impact of population, land use, and topography on the shape of the urban heat island that could be developed in Huntsville using the GIS approach. The outcome of this analysis can then be verified using the acquired remotely sensed data.

Analysis of Vegetation Within A Semi-Arid Urban Environment Using High Spatial Resolution Airborne Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.; Ridd, Merrill K.

1998-01-01

High spatial resolution (5 m) remote sensing data obtained using the airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) sensor for daytime and nighttime have been used to measure thermal energy responses for 2 broad classes and 10 subclasses of vegetation typical of the Salt Lake City, Utah urban landscape. Polygons representing discrete areas corresponding to the 10 subclasses of vegetation types have been delineated from the remote sensing data and are used for analysis of upwelling thermal energy for day, night, and the change in response between day and night or flux, as measured by the TIMS. These data have been used to produce three-dimensional graphs of energy responses in W/ sq m for day, night, and flux, for each urban vegetation land cover as measured by each of the six channels of the TIMS sensor. Analysis of these graphs provides a unique perspective for both viewing and understanding thermal responses, as recorded by the TIMS, for selected vegetation types common to Salt Lake City. A descriptive interpretation is given for each of the day, night, and flux graphs along with an analysis of what the patterns mean in reference to the thermal properties of the vegetation types surveyed in this study. From analyses of these graphs, it is apparent that thermal responses for vegetation can be highly varied as a function of the biophysical properties of the vegetation itself, as well as other factors. Moreover, it is also seen where vegetation, particularly trees, has a significant influence on damping or mitigating the amount of thermal radiation upwelling into the atmosphere across the Salt Lake City urban landscape. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Airborne polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in concentrated vehicle parking areas.

PubMed

Li, Huiru; Liu, Hehuan; Mo, Ligui; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo; Peng, Ping'an

2016-06-01

This study investigated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in air around three concentrated vehicle parking areas (underground, indoor, and outdoor) in a metropolitan of South China. The parking areas showed higher concentrations of PBDEs, PBDD/Fs, and DP than their adjacent urban area or distinct congener/isomer profiles, which indicate their local emission sources. The highest PBDE and DP concentrations were found in the outdoor parking lot, which might be related to the heating effect of direct sunlight exposure. Multi-linear regression analysis results suggest that deca-BDEs without noticeable transformation contributed most to airborne PBDEs in all studied areas, followed by penta-BDEs. The statistically lower anti-DP fractions in the urban area than that of commercial product signified its degradation/transformation during transportation. Neither PBDEs nor vehicle exhaust contributed much to airborne PBDD/Fs in the parking areas. There were 68.1-100 % of PBDEs, PBDD/Fs, and DP associated with particles. Logarithms of gas-particle distribution coefficients (K ps) of PBDEs were significantly linear-correlated with those of their sub-cooled vapor pressures (p Ls) and octanol-air partition coefficients (K OAs) in all studied areas. The daily inhalation doses of PBDEs, DP, and PBDD/Fs were individually estimated as 89.7-10,741, 2.05-39.4, and 0.12-4.17 pg kg(-1) day(-1) for employees in the parking areas via Monte Carlo simulation.

Surface and airborne measurements of organosulfur and methanesulfonate over the western United States and coastal areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorooshian, Armin; Crosbie, Ewan; Maudlin, Lindsay C.; Youn, Jong-Sang; Wang, Zhen; Shingler, Taylor; Ortega, Amber M.; Hersey, Scott; Woods, Roy K.

2015-08-01

This study reports on ambient measurements of organosulfur (OS) and methanesulfonate (MSA) over the western United States and coastal areas. Particulate OS levels are highest in summertime and generally increase as a function of sulfate (a precursor) and sodium (a marine tracer) with peak levels at coastal sites. The ratio of OS to total sulfur is also highest at coastal sites, with increasing values as a function of normalized difference vegetation index and the ratio of organic carbon to elemental carbon. Correlative analysis points to significant relationships between OS and biogenic emissions from marine and continental sources, factors that coincide with secondary production, and vanadium due to a suspected catalytic role. A major OS species, methanesulfonate (MSA), was examined with intensive field measurements, and the resulting data support the case for vanadium's catalytic influence. Mass size distributions reveal a dominant MSA peak between aerodynamic diameters of 0.32-0.56 µm at a desert and coastal site with nearly all MSA mass (≥84%) in submicrometer sizes; MSA:non-sea-salt sulfate ratios vary widely as a function of particle size and proximity to the ocean. Airborne data indicate that relative to the marine boundary layer, particulate MSA levels are enhanced in urban and agricultural areas and also the free troposphere when impacted by biomass burning. Some combination of fires and marine-derived emissions leads to higher MSA levels than either source alone. Finally, MSA differences in cloud water and out-of-cloud aerosol are discussed.

Urban land use monitoring from computer-implemented processing of airborne multispectral data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todd, W. J.; Mausel, P. W.; Baumgardner, M. F.

1976-01-01

Machine processing techniques were applied to multispectral data obtained from airborne scanners at an elevation of 600 meters over central Indianapolis in August, 1972. Computer analysis of these spectral data indicate that roads (two types), roof tops (three types), dense grass (two types), sparse grass (two types), trees, bare soil, and water (two types) can be accurately identified. Using computers, it is possible to determine land uses from analysis of type, size, shape, and spatial associations of earth surface images identified from multispectral data. Land use data developed through machine processing techniques can be programmed to monitor land use changes, simulate land use conditions, and provide impact statistics that are required to analyze stresses placed on spatial systems.

Object Based Image Analysis Combining High Spatial Resolution Imagery and Laser Point Clouds for Urban Land Cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Xiaoliang; Zhao, Guihua; Li, Jonathan; Yang, Yuanxi; Fang, Yong

2016-06-01

With the rapid developments of the sensor technology, high spatial resolution imagery and airborne Lidar point clouds can be captured nowadays, which make classification, extraction, evaluation and analysis of a broad range of object features available. High resolution imagery, Lidar dataset and parcel map can be widely used for classification as information carriers. Therefore, refinement of objects classification is made possible for the urban land cover. The paper presents an approach to object based image analysis (OBIA) combing high spatial resolution imagery and airborne Lidar point clouds. The advanced workflow for urban land cover is designed with four components. Firstly, colour-infrared TrueOrtho photo and laser point clouds were pre-processed to derive the parcel map of water bodies and nDSM respectively. Secondly, image objects are created via multi-resolution image segmentation integrating scale parameter, the colour and shape properties with compactness criterion. Image can be subdivided into separate object regions. Thirdly, image objects classification is performed on the basis of segmentation and a rule set of knowledge decision tree. These objects imagery are classified into six classes such as water bodies, low vegetation/grass, tree, low building, high building and road. Finally, in order to assess the validity of the classification results for six classes, accuracy assessment is performed through comparing randomly distributed reference points of TrueOrtho imagery with the classification results, forming the confusion matrix and calculating overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient. The study area focuses on test site Vaihingen/Enz and a patch of test datasets comes from the benchmark of ISPRS WG III/4 test project. The classification results show higher overall accuracy for most types of urban land cover. Overall accuracy is 89.5% and Kappa coefficient equals to 0.865. The OBIA approach provides an effective and convenient way to combine high resolution imagery and Lidar ancillary data for classification of urban land cover.

Indoor airborne particle sources and outdoor haze days effect in urban office areas in Guangzhou.

PubMed

Zhang, Manwen; Zhang, Sukun; Feng, Guixian; Su, Hui; Zhu, Fengzhi; Ren, Mingzhong; Cai, Zongwei

2017-04-01

To identify the sources of PM 2.5 pollutants in work environments and determine whether the air quality inside an office was affected by a change in outdoor pollution status, concurrent indoor and outdoor measurements of PM 2.5 were conducted at five different office spaces in the urban center of Guangzhou on low pollution days (non-episode days, NEDs), and high pollution days (haze episode days, EDs). Indoor-outdoor relationships between the PM 2.5 mass and its chemical constituents, which included water-soluble ions, carbonaceous species, and metal elements, were investigated. A principle component analysis (PCA) was performed to further confirm the relationship between the indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 pollution. The results reveal that (1) Printing and ETS (Environmental tobacco smoking) were found to be important office PM 2.5 sources and associated with the enrichment of SO 4 2- , OC, EC and some toxic metals indoors; (2) On EDs, serious outdoor pollution and higher air exchange rate greatly affected all studied office environments, masking the original differences of the indoor characteristics (3) Fresh air system could efficiently filter out most of the outside pollutants on both NEDs and EDs. Overall, the results of our study suggest that improper human behavior is associated with the day-to-day generation of indoor PM 2.5 levels and sporadic outdoor pollution events can lead to poor indoor air quality in urban office environments. Moreover, fresh air system has been experimentally proved with data as an effective way to improve the air quality in office. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[The use of automated processing of information obtained during space flights for the monitoring and evaluation of airborne pollution].

PubMed

Bagmanov, B Kh; Mikhaĭlova, A Iu; Pavlov, S V

1997-01-01

The article describes experience on use of automated processing of information obtained during spaceflights for analysis of urban air pollution. The authors present a method for processing of information obtained during spaceflights and show how to identify foci of industrial release and area of their spread within and beyond the cities.

Remote sensing of tropospheric gases and aerosols with airborne DIAL system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Browell, E. V.

1983-01-01

The multipurpose airborne DIAL system developed at NASA Langley Research Center is characterized, and the published results of tropospheric O3, H2O, and aerosol-backscatter remote-sensing experiments performed in 1980 and 1981 are summarized. The system comprises two tunable dye lasers pumped by frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers, dielectric-coated steering optics, a 36-cm-diameter Cassegrain receiver telescope, gateable photomultiplier tubes, and a minicomputer data-processing unit for real-time calculation of gas concentrations and backscattering profiles. The transmitted energy of the 100-microsec-separated dye-laser pulses is 40, 80, or 50 mJ/pulse at around 300, 600, or 720-nm wavelength, respectively. Good agreement was found between DIAL-remote-sensed and in-situ H2O and O3 profiles of the lower troposphere and O3 profiles of the tropopause region, and the usefulness of DIAL backscattering measurements in the study of boundary-layer and tropospheric dynamics is demonstrated. The feasibility of DIAL sensing of power-plant or urban plume SO2, of urban-area (or rural-area column-content) NO2, and of temperature and H2O (simultaneously using a third laser) has been suggested by simulation studies.

Spatiotemporal distribution of airborne particulate metals and metalloids in a populated arid region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhakar, Gouri; Sorooshian, Armin; Toffol, Emily; Arellano, Avelino F.; Betterton, Eric A.

2014-08-01

A statistical analysis of data from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network of aerosol samplers has been used to study the spatial and temporal concentration trends in airborne particulate metals and metalloids for southern Arizona. The study region is a rapidly growing area in southwestern North America characterized by high fine soil concentrations (among the highest in the United States), anthropogenic emissions from an area within the fastest growing region in the United States, and a high density of active and abandoned mining sites. Crustal tracers in the region are most abundant in the summer (April-June) followed by fall (October-November) as a result of dry meteorological conditions which favor dust emissions from natural and anthropogenic activity. A distinct day-of-week cycle is evident for crustal tracer mass concentrations, with the greatest amplitude evident in urban areas. There have been significant reductions since 1988 in the concentrations of toxic species that are typically associated with smelting and mining. Periods with high fine soil concentrations coincide with higher concentrations of metals and metalloids in the atmosphere, with the enhancement being higher at urban sites.

Platinum in PM2.5 of the metropolitan area of Mexico City.

PubMed

Morton-Bermea, Ofelia; Amador-Muñoz, Omar; Martínez-Trejo, Lida; Hernández-Álvarez, Elizabeth; Beramendi-Orosco, Laura; García-Arreola, María Elena

2014-10-01

The increase in platinum (Pt) in the airborne particulate matter with size ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) in urban environments may be interpreted as result of the abrasion and deterioration of automobile catalyst. Nowadays, about four million vehicles in Mexico City use catalytic converters, which means that their impact should be considered. In order to evaluate the contribution of Pt to environmental pollution of the metropolitan area of Mexico City (MAMC), airborne PM2.5 was collected at five different sites in the urban area (NW, NE, C, SW, SE) in 2011 during April (dry-warm season), August (rainy season) and December (dry-cold season). Analytical determinations were carried out using a ICP-MS with a collision cell and kinetic energy discrimination. The analytical and instrument performance was evaluated with standard road dust reference material (BCR-723). Median Pt concentration in the analyzed particulate was is 38.4 pg m(-3) (minimal value 1 pg m(-3) maximal value 79 pg m(-3)). Obtained Pt concentrations are higher than those reported for other urban areas. Spatial variation shows that SW had Pt concentration significantly higher than NW and C only. Seasonal variation shows that Pt median was higher in rainy season than in both dry seasons. A comparison of these results with previously reported data of PM10 from 1991 and 2003 in the same studied area shows a worrying increase in the concentration of Pt in the air environment of MAMC.

Airborne lidar/radiometric measurements of cirrus cloud parameters and their application to LOWTRAN radiance evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uthe, Edward E.

1990-01-01

SRI has assembled an airborne lidar/radiometric instrumentation suite for mapping cirrus cloud distribution and analyzing cirrus cloud optical properties. Operation of upward viewing infrared radiometers from an airborne platform provides the optimum method of measuring high altitude cold cloud radiative properties with minimum interference from the thermal emission by the earth's surface and lower atmospheric components. Airborne installed sensors can also operate over large regional areas including water, urban, and mountain surfaces and above lower atmospheric convective clouds and haze layers. Currently available sensors installed on the SRI Queen Air aircraft are illustrated. Lidar and radiometric data records are processed for real time viewing on a color video screen. A cirrus cloud data example is presented as a black and white reproduction of a color display of data at the aircraft altitude of 12,000 ft, the 8 to 14 micron atmospheric radiation background was equivalent to a blackbody temperature of about -60 C and, therefore, the radiometer did not respond strongly to low density cirrus cloud concentrations detected by the lidar. Cloud blackbody temperatures (observed by radiometer) are shown plotted against midcloud temperatures (derived from lidar observed cloud heights and supporting temperature profiles) for data collected on 30 June and 28 July.

Anthropogenic Osmium in Airborne Particles from Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peucker-Ehrenbrink, B.; Sen, I. S.; Geboy, N.

2012-12-01

The global geochemical cycle of osmium has been significantly disturbed by the introduction of automobile exhaust catalysts to convert noxious gas emissions into more benign forms. Anthropogenic osmium has been reported in rainwater, snow, and in the urban airborne particles from around the world to reveal global-scale osmium pollution [1, 2]. In this study, we report on the platinum group element (PGE) concentrations and osmium isotope ratios of airborne particles (PM10) collected in Woods Hole, a small coastal town in Massachusetts to better understand inputs of anthropogenic osmium to rural environments. We further investigate the use of osmium isotopes to track sources of airborne particles and support source apportionment studies on a continental scale. The samples used in this study were collected at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution over one year (2008-2009). From this collection twelve samples for which the backward air mass trajectories have been determined were selected for osmium isotope analyses. Our results show that the osmium and platinum concentrations are an order of magnitude lower when compared to downtown Boston [2]. The average Os, Pt and Ir concentrations are 0.006±0.012, 0.019±0.023, and 0.685±0.634 pg m-3, respectively. The 187Os/188Os of the aerosols range from 0.275 to 0.788. As continental crust is radiogenic (187Os/188Os >1) and PGE ore bodies generally have unradiogenic 187Os/188Os (~0.2), the unradiogenic 187Os/188Os signature of the aerosols indicates anthropogenic contributions. With 95% of the total osmium mobilization on land being attributed to human activities [3], it is clear that human imprint on airborne particles is not restricted to urban centers with high traffic flows, but also affects rural environments. Aerosol particles that have backward air mass trajectories from the Southwest, the densely populated and industrialized Eastern seaboard, are characterized by unradiogenic osmium, while air masses from the North have radiogenic signatures. Our results suggest that 187Os/188Os has potential for source apportionment studies. [1] Rauch et al. (2005), Environ. Sci. Technol., 39, p. 9464-9470 [2] Chen et al. (2009), PNAS, 106, p. 7724-7728 [3] Sen and Peucker-Ehrenbrink (2012), Environ. Sci. Technol., dx.doi.org/10.102/es301261x

Airborne persistent toxic substances (PTSs) in China: occurrence and its implication associated with air pollution.

PubMed

Wang, Pu; Zhang, Qinghua; Li, Yingming; Matsiko, Julius; Zhang, Ya; Jiang, Guibin

2017-08-16

In recent years, China suffered from extensive air pollution due to the rapidly expanding economic and industrial developments. Its severe impact on human health has raised great concern currently. Persistent toxic substances (PTSs), a large group of environmental pollutants, have also received much attention due to their adverse effects on both the ecosystem and public health. However, limited studies have been conducted to reveal the airborne PTSs associated with air pollution at the national scale in China. In this review, we summarized the occurrence and variation of airborne PTSs in China, especially in megacities. These PTSs included polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. The implication of their occurrence associated with air pollution was discussed, and the emission source of these chemicals was concluded. Most reviewed studies have been conducted in east and south China with more developed economy and industry. Severe contamination of airborne PTSs generally occurred in megacities with large populations, such as Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. However, the summarized results suggested that industrial production and product consumption are the major sources of most PTSs in the urban environment, while unintentional emission during anthropogenic activities is an important contributor to airborne PTSs. It is important that fine particles serve as a major carrier of most airborne PTSs, which facilitates the long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) of PTSs, and therefore, increases the exposure risk of the human body to these pollutants. This implied that not only the concentration and chemical composition of fine particles but also the absorbed PTSs are of particular concern when air pollution occurs.

Algorithms used in the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagle, David B.; Wright, C. Wayne

2016-05-23

The Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS) analyzes Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) data—digitized laser-return waveforms, position, and attitude data—to derive point clouds of target surfaces. A full-waveform airborne lidar system, the EAARL seamlessly and simultaneously collects mixed environment data, including submerged, sub-aerial bare earth, and vegetation-covered topographies.ALPS uses three waveform target-detection algorithms to determine target positions within a given waveform: centroid analysis, leading edge detection, and bottom detection using water-column backscatter modeling. The centroid analysis algorithm detects opaque hard surfaces. The leading edge algorithm detects topography beneath vegetation and shallow, submerged topography. The bottom detection algorithm uses water-column backscatter modeling for deeper submerged topography in turbid water.The report describes slant range calculations and explains how ALPS uses laser range and orientation measurements to project measurement points into the Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system. Parameters used for coordinate transformations in ALPS are described, as are Interactive Data Language-based methods for gridding EAARL point cloud data to derive digital elevation models. Noise reduction in point clouds through use of a random consensus filter is explained, and detailed pseudocode, mathematical equations, and Yorick source code accompany the report.

"Find the Strength in Every Teacher": Urban Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Effective Change Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Timothy Clancy

2013-01-01

Urban middle schools face many accountability measures which often create the need for school improvement. Leading urban middle schools through the change process is extremely challenging for principals. The combination of leading change, leading urban schools, and leading middle schools is an uphill climb. Teachers' perceptions of leadership…

Updating road databases from shape-files using aerial images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häufel, Gisela; Bulatov, Dimitri; Pohl, Melanie

2015-10-01

Road databases are an important part of geo data infrastructure. The knowledge about their characteristics and course is essential for urban planning, navigation or evacuation tasks. Starting from OpenStreetMap (OSM) shape-file data for street networks, we introduce an algorithm to enrich these available road maps by new maps which are based on other airborne sensor technology. In our case, these are results of our context-based urban terrain reconstruction process. We wish to enhance the use of road databases by computing additional junctions, narrow passages and other items which may emerge due to changes in the terrain. This is relevant for various military and civil applications.

Prediction of dosage-based parameters from the puff dispersion of airborne materials in urban environments using the CFD-RANS methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthimiou, G. C.; Andronopoulos, S.; Bartzis, J. G.

2018-02-01

One of the key issues of recent research on the dispersion inside complex urban environments is the ability to predict dosage-based parameters from the puff release of an airborne material from a point source in the atmospheric boundary layer inside the built-up area. The present work addresses the question of whether the computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology can be used to predict ensemble-average dosage-based parameters that are related with the puff dispersion. RANS simulations with the ADREA-HF code were, therefore, performed, where a single puff was released in each case. The present method is validated against the data sets from two wind-tunnel experiments. In each experiment, more than 200 puffs were released from which ensemble-averaged dosage-based parameters were calculated and compared to the model's predictions. The performance of the model was evaluated using scatter plots and three validation metrics: fractional bias, normalized mean square error, and factor of two. The model presented a better performance for the temporal parameters (i.e., ensemble-average times of puff arrival, peak, leaving, duration, ascent, and descent) than for the ensemble-average dosage and peak concentration. The majority of the obtained values of validation metrics were inside established acceptance limits. Based on the obtained model performance indices, the CFD-RANS methodology as implemented in the code ADREA-HF is able to predict the ensemble-average temporal quantities related to transient emissions of airborne material in urban areas within the range of the model performance acceptance criteria established in the literature. The CFD-RANS methodology as implemented in the code ADREA-HF is also able to predict the ensemble-average dosage, but the dosage results should be treated with some caution; as in one case, the observed ensemble-average dosage was under-estimated slightly more than the acceptance criteria. Ensemble-average peak concentration was systematically underpredicted by the model to a degree higher than the allowable by the acceptance criteria, in 1 of the 2 wind-tunnel experiments. The model performance depended on the positions of the examined sensors in relation to the emission source and the buildings configuration. The work presented in this paper was carried out (partly) within the scope of COST Action ES1006 "Evaluation, improvement, and guidance for the use of local-scale emergency prediction and response tools for airborne hazards in built environments".

Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 90-084-2219, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, Kansas City, Kansas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rinehart, R.; Almaguer, D.

1992-05-01

In response to a request from a management representative of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department (SIC-9221), an evaluation was undertaken of possible lead (7439921) exposures at the Police Department outdoor firing range. About 200,000 rounds of ammunition were fired at the range each year. Personal breathing zone and area air samples were taken for lead analysis. Surface wipe samples were taken as well along with hand lead concentrations and contamination of clothing. Air sampling revealed that the officers were exposed to 8 hour time weighted average concentrations of airborne lead ranging from nondetectable to 8 micrograms (microg) per cubicmore » meter. The general air samples collected ranged from nondetectable to trace levels of contamination. The authors conclude that airborne lead did not exceed evaluation criteria, but dermal, surface and clothing contamination could increase the potential for lead ingestion and lead contamination of automobiles and homes. The authors recommend that efforts be made to reduce the potential spread of lead, and that medical surveillance be instituted for frequent range users and the range master.« less

Effects of byproducts amended lead contaminated urban soils on collard yield

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lead (Pb) has been used to produce materials and manufactured products for many years. In urban areas and industrial centers atmospheric lead deposition could be very high. Urban environments in general received high deposition of lead due to leaded gasoline use, industrial activity and abandoned ...

Protective effect of selenium on lung cancer in smelter workers.

PubMed Central

Gerhardsson, L; Brune, D; Nordberg, I G; Wester, P O

1985-01-01

A possible protective effect of selenium against lung cancer has been indicated in recent studies. Workers in copper smelters are exposed to a combination of airborne selenium and carcinogens. In this study lung tissue concentrations of selenium, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lanthanum, and lead from 76 dead copper smelter workers were compared with those of 15 controls from a rural area and 10 controls from an urban area. The mean exposure time for the dead workers was 31.2 years, and the mean retirement time after the end of exposure 7.2 years. Lung cancer appeared in the workers with the lowest selenium lung tissue levels (selenium median value 71 micrograms/kg wet weight), as compared with both the controls (rural group, median value 110; urban group, median value 136) and other causes of death among the workers (median value 158). The quotient between the metals and selenium was used for comparison: a high quotient indicating a low protective effect of selenium and vice versa. The median values of the quotients between antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lanthanum, lead, chromium, and cobalt versus selenium were all numerically higher among the cases of lung cancer, the first five significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in 28 of the 35 comparisons between the lung cancer group and all other groups of smelter workers and controls. The different lung metal concentrations for each person were weighted according to their carcinogenic potency (Crx4 + Asx3 + Cdx2 + Sbx1 + Cox1 + Lax1 + Pbx1) against their corresponding selenium concentrations. From these calculations the protective effect of selenium was even more pronounced. PMID:4041390

Airborne electromagnetic bathymetry investigations in Port Lincoln, South Australia - comparison with an equivalent floating transient electromagnetic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrbancich, Julian

2011-09-01

Helicopter time-domain airborne electromagnetic (AEM) methodology is being investigated as a reconnaissance technique for bathymetric mapping in shallow coastal waters, especially in areas affected by water turbidity where light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and hyperspectral techniques may be limited. Previous studies in Port Lincoln, South Australia, used a floating AEM time-domain system to provide an upper limit to the expected bathymetric accuracy based on current technology for AEM systems. The survey lines traced by the towed floating system were also flown with an airborne system using the same transmitter and receiver electronic instrumentation, on two separate occasions. On the second occasion, significant improvements had been made to the instrumentation to reduce the system self-response at early times. A comparison of the interpreted water depths obtained from the airborne and floating systems is presented, showing the degradation in bathymetric accuracy obtained from the airborne data. An empirical data correction method based on modelled and observed EM responses over deep seawater (i.e. a quasi half-space response) at varying survey altitudes, combined with known seawater conductivity measured during the survey, can lead to significant improvements in interpreted water depths and serves as a useful method for checking system calibration. Another empirical data correction method based on observed and modelled EM responses in shallow water was shown to lead to similar improvements in interpreted water depths; however, this procedure is notably inferior to the quasi half-space response because more parameters need to be assumed in order to compute the modelled EM response. A comparison between the results of the two airborne surveys in Port Lincoln shows that uncorrected data obtained from the second airborne survey gives good agreement with known water depths without the need to apply any empirical corrections to the data. This result significantly decreases the data-processing time thereby enabling the AEM method to serve as a rapid reconnaissance technique for bathymetric mapping.

Are Your Custodians Exposed to Excessive Lead Levels?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Business Affairs, 1997

1997-01-01

Data from a 1994 University of Maryland study suggest that typical janitorial tasks (sweeping, vacuuming, emptying trash receptacles, cleaning fixtures, and other related housekeeping activities) would not result in an airborne lead exposure that exceeded Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Lead abatement work should…

Road Asphalt Pavements Analyzed by Airborne Thermal Remote Sensing: Preliminary Results of the Venice Highway

PubMed Central

Pascucci, Simone; Bassani, Cristiana; Palombo, Angelo; Poscolieri, Maurizio; Cavalli, Rosa

2008-01-01

This paper describes a fast procedure for evaluating asphalt pavement surface defects using airborne emissivity data. To develop this procedure, we used airborne multispectral emissivity data covering an urban test area close to Venice (Italy).For this study, we first identify and select the roads' asphalt pavements on Multispectral Infrared Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS) imagery using a segmentation procedure. Next, since in asphalt pavements the surface defects are strictly related to the decrease of oily components that cause an increase of the abundance of surfacing limestone, the diagnostic absorption emissivity peak at 11.2μm of the limestone was used for retrieving from MIVIS emissivity data the areas exhibiting defects on asphalt pavements surface.The results showed that MIVIS emissivity allows establishing a threshold that points out those asphalt road sites on which a check for a maintenance intervention is required. Therefore, this technique can supply local government authorities an efficient, rapid and repeatable road mapping procedure providing the location of the asphalt pavements to be checked. PMID:27879765

PIXE analysis of airborne particulate matter from Monterrey, Mexico. A first survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldape, F.; Flores M, J.; Díaz, R. V.; Hernández-Méndez, B.; Montoya Z, J. M.; Blanco, E. E.; Fuentes, A. F.; Torres-Martínez, L. M.

1999-04-01

A first survey of elemental contents in airborne particulate matter from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, was performed using PIXE. This second largest industrial city is located 715 km north of Mexico City, and counts with a population of nearly three million inhabitants in its conurbation. Air pollution in the place comes from a great variety of industries ranging from iron smelters to furniture manufacturing, as well as from fuel combustion in vehicles and industries. This study presents results of elemental contents in airborne particulate matter in two particle size fractions: PM 2.5 and PM 15. The samples were collected during five weeks on working days, Monday-Friday, from 9 December 1996 to 14 January 1997. Two samples a day were collected, 12 h each, night-time and day-time. These first results show local pollution as typical from a large urban area in conjunction with an active industry. Thirteen elements were consistently detected in most of the samples and some episodes due to both industrial and human activities were identified. A general discussion about the results obtained is presented.

The impact of diverse types of biomass burning in a tropical country

Treesearch

R. J. Yokelson; I. R. Burling; Shawn Urbanski; T. J. Christian; E. L. Atlas; C. Wiedinmyer; S. K. Akagi; G. Engling

2010-01-01

We couple laboratory work, airborne and ground-based field measurements, remote sensing of fires, and modeling to assess the impact of diverse types of biomass burning (BB) in Mexico as a model tropical country. About 70-80% of open BB occurs in the tropics along with large amounts of biofuel use and garbage burning (GB); both in rural and urban areas. During the...

Modelling the dynamics of ambient dose rates induced by radiocaesium in the Fukushima terrestrial environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonze, Marc-André; Mourlon, Christophe; Calmon, Philippe; Manach, Erwan; Debayle, Christophe; Baccou, Jean

2017-09-01

Since the Fukushima accident, Japanese scientists have been intensively monitoring ambient radiations in the highly contaminated territories situated within 80 km of the nuclear site. The surveys that were conducted through mainly carborne, airborne and in situ gamma-ray measurement devices, enabled to efficiently characterize the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of air dose rates induced by Caesium-134 and Caesium-137 in the terrestrial systems. These measurements revealed that radiation levels decreased at rates greater than expected from physical decay in 2011-2012 (up to a factor of 2), and dependent on the type of environment (i.e. urban, agricultural or forest). Unlike carborne measurements that may have been strongly influenced by the depuration of road surfaces, no obvious reason can be invoked for airborne measurements, especially above forests that are known to efficiently retain and recycle radiocaesium. The purpose of our research project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the data acquired by Japanese, and identify the environmental mechanisms or factors that may explain such decays. The methodology relies on the use of a process-based and spatially-distributed dynamic model that predicts radiocaesium transfer and associated air dose rates inside/above a terrestrial environment (e.g., forests, croplands, meadows, bare soils and urban areas). Despite the lack of site-specific data, our numerical study predicts decrease rates that are globally consistent with both aerial and in situ observations. The simulation at a flying altitude of 200 m indicated that ambient radiation levels decreased over the first 12 months by about 45% over dense urban areas, 15% above evergreen coniferous forests and between 2 and 12% above agricultural lands, owing to environmental processes that are identified and discussed. In particular, we demonstrate that the decrease over evergreen coniferous regions might be due the combined effects of canopy depuration (through biological and physical mechanisms) and the shielding of gamma rays emitted from the forest floor by vegetation. Our study finally suggests that airborne surveys might have not reflected dose rates at ground level in forest systems, which were predicted to slightly increase by 5 to 10% during the same period of time.

Optimization of exposure and countryside waste management for different accidental radioactive release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guétat, Philippe

2017-09-01

Since the Fukushima accident, Japanese scientists have been intensively monitoring ambient radiations in the highly contaminated territories situated within 80 km of the nuclear site. The surveys that were conducted through mainly carborne, airborne and in situ gamma-ray measurement devices, enabled to efficiently characterize the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of air dose rates induced by Caesium-134 and Caesium-137 in the terrestrial systems. These measurements revealed that radiation levels decreased at rates greater than expected from physical decay in 2011-2012 (up to a factor of 2), and dependent on the type of environment (i.e. urban, agricultural or forest). Unlike carborne measurements that may have been strongly influenced by the depuration of road surfaces, no obvious reason can be invoked for airborne measurements, especially above forests that are known to efficiently retain and recycle radiocaesium. The purpose of our research project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the data acquired by Japanese, and identify the environmental mechanisms or factors that may explain such decays. The methodology relies on the use of a process-based and spatially-distributed dynamic model that predicts radiocaesium transfer and associated air dose rates inside/above a terrestrial environment (e.g., forests, croplands, meadows, bare soils and urban areas). Despite the lack of site-specific data, our numerical study predicts decrease rates that are globally consistent with both aerial and in situ observations. The simulation at a flying altitude of 200 m indicated that ambient radiation levels decreased over the first 12 months by about 45% over dense urban areas, 15% above evergreen coniferous forests and between 2 and 12% above agricultural lands, owing to environmental processes that are identified and discussed. In particular, we demonstrate that the decrease over evergreen coniferous regions might be due the combined effects of canopy depuration (through biological and physical mechanisms) and the shielding of gamma rays emitted from the forest floor by vegetation. Our study finally suggests that airborne surveys might have not reflected dose rates at ground level in forest systems, which were predicted to slightly increase by 5 to 10% during the same period of time.

Anisotropy of thermal infrared remote sensing over urban areas : assessment from airborne data and modeling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hénon, A.; Mestayer, P.; Lagouarde, J.-P.; Lee, J. H.

2009-09-01

Due to the morphological complexity of the urban canopy and to the variability in thermal properties of the building materials, the heterogeneity of the surface temperatures generates a strong directional anisotropy of thermal infrared remote sensing signal. Thermal infrared (TIR) data obtained with an airborne FLIR camera over Toulouse (France) city centre during the CAPITOUL experiment (feb. 2004 - feb. 2005) show brightness temperature anisotropies ranging from 3 °C by night to more than 10 °C by sunny days. These data have been analyzed in view of developing a simple approach to correct TIR satellite remote sensing from the canopy-generated anisotropy, and to further evaluate the sensible heat fluxes. The methodology is based on the identification of 6 different classes of surfaces: roofs, walls and grounds, sunlit or shaded, respectively. The thermo-radiative model SOLENE is used to simulate, with a 1 m resolution computational grid, the surface temperatures of an 18000 m² urban district, in the same meteorological conditions as during the observation. A pixel-by-pixel comparison with both hand-held temperature measurements and airborne camera images allows to assess the actual values of the radiative and thermal parameters of the scene elements. SOLENE is then used to simulate a generic street-canyon geometry, whose sizes average the morphological parameters of the actual streets in the district, for 18 different geographical orientations. The simulated temperatures are then integrated for different viewing positions, taking into account shadowing and masking, and directional temperatures are determined for the 6 surface classes. The class ratios in each viewing direction are derived from images of the district generated by using the POVRAY software, and used to weigh the temperatures of each class and to compute the resulting directional brightness temperature at the district scale for a given sun direction (time in the day). Simulated and measured anisotropies are finally compared for several flights over Toulouse in summer and winter. An inverse method is further proposed to obtain the surface temperatures from the directional brightness temperatures, which may be extended to deduce the sensible heat fluxes separately from the buildings and from the ground.

Object-Based Point Cloud Analysis of Full-Waveform Airborne Laser Scanning Data for Urban Vegetation Classification

PubMed Central

Rutzinger, Martin; Höfle, Bernhard; Hollaus, Markus; Pfeifer, Norbert

2008-01-01

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is a remote sensing technique well-suited for 3D vegetation mapping and structure characterization because the emitted laser pulses are able to penetrate small gaps in the vegetation canopy. The backscattered echoes from the foliage, woody vegetation, the terrain, and other objects are detected, leading to a cloud of points. Higher echo densities (>20 echoes/m2) and additional classification variables from full-waveform (FWF) ALS data, namely echo amplitude, echo width and information on multiple echoes from one shot, offer new possibilities in classifying the ALS point cloud. Currently FWF sensor information is hardly used for classification purposes. This contribution presents an object-based point cloud analysis (OBPA) approach, combining segmentation and classification of the 3D FWF ALS points designed to detect tall vegetation in urban environments. The definition tall vegetation includes trees and shrubs, but excludes grassland and herbage. In the applied procedure FWF ALS echoes are segmented by a seeded region growing procedure. All echoes sorted descending by their surface roughness are used as seed points. Segments are grown based on echo width homogeneity. Next, segment statistics (mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation) are calculated by aggregating echo features such as amplitude and surface roughness. For classification a rule base is derived automatically from a training area using a statistical classification tree. To demonstrate our method we present data of three sites with around 500,000 echoes each. The accuracy of the classified vegetation segments is evaluated for two independent validation sites. In a point-wise error assessment, where the classification is compared with manually classified 3D points, completeness and correctness better than 90% are reached for the validation sites. In comparison to many other algorithms the proposed 3D point classification works on the original measurements directly, i.e. the acquired points. Gridding of the data is not necessary, a process which is inherently coupled to loss of data and precision. The 3D properties provide especially a good separability of buildings and terrain points respectively, if they are occluded by vegetation. PMID:27873771

In situ airborne measurements of aerosol optical properties during photochemical pollution events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; van Dingenen, R.; Roger, J. C.; Despiau, S.; Cachier, H.

2005-02-01

Dry aerosol optical properties (scattering, absorbing coefficients, and single scattering albedo) were derived from in situ airborne measurements during two photochemical pollution events (25 and 26 June) observed during the Experience sur Site pour Contraindre les Modeles de Pollution atmospherique et de Transport d'Emissions (ESCOMPTE) experiment. Two flights were carried out during daytime (one during the morning and one at noon) over a domain, allowing the investigation of how an air pollution event affects the particle optical properties. Both horizontal distribution and vertical profiles are presented. Results from the horizontal mapping show that plumes of enhanced scattering and absorption are formed in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) during the day in the sea breeze-driven outflow of the coastal urban-industrial area of Marseille-Fos de Berre. The domain-averaged scattering coefficient (at 550 nm) over land σs changes from 35 (28) Mm-1 during land breeze to 63 (43) Mm-1 during sea breeze on 25 June (26 June), with local maxima reaching > 100 Mm-1. The increase in the scattering coefficient is associated with new particle formation, indicative of secondary aerosol formation. Simultaneously, the domain-averaged absorption coefficient increases from 5.6 (3.4) Mm-1 to 9.3 (8.0) Mm-1. The pollution plume leads to strong gradients in the single scattering albedo ωo over the domain studied, with local values as low as 0.73 observed inside the pollution plume. The role of photochemistry and secondary aerosol formation during the 25 June case is shown to increase ωo and to make the aerosol more `reflecting' while the plume moves away from the sources. The lower photochemical activity, observed in the 26 June case, induces a relatively higher contribution of black carbon, making the aerosol more absorbing. Results from vertical profiles at a single near-urban location in the domain indicate that the changes in optical properties happen almost entirely within the PBL. No significant variation of σs, σa, and ωo is observed in the upper layer (1-3 km), where the aerosol optical properties are considered to be well mixed.

Wintertime Emission Ratios of CO2 and NOy from Washington, D.C.-Baltimore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, O. E.; Shepson, P. B.; Ren, X.; Stirm, B. H.; Brown, S. S.; Fibiger, D. L.; Thornton, J. A.; Dickerson, R. R.; McDuffie, E. E.; Gurney, K. R.

2016-12-01

Cities are known to be key emitters of the combustion products carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2), as a result of spatially concentrated combustion sources from the transportation sector and electric energy generating stations. Wintertime in mid-latitude cities provides a unique environment for these species to accumulate and react. Fewer daylight hours of relatively weak radiation, along with lower temperatures, can lead to slower oxidation of NOx, which influences the partitioning of total reactive nitrogen (NOy; the sum of NOx, NO3, N2O5, ClNO2, HNO3, acyl peroxy nitrates, and alkyl nitrates). The altered photochemical lifetimes of these reactive nitrogen species can result in unique chemistry and transport, altering the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere within the city, and downwind of it as well. A collaborative study, employing three airborne platforms, named the Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emissions, and Reactivity (WINTER) was conducted in the northeastern United States in 2015 to investigate these cold season trends. Recent studies have suggested national inventories overestimate NOx emissions. We estimate city-wide emission rates of NOy from the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area, and report their magnitude as emission factors relative to CO2. The University of Maryland's (UMD) 402B research Cessna and Purdue University's Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research were instrumented to measure CO2, NO2, and other gaseous species. Measurements of NOy, and partitioning of its constituent species, were conducted from the NCAR C-130. NOy mixing ratios were estimated from the UMD and Purdue NO2 measurements using the C-130 measurements of NO2:NOy, a ratio whose magnitude is a function of time since emission from the cities. The Purdue and UMD mass balance flights around Washington, D.C.-Baltimore allow for the determination of the urban area's downwind enhancement in CO2 and estimated NOy. The urban enhancements in these gases are multiplied by the perpendicular wind speed to give the total emission rate. Here we compare our absolute NOy emission rates and the relative NOy:CO2 emission ratios from the UMD and Purdue flights to inventory estimates.

Black carbon aerosol mixing state, organic aerosols and aerosol optical properties over the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMeeking, G. R.; Morgan, W. T.; Flynn, M.; Highwood, E. J.; Turnbull, K.; Haywood, J.; Coe, H.

2011-09-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosols absorb sunlight thereby leading to a positive radiative forcing and a warming of climate and can also impact human health through their impact on the respiratory system. The state of mixing of BC with other aerosol species, particularly the degree of internal/external mixing, has been highlighted as a major uncertainty in assessing its radiative forcing and hence its climate impact, but few in situ observations of mixing state exist. We present airborne single particle soot photometer (SP2) measurements of refractory BC (rBC) mass concentrations and mixing state coupled with aerosol composition and optical properties measured in urban plumes and regional pollution over the United Kingdom. All data were obtained using instrumentation flown on the UK's BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM). We measured sub-micron aerosol composition using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and used positive matrix factorization to separate hydrocarbon-like (HOA) and oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA). We found a higher number fraction of thickly coated rBC particles in air masses with large OOA relative to HOA, higher ozone-to-nitrogen oxides (NOx) ratios and large concentrations of total sub-micron aerosol mass relative to rBC mass concentrations. The more ozone- and OOA-rich air masses were associated with transport from continental Europe, while plumes from UK cities had higher HOA and NOx and fewer thickly coated rBC particles. We did not observe any significant change in the rBC mass absorption efficiency calculated from rBC mass and light absorption coefficients measured by a particle soot absorption photometer despite observing significant changes in aerosol composition and rBC mixing state. The contributions of light scattering and absorption to total extinction (quantified by the single scattering albedo; SSA) did change for different air masses, with lower SSA observed in urban plumes compared to regional aerosol (0.85 versus 0.9-0.95). We attribute these differences to the presence of relatively rapidly formed secondary aerosol, primarily OOA and ammonium nitrate, which must be taken into account in radiative forcing calculations.

Black carbon aerosol mixing state, organic aerosols and aerosol optical properties over the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMeeking, G. R.; Morgan, W. T.; Flynn, M.; Highwood, E. J.; Turnbull, K.; Haywood, J.; Coe, H.

2011-05-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosols absorb sunlight thereby leading to a positive radiative forcing and a warming of climate and can also impact human health through their impact on the respiratory system. The state of mixing of BC with other aerosol species, particularly the degree of internal/external mixing, has been highlighted as a major uncertainty in assessing its radiative forcing and hence its climate impact, but few in situ observations of mixing state exist. We present airborne single particle soot photometer (SP2) measurements of refractory BC (rBC) mass concentrations and mixing state coupled with aerosol composition and optical properties measured in urban plumes and regional pollution over the UK. All data were obtained using instrumentation flown on the UK's BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM). We measured sub-micron aerosol composition using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and used positive matrix factorization to separate hydrocarbon-like (HOA) and oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA). We found a higher number fraction of thickly coated rBC particles in air masses with large OOA relative to HOA, higher ozone-to-nitrogen oxides (NOx) ratios and large concentrations of total sub-micron aerosol mass relative to rBC mass concentrations. The more ozone- and OOA-rich air masses were associated with transport from continental Europe, while plumes from UK cities had higher HOA and NOx and fewer thickly coated rBC particles. We did not observe any significant change in the rBC mass absorption efficiency calculated from rBC mass and light absorption coefficients measured by a particle soot absorption photometer despite observing significant changes in aerosol composition and rBC mixing state. The contributions of light scattering and absorption to total extinction (quantified by the single scattering albedo; SSA) did change for different air masses, with lower SSA observed in urban plumes compared to regional aerosol (0.85 versus 0.9-0.95). We attribute these differences to the presence of relatively rapidly formed secondary aerosol, primarily OOA and ammonium nitrate, which must be taken into account in radiative forcing calculations.

Hyperspectral Sensor Data Capability for Retrieving Complex Urban Land Cover in Comparison with Multispectral Data: Venice City Case Study (Italy)

PubMed Central

Cavalli, Rosa Maria; Fusilli, Lorenzo; Pascucci, Simone; Pignatti, Stefano; Santini, Federico

2008-01-01

This study aims at comparing the capability of different sensors to detect land cover materials within an historical urban center. The main objective is to evaluate the added value of hyperspectral sensors in mapping a complex urban context. In this study we used: (a) the ALI and Hyperion satellite data, (b) the LANDSAT ETM+ satellite data, (c) MIVIS airborne data and (d) the high spatial resolution IKONOS imagery as reference. The Venice city center shows a complex urban land cover and therefore was chosen for testing the spectral and spatial characteristics of different sensors in mapping the urban tissue. For this purpose, an object-oriented approach and different common classification methods were used. Moreover, spectra of the main anthropogenic surfaces (i.e. roofing and paving materials) were collected during the field campaigns conducted on the study area. They were exploited for applying band-depth and sub-pixel analyses to subsets of Hyperion and MIVIS hyperspectral imagery. The results show that satellite data with a 30m spatial resolution (ALI, LANDSAT ETM+ and HYPERION) are able to identify only the main urban land cover materials. PMID:27879879

Book Review: Book review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Linden, Sebastian

2016-05-01

Compiling a good book on urban remote sensing is probably as hard as the research in this disciplinary field itself. Urban areas comprise various environments and show high heterogeneity in many respects, they are highly dynamic in time and space and at the same time of greatest influence on connected and even tele-connected regions due to their great economic importance. Urban remote sensing is therefore of great importance, yet as manifold as its study area: mapping urban areas (or sub-categories thereof) plays an important (and challenging) role in land use and land cover (change) monitoring; the analysis of urban green and forests is by itself a specialization of ecological remote sensing; urban climatology asks for spatially and temporally highly resolved remote sensing products; the detection of artificial objects is not only a common and important remote sensing application but also a typical benchmark for image analysis techniques, etc. Urban analyses are performed with all available spaceborne sensor types and at the same time they are one of the most relevant fields for airborne remote sensing. Several books on urban remote sensing have been published during the past 10 years, each taking a different perspective. The book Global Urban Monitoring and Assessment through Earth Observation is motivated by the objectives of the Global Urban Observation and Information Task (SB-04) in the GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) 2012-2015 workplan (compare Chapter 2) and wants to highlight the global aspects of state-of-the-art urban remote sensing.

Lead in urban soils - A real or perceived concern for urban agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Urban agriculture is growing in cities across the U.S. and it has the potential to provide multiple benefits including increased food security. Concerns about soil contamination in urban areas can be an impediment to urban agriculture. Lead is the most common contaminant in urban areas. A review ...

An Accurate Co-registration Method for Airborne Repeat-pass InSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X. T.; Zhao, Y. H.; Yue, X. J.; Han, C. M.

2017-10-01

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology plays a significant role in topographic mapping and surface deformation detection. Comparing with spaceborne repeat-pass InSAR, airborne repeat-pass InSAR solves the problems of long revisit time and low-resolution images. Due to the advantages of flexible, accurate, and fast obtaining abundant information, airborne repeat-pass InSAR is significant in deformation monitoring of shallow ground. In order to getting precise ground elevation information and interferometric coherence of deformation monitoring from master and slave images, accurate co-registration must be promised. Because of side looking, repeat observing path and long baseline, there are very different initial slant ranges and flight heights between repeat flight paths. The differences of initial slant ranges and flight height lead to the pixels, located identical coordinates on master and slave images, correspond to different size of ground resolution cells. The mismatching phenomenon performs very obvious on the long slant range parts of master image and slave image. In order to resolving the different sizes of pixels and getting accurate co-registration results, a new method is proposed based on Range-Doppler (RD) imaging model. VV-Polarization C-band airborne repeat-pass InSAR images were used in experiment. The experiment result shows that the proposed method leads to superior co-registration accuracy.

24 CFR 58.57 - Lead agency designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Lead agency designation. 58.57 Section 58.57 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban....57 Lead agency designation. If there are several agencies ready to assume the lead role, the...

24 CFR 58.57 - Lead agency designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Lead agency designation. 58.57 Section 58.57 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban....57 Lead agency designation. If there are several agencies ready to assume the lead role, the...

24 CFR 58.57 - Lead agency designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Lead agency designation. 58.57 Section 58.57 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban....57 Lead agency designation. If there are several agencies ready to assume the lead role, the...

24 CFR 58.57 - Lead agency designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Lead agency designation. 58.57 Section 58.57 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban....57 Lead agency designation. If there are several agencies ready to assume the lead role, the...

24 CFR 58.57 - Lead agency designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Lead agency designation. 58.57 Section 58.57 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban....57 Lead agency designation. If there are several agencies ready to assume the lead role, the...

Column Closure Studies of Lower Tropospheric Aerosol and Water Vapor During ACE-Asia Using Airborne Sunphotometer, Airborne In-Situ and Ship-Based Lidar Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmid, B.; Hegg, A.; Wang, J.; Bates, D.; Redemann, J.; Russells, P. B.; Livingston, J. M.; Jonsson, H. H.; Welton, E. J.; Seinfield, J. H.

2003-01-01

We assess the consistency (closure) between solar beam attenuation by aerosols and water vapor measured by airborne sunphotometry and derived from airborne in-situ, and ship-based lidar measurements during the April 2001 Asian Pacific Regional Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia). The airborne data presented here were obtained aboard the Twin Otter aircraft. Comparing aerosol extinction o(550 nm) from four different techniques shows good agreement for the vertical distribution of aerosol layers. However, the level of agreement in absolute magnitude of the derived aerosol extinction varied among the aerosol layers sampled. The sigma(550 nm) computed from airborne in-situ size distribution and composition measurements shows good agreement with airborne sunphotometry in the marine boundary layer but is considerably lower in layers dominated by dust if the particles are assumed to be spherical. The sigma(550 nm) from airborne in-situ scattering and absorption measurements are about approx. 13% lower than those obtained from airborne sunphotometry during 14 vertical profiles. Combining lidar and the airborne sunphotometer measurements reveals the prevalence of dust layers at altitudes up to 10 km with layer aerosol optical depth (from 3.5 to 10 km altitude) of approx. 0.1 to 0.2 (500 nm) and extinction-to-backscatter ratios of 59-71 sr (523 nm). The airborne sunphotometer aboard the Twin Otter reveals a relatively dry atmosphere during ACE- Asia with all water vapor columns less than 1.5 cm and water vapor densities w less than 12 g/cu m. Comparing layer water vapor amounts and w from the airborne sunphotometer to the same quantities measured with aircraft in-situ sensors leads to a high correlation (r(sup 3)=0.96) but the sunphotometer tends to underestimate w by 7%.

Particulate matter over a seven year period in urban and rural areas within, proximal and far from mining and power station operations in Greece.

PubMed

Triantafyllou, A G; Zoras, S; Evagelopoulos, V

2006-11-01

Lignite mining operations and lignite-fired power stations result in major particulate pollution (fly ash and fugitive dust) problems in the areas surrounding these activities. The problem is more complicated, especially, for urban areas located not far from these activities, due to additional contribution from the urban pollution sources. Knowledge of the distribution of airborne particulate matter into size fraction has become an increasing area of focus when examining the effects of particulate pollution. On the other hand, airborne particle concentration measurements are useful in order to assess the air pollution levels based on national and international air quality standards. These measurements are also necessary for developing air pollutants control strategies or for evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies, especially, for long periods. In this study an attempt is made in order to investigate the particle size distribution of fly ash and fugitive dust in a heavy industrialized (mining and power stations operations) area with complex terrain in the northwestern part of Greece. Parallel total suspended particulates (TSP) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) concentrations are analyzed. These measurements gathered from thirteen monitoring stations located in the greater area of interest. Spatial, temporal variation and trend are analyzed over the last seven years. Furthermore, the geographical variation of PM10 - TSP correlation and PM10/TSP ratio are investigated and compared to those in the literature. The analysis has indicated that a complex system of sources and meteorological conditions modulate the particulate pollution of the examined area.

A graph signal filtering-based approach for detection of different edge types on airborne lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayram, Eda; Vural, Elif; Alatan, Aydin

2017-10-01

Airborne Laser Scanning is a well-known remote sensing technology, which provides a dense and highly accurate, yet unorganized point cloud of earth surface. During the last decade, extracting information from the data generated by airborne LiDAR systems has been addressed by many studies in geo-spatial analysis and urban monitoring applications. However, the processing of LiDAR point clouds is challenging due to their irregular structure and 3D geometry. In this study, we propose a novel framework for the detection of the boundaries of an object or scene captured by LiDAR. Our approach is motivated by edge detection techniques in vision research and it is established on graph signal filtering which is an exciting and promising field of signal processing for irregular data types. Due to the convenient applicability of graph signal processing tools on unstructured point clouds, we achieve the detection of the edge points directly on 3D data by using a graph representation that is constructed exclusively to answer the requirements of the application. Moreover, considering the elevation data as the (graph) signal, we leverage aerial characteristic of the airborne LiDAR data. The proposed method can be employed both for discovering the jump edges on a segmentation problem and for exploring the crease edges on a LiDAR object on a reconstruction/modeling problem, by only adjusting the filter characteristics.

Wind, rain and bacteria: The effect of weather on the microbial composition of roof-harvested rainwater.

PubMed

Evans, C A; Coombes, P J; Dunstan, R H

2006-01-01

The microbiological and chemical quality of tank-stored rainwater is impacted directly by roof catchment and subsequent run-off contamination, via direct depositions by birds and small mammals, decay of accumulated organic debris, and atmospheric deposition of airborne micro-organisms and chemical pollutants. Previous literature reports on roof water quality have given little consideration to the relative significance of airborne micro-organisms. This study involved analyses of direct roof run-off at an urban housing development in Newcastle, on the east coast of Australia. A total of 77 samples were collected during 11 separate rainfall events, and microbial counts and mean concentrations of several ionic contaminants were matched to climatic data corresponding to each of the monitored events. Conditions both antecedent to, and those prevailing during each event, were examined to investigate the influence of certain meteorological parameters on the bacterial composition of the roof water and indirectly assess the relative contribution of airborne micro-organisms to the total bacterial load. Results indicated that airborne micro-organisms represented a significant contribution to the bacterial load of roof water at this site, and that the overall contaminant load was influenced by wind velocities, while the profile (composition) of the load varied with wind direction. The implications of these findings to the issues of tank water quality and health risk analysis, appropriate usage and system design are discussed.

Variation of airborne quartz in air of Beijing during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting.

PubMed

Li, Gang; Li, Yingming; Zhang, Hongxing; Li, Honghua; Gao, Guanjun; Zhou, Qian; Gao, Yuan; Li, Wenjuan; Sun, Huizhong; Wang, Xiaoke; Zhang, Qinghua

2016-01-01

Quartz particles are a toxic component of airborne particulate matter (PM). Quartz concentrations were analyzed by X-ray diffraction in eighty-seven airborne PM samples collected from three locations in Beijing before, during, and after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in 2014. The results showed that the mean concentrations of quartz in PM samples from the two urban sites were considerably higher than those from the rural site. The quartz concentrations in samples collected after the APEC meeting, when the pollution restriction lever was lifted, were higher than those in the samples collected before or during the APEC meeting. The quartz concentrations ranged from 0.97 to 13.2 μg/m(3), which were among the highest values amid those reported from other countries. The highest quartz concentration exceeded the Californian Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment reference exposure level and was close to the occupational threshold limit values for occupational settings. Moreover, a correlation analysis showed that quartz concentrations were positively correlated with concentrations of pollution parameters PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NOx, but were negatively correlated with O3 concentration. The results suggest that the airborne quartz particles may potentially pose health risks to the general population of Beijing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Surface and Airborne Measurements of Organosulfur and Methanesulfonate Over the Western United States and Coastal Areas

PubMed Central

Sorooshian, Armin; Crosbie, Ewan; Maudlin, Lindsay C.; Youn, Jong-Sang; Wang, Zhen; Shingler, Taylor; Ortega, Amber M.; Hersey, Scott; Woods, Roy K.

2015-01-01

This study reports on ambient measurements of organosulfur (OS) and methanesulfonate (MSA) over the western United States and coastal areas. Particulate OS levels are highest in summertime, and generally increase as a function of sulfate (a precursor) and sodium (a marine tracer) with peak levels at coastal sites. The ratio of OS to total sulfur (TS) is also highest at coastal sites, with increasing values as a function of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the ratio of organic carbon to elemental carbon. Correlative analysis points to significant relationships between OS and biogenic emissions from marine and continental sources, factors that coincide with secondary production, and vanadium due to a suspected catalytic role. A major OS species, methanesulfonate (MSA), was examined with intensive field measurements and the resulting data support the case for vanadium’s catalytic influence. Mass size distributions reveal a dominant MSA peak between aerodynamic diameters of 0.32—0.56 μm at a desert and coastal site with nearly all MSA mass (≥ 84%) in sub-micrometer sizes; MSA:non-sea salt sulfate ratios vary widely as a function of particle size and proximity to the ocean. Airborne data indicate that relative to the marine boundary layer, particulate MSA levels are enhanced in urban and agricultural areas, and also the free troposphere when impacted by biomass burning. Some combination of fires and marine-derived emissions leads to higher MSA levels than either source alone. Finally, MSA differences in cloud water and out-of-cloud aerosol are discussed. PMID:26413434

Surface and Airborne Measurements of Organosulfur and Methanesulfonate Over the Western United States and Coastal Areas.

PubMed

Sorooshian, Armin; Crosbie, Ewan; Maudlin, Lindsay C; Youn, Jong-Sang; Wang, Zhen; Shingler, Taylor; Ortega, Amber M; Hersey, Scott; Woods, Roy K

2015-08-27

This study reports on ambient measurements of organosulfur (OS) and methanesulfonate (MSA) over the western United States and coastal areas. Particulate OS levels are highest in summertime, and generally increase as a function of sulfate (a precursor) and sodium (a marine tracer) with peak levels at coastal sites. The ratio of OS to total sulfur (TS) is also highest at coastal sites, with increasing values as a function of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the ratio of organic carbon to elemental carbon. Correlative analysis points to significant relationships between OS and biogenic emissions from marine and continental sources, factors that coincide with secondary production, and vanadium due to a suspected catalytic role. A major OS species, methanesulfonate (MSA), was examined with intensive field measurements and the resulting data support the case for vanadium's catalytic influence. Mass size distributions reveal a dominant MSA peak between aerodynamic diameters of 0.32-0.56 μm at a desert and coastal site with nearly all MSA mass (≥ 84%) in sub-micrometer sizes; MSA:non-sea salt sulfate ratios vary widely as a function of particle size and proximity to the ocean. Airborne data indicate that relative to the marine boundary layer, particulate MSA levels are enhanced in urban and agricultural areas, and also the free troposphere when impacted by biomass burning. Some combination of fires and marine-derived emissions leads to higher MSA levels than either source alone. Finally, MSA differences in cloud water and out-of-cloud aerosol are discussed.

Concentrations and Origins of Atmospheric Lead and Other Trace Species at a Rural Site in Northern China

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Can; Wen, Tianxue; Li, Zhanqing; Dickerson, Russell R.; Yang, Yongjie; Zhao, Yanan; Wang, Yuesi; Tsay, Si-Chee

2010-01-01

In this study we analyze the ambient levels of lead and other trace species in the bulk aerosol samples from a rural site approx.70 km ESE of Beijing in spring 2005. Lead (0.28+/-0.24 micro-g/cu m, average +/- standard deviation), along with several pollution \\related trace elements, was enriched by over 100 fold relative to the Earth's crust. The ambient lead levels showing large synoptic variations were well-correlated with other anthropogenic pollutants (e.g., CO and SO2). The Unmix receptor model resolved four factors in the aerosol composition data: a biomass burning source, an industrial and coal combustion source, a secondary aerosol source, and a dust source. The first three sources were strongest in weak southerly winds ahead of cold fronts, while the dust source peaked in strong northerly winds behind cold fronts. The second source, primarily representing emissions from industrial processes and relatively small \\scale coal burning such as in home and institutional heating, was identified as the main source of ambient lead in this study. Mobile sources might also contribute to this factor, but there was no distinct evidence of emissions due to combustion of leaded gasoline, despite a correlation between lead and CO. Potential source contribution function, calculated from backward trajectories and aerosol composition, further reveals that lead observed in this study was predominantly from the populated and industrialized areas to the south and SW of Xianghe, rather than Beijing to the west. Our results and several recent studies show that the lead levels in suburban areas near big cities in China, although generally lower than those in industrial districts and urban areas, are substantial (near or above 0.15 micro-g/cu m). More extensive studies on airborne lead and its emission sources in China are called for.

Airborne hunt for faults in the Portland-Vancouver area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blakely, Richard J.; Wells, Ray E.; Yelin, Thomas S.; Stauffer, Peter H.; Hendley, James W.

1996-01-01

Geologic hazards in the Portland-Vancouver area include faults entirely hidden by river sediments, vegetation, and urban development. A recent aerial geophysical survey revealed patterns in the Earth's magnetic field that confirm the existence of a previously suspected fault running through Portland. It also indicated that this fault may pose a significant seismic threat. This discovery has enabled the residents of the populous area to better prepare for future earthquakes.

Contribution of bacteria-like particles to PM2.5 aerosol in urban and rural environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R.; El-Haddad, I.; Slowik, J. G.; Dällenbach, K.; Bruns, E.; Vasilescu, J.; Baltensperger, U.; Prévôt, A. S. H.

2017-07-01

We report highly time-resolved estimates of airborne bacteria-like particle concentrations in ambient aerosol using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). AMS measurements with a newly developed PM2.5 and the standard (PM1) aerodynamic lens were performed at an urban background site (Zurich) and at a rural site (Payerne) in Switzerland. Positive matrix factorization using the multilinear engine (ME-2) implementation was used to estimate the contribution of bacteria-like particles to non-refractory organic aerosol. The success of the method was evaluated by a size-resolved analysis of the organic mass and the analysis of single particle mass spectra, which were detected with a light scattering system integrated into the AMS. Use of the PM2.5 aerodynamic lens increased measured bacteria-like concentrations, supporting the analysis method. However, at all sites, the low concentrations of this component suggest that airborne bacteria constitute a minor fraction of non-refractory PM2.5 organic aerosol mass. Estimated average mass concentrations were below 0.1 μg/m3 and relative contributions were lower than 2% at both sites. During rainfall periods, concentrations of the bacteria-like component increased considerably reaching a short-time maximum of approximately 2 μg/m3 at the Payerne site in summer.

Direct identification of trace metals in fine and ultrafine particles in the Detroit urban atmosphere.

PubMed

Utsunomiya, Satoshi; Jensen, Keld A; Keeler, Gerald J; Ewing, Rodney C

2004-04-15

Exposure to airborne particulates containing low concentrations of heavy metals, such as Pb, As, and Se, may have serious health effects. However, little is known about the speciation and particle size of these airborne metals. Fine- and ultrafine particles with heavy metals in aerosol samples from the Detroit urban area, Michigan, were examined in detail to investigate metal concentrations and speciation. The characterization of individual particles was completed using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) combined with conventional high-resolution TEM techniques. The trace elements, Pb, As, La, Ce, Sr, Zn, Cr, Se, Sn, Y, Zr, Au, and Ag, were detected, and the elemental distributions were mapped in situ atthe nanoscale. The crystal structures of the particles containing Pb, Sr, Zn, and Au were determined from their electron diffraction patterns. Based on the characterization of the representative trace element particles, the potential health effects are discussed. Most of the trace element particles detected in this study were within a range of 0.01-1.0 microm in size, which has the longest atmospheric residence time (approximately 100 days). Increased chemical reactivity owing to the size of nanoparticles may be expected for most of the trace metal particles observed.

Airborne geographical dispersal of Q fever from livestock holdings to human communities: a systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence.

PubMed

Clark, Nicholas J; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J

2018-05-15

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. This bacterium survives harsh conditions and attaches to dust, suggesting environmental dispersal is a risk factor for outbreaks. Spatial epidemiology studies collating evidence on Q fever geographical contamination gradients are needed, as human cases without occupational exposure are increasing worldwide. We used a systematic literature search to assess the role of distance from ruminant holdings as a risk factor for human Q fever outbreaks. We also collated evidence for other putative drivers of C. burnetii geographical dispersal. In all documented outbreaks, infective sheep or goats, not cattle, was the likely source. Evidence suggests a prominent role of airborne dispersal; Coxiella burnetii travels up to 18 km on gale force winds. In rural areas, highest infection risk occurs within 5 km of sources. Urban outbreaks generally occur over smaller distances, though evidence on attack rate gradients is limited. Wind speed / direction, spreading of animal products, and stocking density may all contribute to C. burnetii environmental gradients. Q fever environmental gradients depend on urbanization level, ruminant species, stocking density and wind speed. While more research is needed, evidence suggests that residential exclusion zones around holdings may be inadequate to contain this zoonotic disease, and should be species-specific.

Semantic Building FAÇADE Segmentation from Airborne Oblique Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; Nex, F.; Yang, M. Y.

2018-05-01

With the introduction of airborne oblique camera systems and the improvement of photogrammetric techniques, high-resolution 2D and 3D data can be acquired in urban areas. This high-resolution data allows us to perform detailed investigations on building roofs and façades which can contribute to LoD3 city modeling. Normally, façade segmentation is achieved from terrestrial views. In this paper, we address the problem from aerial views by using high resolution oblique aerial images as the data source in urban areas. In addition to traditional image features, such as RGB and SIFT, normal vector and planarity are also extracted from dense matching point clouds. Then, these 3D geometrical features are projected back to 2D space to assist façade interpretation. Random forest is trained and applied to label façade pixels. Fully connected conditional random field (CRF), capturing long-range spatial interactions, is used as a post-processing to refine our classification results. Its pairwise potential is defined by a linear combination of Gaussian kernels and the CRF model is efficiently solved by mean field approximation. Experiments show that 3D features can significantly improve classification results. Also, fully connected CRF performs well in correcting noisy pixels.

Analysis of The Surface Radiative Budget Using ATLAS Data for San Juan, Puerto Rico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, D. L.; Gonzalez, J.; Comarazamy, Daniel; Picon, Ana

2007-01-01

The additional beating of the air over the city is the result of the replacement of naturally vegetated surfaces with those composed of asphalt, concrete, rooftops and other man-made materials. The temperatures of these artificial surfaces can be 20 to 40 C higher than vegetated surfaces. This produces a dome of elevated air temperatures 5 to 8 C greater over the city, compared to the air temperatures over adjacent rural areas. Urban landscapes are a complex mixture of vegetated and nonvegetated surfaces. It is difficult to take enough temperature measurements over a large city area to characterize the complexity of urban radiant surface temperature variability. The NASA Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS) operates in the visual and IR bands was used in February 2004 to collect data from San Juan, Puerto Rico with the main objective of investigating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) in tropical cities.

Use of radar in urban studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryan, M. L.

1976-01-01

The use of side-looking airborne radar for urban studies is reviewed with attention given to the work of Moore (1969) and Lewis (1968) which may be summarized as follows: (1) linear elements of the transportation net were easily defined, (2) gross patterns of industry, residential and open space land were identified, but it was not possible to map the land use boundaries in great detail, (3) commercial land areas were often difficult to identify, and (4) multiple polarized imagery was helpful in correctly interpreting the total scene. It is found that the sensitivity of radar to surface roughness and the availability of multiple wavelength data allow the discrimination of variations in the surface roughness of intra-urban areas. An L-band imaging radar (25 cm; 1215-1225 GHz) of 25 m resolution will be operating from satellite altitudes in 1978 and will increase the availability of radar data.

The dust retention capacities of urban vegetation-a case study of Guangzhou, South China.

PubMed

Liu, Lu; Guan, Dongsheng; Peart, M R; Wang, Gang; Zhang, Hui; Li, Zhiwei

2013-09-01

Urban vegetation increasingly plays an important role in the improvement of the urban atmospheric environment. This paper deals with the dust retention capacities of four urban tree species (Ficus virens var. sublanceolata, Ficus microcarpa, Bauhinia blakeana, and Mangifera indica Linn) in Guangzhou. The dust-retaining capacities of four tree species are studied under different pollution intensities and for different seasons. Remote sensing imagery was used to estimate the total aboveground urban vegetation biomass in different functional areas of urban Guangzhou, information that was then used to estimate the dust-retaining capacities of the different functional areas and the total removal of airborne particulates in urban Guangzhou by foliage. The results showed that urban vegetation can remove dust from the atmosphere thereby improving air quality. The major findings are that dust retention, or capture, vary between the four species of tree studied; it also varied between season and between types of urban functional area, namely industrial, commercial/road traffic, residential, and clean areas. Dust accumulation over time was also studied and reached a maximum, and saturation, after about 24 days. The overall aboveground biomass of urban vegetation in Guangzhou was estimated to be 52.0 × 10(5) t, its total leaf area 459.01 km(2), and the dust-retaining capacity was calculated at 8012.89 t per year. The present study demonstrated that the foliage of tree species used in urban greening make a substantial contribution to atmospheric dust removal and retention in urban Guangzhou.

Upgraded airborne scanner for commercial remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Sheng-Huei; Rubin, Tod D.

1994-06-01

Traditional commercial remote sensing has focused on the geologic market, with primary focus on mineral identification and mapping in the visible through short-wave infrared spectral regions (0.4 to 2.4 microns). Commercial remote sensing users now demand airborne scanning capabilities spanning the entire wavelength range from ultraviolet through thermal infrared (0.3 to 12 microns). This spectral range enables detection, identification, and mapping of objects and liquids on the earth's surface and gases in the air. Applications requiring this range of wavelengths include detection and mapping of oil spills, soil and water contamination, stressed vegetation, and renewable and non-renewable natural resources, and also change detection, natural hazard mitigation, emergency response, agricultural management, and urban planning. GER has designed and built a configurable scanner that acquires high resolution images in 63 selected wave bands in this broad wavelength range.

Mining in subarctic Canada: airborne PM2.5 metal concentrations in two remote First Nations communities.

PubMed

Liberda, Eric N; Tsuji, Leonard J S; Peltier, Richard E

2015-11-01

Airborne particulate matter arising from upwind mining activities is a concern for First Nations communities in the western James Bay region of Ontario, Canada. Aerosol chemical components were collected in 2011 from two communities in northern Ontario. The chemical and mass concentration data of particulate matter collected during this study shows a significant difference in PM2.5 in Attawapiskat compared to Fort Albany. Elemental profiles indicate enhanced levels of some tracers thought to arise from mining activities, such as, K, Ni, and crustal materials. Both communities are remote and isolated from urban and industrial pollution sources, however, Attawapiskat First Nation has significantly enhanced levels of particulate matter, and it is likely that some of this arises from upwind mining activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A 0.4 to 10 GHz airborne electromagnetic environment survey of USA urban areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1976-01-01

An airborne electromagnetic-environment survey of some U.S. metropolitan areas measured terrestrial emissions within the broad frequency spectrum from 0.4 to 10 GHz. A Cessna 402 commercial aircraft was fitted with both nadir-viewing and horizon-viewing antennas and instrumentation, including a spectrum analyzer, a 35 mm continuous film camera, and a magnetic tape recorder. Most of the flights were made at a nominal altitude of 10,000 feet, and Washington, D. C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago were surveyed. The 450 to 470 MHz land-mobile UHF band is especially crowded, and the 400 to 406 MHz space bands are less active. This paper discusses test measurements obtained up to 10 GHz. Sample spectrum analyzer photograhs were selected from a total of 5,750 frames representing 38 hours of data.

0.4- to 10-GHz airborne electromagnetic-environment survey of United States urban areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1976-01-01

An airborne electromagnetic-environment survey of some U.S. metropolitan areas measured terrestrial emissions within the broad-frequency spectrum from 0.4 to 10 GHz. A Cessna 402 commercial aircraft was fitted with both nadir-viewing and horizon-viewing antennas and instrumentation, including a spectrum analyzer, a 35-mm continuous-film camera, and a magnetic-tape recorder. Most of the flights were made at a nominal altitude of 10,000 ft, and Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago were surveyed. The 450- to 470-MHz land-mobile UHF band is especially crowded, and the 400- to 406-MHz space bands are less active. Test measurements obtained up to 10 GHz are discussed. Sample spectrum-analyzer photographs were selected from a total of 5750 frames representing 38 hours of data.

Causes and Disparities in Death Rates Among Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Populations, 1999-2009.

PubMed

Jacobs-Wingo, Jasmine L; Espey, David K; Groom, Amy V; Phillips, Leslie E; Haverkamp, Donald S; Stanley, Sandte L

2016-05-01

To characterize the leading causes of death for the urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population and compare with urban White and rural AI/AN populations. We linked Indian Health Service patient registration records with the National Death Index to reduce racial misclassification in death certificate data. We calculated age-adjusted urban AI/AN death rates for the period 1999-2009 and compared those with corresponding urban White and rural AI/AN death rates. The top-5 leading causes of death among urban AI/AN persons were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, diabetes, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Compared with urban White persons, urban AI/AN persons experienced significantly higher death rates for all top-5 leading causes. The largest disparities were for diabetes and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. In general, urban and rural AI/AN persons had the same leading causes of death, although urban AI/AN persons had lower death rates for most conditions. Urban AI/AN persons experience significant disparities in death rates compared with their White counterparts. Public health and clinical interventions should target urban AI/AN persons to address behaviors and conditions contributing to health disparities.

Chemistry, toxicology, and persistence of particulates during and after the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfires in Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohl, L.; Chan, A. W. H.; Cooke, C. A.; Hustins, S.; Jackson, B.; Wang, S.; Jing, X.; Meng, M.

2017-12-01

The Horse River Fire in May 2016 forced the evacuation of 88,000 Fort McMurray residents, and led to the destruction of over 2000 houses. After re-entry to homes, there is significant concern about exposures to residual fire-derived contaminants in residential houses. Wildfire research, however, provides little guidance on how long ashes and pollutants persist in household dust after major fires. The FACET project studies the chemistry and toxicology of samples of urban and forest ashes and airborne particles collected during the fire, as well as over 500 house dust samples collected in July 2017 (14 months after the fire). Here we present results on the chemical composition of the urban and forest ash samples collected during the fire along with initial results from house dust samples. Wildfire ashes contained elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), heavy metals, and dioxin like compounds (DLC). Relative to EPA reference doses, As and Sb constitute the greatest non-carcinogenic health hazard, whereas PAHs Benzo(a)pyrene and Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene are the most relevant carcinogens. Ashes from urban locations contained higher concentrations of heavy metals and DLC than samples collected from forested areas outside of the City of Fort McMurray. Urban samples furthermore had a greater potential for generating oxidative stress than rural samples, as determined by dithiothreitol (DTT) consumption assays. The oxidative potential was positively correlated to Al, Cu, As, and V concentrations. Airborne particulate matter samples from the smoke plume contained consistent concentrations of levoglucosan (99 ± 5 mg g-1), along with other tracers for biomass burning (free lignin monomers, retene). Together these results will serve as proxies for understanding the contribution and the persistence of fire-derived pollutants in house dust in Fort McMurray homes.

Airborne infrared video radiometry as a low-cost tool for remote sensing of the environment, two mapping examples from Israel of urban heat islands and mineralogical site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ben-Dor, E.; Saaroni, H.; Ochana, D.

1996-10-01

In this study we examined the capability of a laboratory infrared video camera for use in remote sensing of the environment. The instrument used, INFRAMETRICS 760, was mounted onboard a Bell 206 helicopter. Under the flight conditions examined, the radiometer proved itself to be very stable and produced high-quality thermal images in a real-time mode. We studied two different environmental aspects, as follows: (1) Urban heat island of the most dense city in Israel, Tel-Aviv- and (2) lithological distribution of a well-known mineralogical site in Israel, Makhtesh Ramon. The radiometer used in both studies was able to produce a temperaturemore » presentation, rather than a gray scale from an altitude of 7,000 and 10,000 feet and at 70 knots air speed. The instrument produced a high-quality set of data in terms of signal-to-noise, stability, temperature accuracy and spatial resolution. In the Tel-Aviv case, the results showed that the urban heat island of the city can be depicted in a very high spatial and thermal resolutions domain and that a significant correlation exists between ground objects and the surrounding air temperature values. Based on the flight results, we could generated an isotherm map of the city that, for the first time, located the urban heat island of the city both in meso- and microscales. In the case of Makhtesh Ramon, we found that under field conditions, the radiometer, coupled with a VIS-CCD camera can provide significant ATI parameters of typical rocks that characterize tile study area. Although more study is planned and suggested based on the current data, it was concluded that the airborne thermal video radiometry, is a promising, inexpensive tool for monitoring the environment on a real-time basis. 10 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

Thermal signatures of urban land cover types: High-resolution thermal infrared remote sensing of urban heat island in Huntsville, AL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, Chor Pang

1996-01-01

The main objective of this research is to apply airborne high-resolution thermal infrared imagery for urban heat island studies, using Huntsville, AL, a medium-sized American city, as the study area. The occurrence of urban heat islands represents human-induced urban/rural contrast, which is caused by deforestation and the replacement of the land surface by non-evaporating and non-porous materials such as asphalt and concrete. The result is reduced evapotranspiration and more rapid runoff of rain water. The urban landscape forms a canopy acting as a transitional zone between the atmosphere and the land surface. The composition and structure of this canopy have a significant impact on the thermal behavior of the urban environment. Research on the trends of surface temperature at rapidly growing urban sites in the United States during the last 30 to 50 years suggests that significant urban heat island effects have caused the temperatures at these sites to rise by 1 to 2 C. Urban heat islands have caused changes in urban precipitation and temperature that are at least similar to, if not greater than, those predicted to develop over the next 100 years by global change models. Satellite remote sensing, particularly NOAA AVHRR thermal data, has been used in the study of urban heat islands. Because of the low spatial resolution (1.1 km at nadir) of the AVHRR data, these studies can only examine and map the phenomenon at the macro-level. The present research provides the rare opportunity to utilize 5-meter thermal infrared data acquired from an airplane to characterize more accurately the thermal responses of different land cover types in the urban landscape as input to urban heat island studies.

Aircraft observations of the urban CO2 dome in London and calculated daytime CO2 fluxes at the urban-regional scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Font, Anna; Morgui, Josep Anton; Grimmond, Sue; Barratt, Benjamin

2013-04-01

Traffic, industry and energy production and consumption within urban boundaries emit great amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, creating an urban increment of CO2 mixing ratios compared to the surrounding rural atmosphere. Monitoring CO2 within these 'urban domes' has been proposed as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of policies aiming to mitigate and reduce CO2 urban emissions (CMEGGE, 2010). London is the biggest urban conurbation in Western Europe with more than 8 million inhabitants, and it emitted roughly 45000 ktn CO2 in 2010 (DECC, 2012). In order to develop and implement observational strategies to measure the contribution of urban areas into the global carbon cycle, two airborne surveys were deployed using the Natural and Environment Research Council - Airborne Research and Survey Facility (NERC-ARSF). High frequency measurements of atmospheric CO2, O3, particles and meteorological variables were taken over London in October 2011 and July 2012. CO2 mixing ratios were measured by a Non-Dispersive IR instrument developed by AOS. In July 2012, a Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CDRS) instrument developed by PICARRO was deployed measuring CO2, CH4 and water vapour at 1Hz resolution. The objectives of the campaigns were to measure the CO2 dome over London and to calculate CO2 emissions at the urban-regional-scale. London was crossed by two transects (SW-NE and SSE-NNW) at an altitude of 360 m and vertical profiles up to 2000 m were carried out to characterize the structure of the atmosphere. Aircraft measurements allowed observation on how CO2 domes were shaped by meteorological conditions. In October 2011, the mean CO2 mixing ratio measured in London was on average 2 ppmv higher than the suburban measurements within the boundary layer. However, under low wind speeds, the CO2 mixing ratio in the urban mixing ratio peaked in central London (>10 ppmv) and decreased towards the city boundaries. Under windy conditions, the structure of the urban dome was dispersed downwind, with peak concentrations displaced from the urban centre along the main wind direction. The urban-regional surface CO2 flux was calculated for four days in October 2011 by either the Integrative Mass Boundary Layer (IMBL) or the Column Integration method (CIM), dependent on meteorological conditions. The diurnal CO2 flux in London obtained from the aircraft observations ranged from 36 to 71 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1 during the day time. This compared well with continuous measurements of CO2 exchange by an eddy-covariance system located in central London. The day-to-day variability observed in the calculated CO2 fluxes responded to the spatial variability of the influence area and emissions that observations were sensitive to. This study provides an example how aircraft surveys in urban areas can be used to estimate CO2 surface fluxes at the urban-regional scale. It also presents an important cross-validation of two independent measurement-based methods to infer the contribution of urban areas to climate change in terms of CO2 emissions that complement bottom-up emissions inventories. References Committee on Methods for Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2010), The National Academia Press. DECC (2012), http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/indicators/ni186/ni186.aspx

Exposure to airborne metals and particulate matter and risk for youth adjudicated for criminal activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haynes, Erin N., E-mail: Erin.Haynes@uc.edu; Chen, Aimin, E-mail: Aimin.Chen@uc.edu; Ryan, Patrick, E-mail: Patrick.Ryan@uc.edu

Antisocial behavior is a product of multiple interacting sociohereditary variables, yet there is increasing evidence that metal exposure, particularly, manganese and lead, play a role in its epigenesis. Other metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury, and exposure to traffic-related air pollution, such as fine particulate matter ({<=}2.5 {mu}m) have been associated with neurological deficits, yet largely unexplored with respect to their relationship with delinquent behavior. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ecological relationship between county-wide reported airborne emissions of air metals, particulate matter, and youth adjudicated for criminal activity. Metal exposure data were collected frommore » the Environmental Protection Agency AirData. Population statistics were obtained from the United States Census 2000 and adjudication data was obtained from the Courts of Common Pleases from each Ohio County. Simple correlations were calculated with the percentage of adjudications, all covariates, and estimated metal air emissions. Separate negative binomial regression models for each pollutant were used to provide an estimated risk ratio of pollutant emissions on the risk of adjudication for all Ohio counties adjusting for urban-rural residence, percentage of African Americans, median family income, percentage of family below poverty, percentage of high school graduation in 25 years and older populations, and population density. Metal emissions and PM in 1999 were all correlated with adjudication rate (2003-2005 average). Metal emissions were associated with slightly higher risk of adjudication, with about 3-4% increased risk per natural log unit of metal emission except chromium. The associations achieved statistical significance for manganese and mercury. The particulate matter {<=}2.5 and {<=}10 {mu}m emissions had a higher risk estimate, with 12% and 19% increase per natural log unit emission, respectively, and also achieved statistical significance. In summary, airborne exposure to manganese, mercury, and particulate matter are associated with increased risk of adjudication. Causality cannot be proven in observational studies such as this one, but the association warrants further examination in other research studies. Comprehensive epidemiologic investigations of metal exposure in pediatric populations should include social health outcomes, including measures of delinquent or criminal activity. Furthermore, the influence of metals on the neurotoxic pathway leading to delinquent activity should be further explored. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We evaluate the relationship between air pollutants and adjudication. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Manganese, mercury, and particulate matter are associated with risk of adjudication. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Further research of metal exposure should include social health outcomes.« less

Husbandry Trace Gas Emissions from a Dairy Complex By Mobile in Situ and Airborne and Spaceborne Remote Sensing: A Comex Campaign Focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leifer, I.; Tratt, D. M.; Bovensmann, H.; Buckland, K. N.; Burrows, J. P.; Frash, J.; Gerilowski, K.; Iraci, L. T.; Johnson, P. D.; Kolyer, R.; Krautwurst, S.; Krings, T.; Leen, J. B.; Hu, C.; Melton, C.; Vigil, S. A.; Yates, E. L.; Zhang, M.

2014-12-01

Recent field study reviews on the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) found significant underestimation from fossil fuel industry and husbandry. The 2014 COMEX campaign seeks to develop methods to derive CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) from remote sensing data by combining hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and non-imaging spectroscopy (NIS) with in situ airborne and surface data. COMEX leverages synergies between high spatial resolution HSI column abundance maps and moderate spectral/spatial resolution NIS. Airborne husbandry data were collected for the Chino dairy complex (East Los Angeles Basin) by NIS-MAMAP, HSI-Mako thermal-infrared (TIR); AVIRIS NG shortwave IR (SWIR), with in situ surface mobile-AMOG Surveyor (AutoMObile greenhouse Gas)-and airborne in situ from a Twin Otter and the AlphaJet. AMOG Surveyor uses in situ Integrated Cavity Off Axis Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) to measure CH4, CO2, H2O, H2S and NH3 at 5-10 Hz, 2D winds, and thermal anomaly in an adapted commuter car. OA-ICOS provides high precision and accuracy with excellent stability. NH3 and CH4 emissions were correlated at dairy size-scales but not sub-dairy scales in surface and Mako data, showing fine-scale structure and large variations between the numerous dairies in the complex (herd ~200,000-250,000) embedded in an urban setting. Emissions hotspots were consistent between surface and airborne surveys. In June, surface and MAMAP data showed a weak overall plume, while surface and Mako data showed a stronger plume in late (hotter) July. Multiple surface plume transects using NH3 fingerprinting showed East and then NE advection out of the LA Basin consistent with airborne data. Long-term trends were investigated in satellite data. This study shows the value of synergistically combined NH3 and CH4 remote sensing data to the task of CH4 source attribution using airborne and space-based remote sensing (IASI for NH3) and top of atmosphere sensitivity calculations for Sentinel V and Carbon Sat (CH4).

Effect of airborne particle on SO 2-calcite reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böke, Hasan; Göktürk, E. Hale; Caner-Saltık, Emine N.; Demirci, Şahinde

1999-02-01

In modern urban atmosphere, sulphur dioxide (SO 2) attacks calcite (CaCO 3) in calcareous stone-producing gypsum (CaSO 4·2H 2O) which forms crust at rain sheltered surfaces and accelerates erosion at areas exposed to rain. The airborne particles collected on stone surfaces have always been considered to enhance the gypsum crust formation and thus it is believed that they should be removed from the surface to decrease the effects of SO 2. In this study, our aim was to investigate this event by carrying out a series of experiments in laboratory using pure calcium carbonate powder to represent calcareous stone. Sodium montmorillonite, activated carbon, ferric oxide, vanadium pentoxide and cupric chloride were mixed in the pure calcium carbonate powder as substitutes of the airborne particles in the polluted atmosphere. The samples have been exposed at nearly 10 ppmv SO 2 concentrations at 90% relative humidity conditions in a reaction chamber for several days. The mineralogical composition of the exposed samples were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and infrared spectrometer (IR). Sulphation reaction products, calcium sulphite hemihydrate, gypsum and unreacted calcite, were determined quantitatively using IR. Exposed samples have also been investigated morphologically using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Experimental results reveal that calcium sulphite hemihydrate is the main reaction product of the SO 2-calcite reaction. It turns out that airborne particles play an important catalytic role in the oxidation of calcium sulphite hemihydrate into gypsum, although their presence does not very significantly affect the extent of sulphation reaction. This behaviour of airborne particles is explained by the presence of liquid film on the calcium carbonate surface where a series of reactions in the gas-liquid-solid interfaces takes place.

Airborne bacterial contaminations in typical Chinese wet market with live poultry trade.

PubMed

Gao, Xin-Lei; Shao, Ming-Fei; Luo, Yi; Dong, Yu-Fang; Ouyang, Feng; Dong, Wen-Yi; Li, Ji

2016-12-01

Chinese wet markets with live poultry trade have been considered as major sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of bacterial and viral pathogens. In this study, the pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in air samples collected at a typical Chinese wet market had been analysis and quantified. Corynebacterium minutissimum and other pathogenic bacteria accounted for 0.81-8.02% of the whole microbial community in different air samples. The four ARGs quantified in this study showed a comparable relative concentration (copies/ng_DNA) with municipal wastewater. Poultry manures were demonstrated to be important microbial contamination source in wet market, which was supported by both microbial composition based source tracking and the quantification of airborne microbial density. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry area contamination. Our results indicate bioaerosols acted as important route for the transmissions of pathogens and ARGs. Continued surveillance of airborne microbial contamination is required in poultry trade wet market. Urban live poultry markets are important sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of viral and bacterial pathogens. In the present field-study, pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes were focused to provide quantitative information on the levels of microbial contaminations at the indoor air of wet markets. Results demonstrated that poultry manures were important microbial contamination source in wet market, and in the meanwhile bioaerosols were identified as important route for the transmissions of microbial contaminants. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry area contamination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phenological records as a complement to aerobiological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tormo, Rafael; Silva, Inmaculada; Gonzalo, Ángela; Moreno, Alfonsa; Pérez, Remedios; Fernández, Santiago

2011-01-01

Phenological studies in combination with aerobiological studies enable one to observe the relationship between the release of pollen and its presence in the atmosphere. To obtain a suitable comparison between the daily variation of airborne pollen concentrations and flowering, it is necessary for the level of accuracy of both sets of data to be as similar as possible. To analyse the correlation between locally observed flowering data and pollen counts in pollen traps in order to set pollen information forecasts, pollen was sampled using a Burkard volumetric pollen trap working continuously from May 1993. For the phenological study we selected the main pollen sources of the six pollen types most abundant in our area: Cupressaceae, Platanus, Quercus, Plantago, Olea, and Poaceae with a total of 35 species. We selected seven sites to register flowering or pollination, two with semi-natural vegetation, the rest being urban sites. The sites were visited weekly from March to June in 2007, and from January to June in 2008 and 2009. Pollen shedding was checked at each visit, and recorded as the percentage of flowers or microsporangia in that state. There was an association between flowering phenology and airborne pollen records for some of the pollen types ( Platanus, Quercus, Olea and Plantago). Nevertheless, for the other types (Cupressaceae and Poaceae) the flowering and airborne pollen peaks did not coincide, with up to 1 week difference in phase. Some arguments are put forward in explanation of this phenomenon. Phenological studies have shown that airborne pollen results from both local and distant sources, although the pollen peaks usually appear when local sources are shedding the greatest amounts of pollen. Resuspension phenomena are probably more important than long-distance transport in explaining the presence of airborne pollen outside the flowering period. This information could be used to improve pollen forecasts.

Apparatus and methods for monitoring the concentrations of hazardous airborne substances, especially lead

DOEpatents

Zaromb, Solomon

2004-07-13

Air is sampled at a rate in excess of 100 L/min, preferably at 200-300 L/min, so as to collect therefrom a substantial fraction, i.e., at least 20%, preferably 60-100%, of airborne particulates. A substance of interest (analyte), such as lead, is rapidly solubilized from the the collected particulates into a sample of liquid extractant, and the concentration of the analyte in the extractant sample is determined. The high-rate air sampling and particulate collection may be effected with a high-throughput filter cartridge or with a recently developed portable high-throughput liquid-absorption air sampler. Rapid solubilization of lead is achieved by a liquid extractant comprising 0.1-1 M of acetic acid or acetate, preferably at a pH of 5 or less and preferably with inclusion of 1-10% of hydrogen peroxide. Rapid determination of the lead content in the liquid extractant may be effected with a colorimetric or an electroanalytical analyzer.

Overview of the NASA tropospheric environmental quality remote sensing program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allario, F.; Ayers, W. G.; Hoell, J. M.

1979-01-01

This paper will summarize the current NASA Tropospheric Environmental Quality Remote Sensing Program for studying the global and regional troposphere from space, airborne and ground-based platforms. As part of the program to develop remote sensors for utilization from space, NASA has developed a series of passive and active remote sensors which have undergone field test measurements from airborne and ground platforms. Recent measurements with active lidar and passive gas filter correlation and infrared heterodyne techniques will be summarized for measurements of atmospheric aerosols, CO, SO2, O3, and NH3. These measurements provide the data base required to assess the sensitivity of remote sensors for applications to urban and regional field measurement programs. Studies of Earth Observation Satellite Systems are currently being performed by the scientific community to assess the capability of satellite imagery to detect regions of elevated pollution in the troposphere. The status of NASA sponsored research efforts in interpreting satellite imagery for determining aerosol loadings over land and inland bodies of water will be presented, and comments on the potential of these measurements to supplement in situ and airborne remote sensors in detecting regional haze will be made.

Long-Term Tracking of a Specific Vehicle Using Airborne Optical Camera Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurz, F.; Rosenbaum, D.; Runge, H.; Cerra, D.; Mattyus, G.; Reinartz, P.

2016-06-01

In this paper we present two low cost, airborne sensor systems capable of long-term vehicle tracking. Based on the properties of the sensors, a method for automatic real-time, long-term tracking of individual vehicles is presented. This combines the detection and tracking of the vehicle in low frame rate image sequences and applies the lagged Cell Transmission Model (CTM) to handle longer tracking outages occurring in complex traffic situations, e.g. tunnels. The CTM model uses the traffic conditions in the proximities of the target vehicle and estimates its motion to predict the position where it reappears. The method is validated on an airborne image sequence acquired from a helicopter. Several reference vehicles are tracked within a range of 500m in a complex urban traffic situation. An artificial tracking outage of 240m is simulated, which is handled by the CTM. For this, all the vehicles in the close proximity are automatically detected and tracked to estimate the basic density-flow relations of the CTM model. Finally, the real and simulated trajectories of the reference vehicles in the outage are compared showing good correspondence also in congested traffic situations.

Urban emissions of water vapor in winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, Olivia E.; Shepson, Paul B.; Ren, Xinrong; Marquardt Collow, Allison B.; Miller, Mark A.; Carlton, Annmarie G.; Cambaliza, Maria O. L.; Heimburger, Alexie; Morgan, Kristan L.; Fuentes, Jose D.; Stirm, Brian H.; Grundman, Robert; Dickerson, Russell R.

2017-09-01

Elevated water vapor (H2Ov) mole fractions were occasionally observed downwind of Indianapolis, IN, and the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore, MD, area during airborne mass balance experiments conducted during winter months between 2012 and 2015. On days when an urban H2Ov excess signal was observed, H2Ov emission estimates range between 1.6 × 104 and 1.7 × 105 kg s-1 and account for up to 8.4% of the total (background + urban excess) advected flow of atmospheric boundary layer H2Ov from the urban study sites. Estimates of H2Ov emissions from combustion sources and electricity generation facility cooling towers are 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than the urban H2Ov emission rates estimated from observations. Instances of urban H2Ov enhancement could be a result of differences in snowmelt and evaporation rates within the urban area, due in part to larger wintertime anthropogenic heat flux and land cover differences, relative to surrounding rural areas. More study is needed to understand why the urban H2Ov excess signal is observed on some days, and not others. Radiative transfer modeling indicates that the observed urban enhancements in H2Ov and other greenhouse gas mole fractions contribute only 0.1°C d-1 to the urban heat island at the surface. This integrated warming through the boundary layer is offset by longwave cooling by H2Ov at the top of the boundary layer. While the radiative impacts of urban H2Ov emissions do not meaningfully influence urban heat island intensity, urban H2Ov emissions may have the potential to alter downwind aerosol and cloud properties.

Urban Emissions of Water Vapor in Winter.

PubMed

Salmon, Olivia E; Shepson, Paul B; Ren, Xinrong; Marquardt Collow, Allison B; Miller, Mark A; Carlton, Annmarie G; Cambaliza, Maria O L; Heimburger, Alexie; Morgan, Kristan L; Fuentes, Jose D; Stirm, Brian H; Grundman, Robert; Dickerson, Russell R

2017-09-16

Elevated water vapor (H 2 O v ) mole fractions were occassionally observed downwind of Indianapolis, IN, and the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore, MD, area during airborne mass balance experiments conducted during winter months between 2012 and 2015. On days when an urban H 2 O v excess signal was observed, H 2 O v emissions estimates range between 1.6 × 10 4 and 1.7 × 10 5 kg s -1 , and account for up to 8.4% of the total (background + urban excess) advected flow of atmospheric boundary layer H 2 O v from the urban study sites. Estimates of H 2 O v emissions from combustion sources and electricity generation facility cooling towers are 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than the urban H 2 O v emission rates estimated from observations. Instances of urban H 2 O v enhancement could be a result of differences in snowmelt and evaporation rates within the urban area, due in part to larger wintertime anthropogenic heat flux and land cover differences, relative to surrounding rural areas. More study is needed to understand why the urban H 2 O v excess signal is observed on some days, and not others. Radiative transfer modeling indicates that the observed urban enhancements in H 2 O v and other greenhouse gas mole fractions contribute only 0.1°C day -1 to the urban heat island at the surface. This integrated warming through the boundary layer is offset by longwave cooling by H 2 O v at the top of the boundary layer. While the radiative impacts of urban H 2 O v emissions do not meaningfully influence urban heat island intensity, urban H 2 O v emissions may have the potential to alter downwind aerosol and cloud properties.

Merging Surface Reconstructions of Terrestrial and Airborne LIDAR Range Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-19

Mangan and R. Whitaker. Partitioning 3D surface meshes using watershed segmentation . IEEE Trans. on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 5(4), pp...Jain, and A. Zakhor. Data Processing Algorithms for Generating Textured 3D Building Facade Meshes from Laser Scans and Camera Images. International...acquired set of overlapping range images into a single mesh [2,9,10]. However, due to the volume of data involved in large scale urban modeling, data

Urban Modelling Performance of Next Generation SAR Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sefercik, U. G.; Yastikli, N.; Atalay, C.

2017-09-01

In synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, urban mapping and modelling have become possible with revolutionary missions TerraSAR-X (TSX) and Cosmo-SkyMed (CSK) since 2007. These satellites offer 1m spatial resolution in high-resolution spotlight imaging mode and capable for high quality digital surface model (DSM) acquisition for urban areas utilizing interferometric SAR (InSAR) technology. With the advantage of independent generation from seasonal weather conditions, TSX and CSK DSMs are much in demand by scientific users. The performance of SAR DSMs is influenced by the distortions such as layover, foreshortening, shadow and double-bounce depend up on imaging geometry. In this study, the potential of DSMs derived from convenient 1m high-resolution spotlight (HS) InSAR pairs of CSK and TSX is validated by model-to-model absolute and relative accuracy estimations in an urban area. For the verification, an airborne laser scanning (ALS) DSM of the study area was used as the reference model. Results demonstrated that TSX and CSK urban DSMs are compatible in open, built-up and forest land forms with the absolute accuracy of 8-10 m. The relative accuracies based on the coherence of neighbouring pixels are superior to absolute accuracies both for CSK and TSX.

Air ion concentrations in various urban outdoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Xuan; Jayaratne, Rohan; Morawska, Lidia

2010-06-01

Atmospheric ions are produced by many natural and anthropogenic sources and their concentrations vary widely between different environments. There is very little information on their concentrations in different types of urban environments, how they compare across these environments and their dominant sources. In this study, we measured airborne concentrations of small ions, particles and net particle charge at 32 different outdoor sites in and around a major city in Australia and identified the main ion sources. Sites were classified into seven groups as follows: park, woodland, city centre, residential, freeway, power lines and power substation. Generally, parks were situated away from ion sources and represented the urban background value of about 270 ions cm -3. Median concentrations at all other groups were significantly higher than in the parks. We show that motor vehicles and power transmission systems are two major ion sources in urban areas. Power lines and substations constituted strong unipolar sources, while motor vehicle exhaust constituted strong bipolar sources. The small ion concentration in urban residential areas was about 960 cm -3. At sites where ion sources were co-located with particle sources, ion concentrations were inhibited due to the ion-particle attachment process. These results improved our understanding on air ion distribution and its interaction with particles in the urban outdoor environment.

24 CFR 242.81 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 242.81 Section 242.81 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Miscellaneous Requirements § 242.81 Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 242.81 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 242.81 Section 242.81 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Miscellaneous Requirements § 242.81 Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 242.81 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 242.81 Section 242.81 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Miscellaneous Requirements § 242.81 Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 242.81 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 242.81 Section 242.81 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Miscellaneous Requirements § 242.81 Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 242.81 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 242.81 Section 242.81 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Miscellaneous Requirements § 242.81 Lead-based paint poisoning...

Causes and Disparities in Death Rates Among Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Populations, 1999–2009

PubMed Central

Espey, David K.; Groom, Amy V.; Phillips, Leslie E.; Haverkamp, Donald S.; Stanley, Sandte L.

2016-01-01

Objectives. To characterize the leading causes of death for the urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population and compare with urban White and rural AI/AN populations. Methods. We linked Indian Health Service patient registration records with the National Death Index to reduce racial misclassification in death certificate data. We calculated age-adjusted urban AI/AN death rates for the period 1999–2009 and compared those with corresponding urban White and rural AI/AN death rates. Results. The top-5 leading causes of death among urban AI/AN persons were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, diabetes, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Compared with urban White persons, urban AI/AN persons experienced significantly higher death rates for all top-5 leading causes. The largest disparities were for diabetes and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. In general, urban and rural AI/AN persons had the same leading causes of death, although urban AI/AN persons had lower death rates for most conditions. Conclusions. Urban AI/AN persons experience significant disparities in death rates compared with their White counterparts. Public health and clinical interventions should target urban AI/AN persons to address behaviors and conditions contributing to health disparities. PMID:26890168

Fast-Time Evaluations of Airborne Merging and Spacing in Terminal Arrival Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnamurthy, Karthik; Barmore, Bryan; Bussink, Frank; Weitz, Lesley; Dahlene, Laura

2005-01-01

NASA researchers are developing new airborne technologies and procedures to increase runway throughput at capacity-constrained airports by improving the precision of inter-arrival spacing at the runway threshold. In this new operational concept, pilots of equipped aircraft are cleared to adjust aircraft speed to achieve a designated spacing interval at the runway threshold, relative to a designated lead aircraft. A new airborne toolset, prototypes of which are being developed at the NASA Langley Research Center, assists pilots in achieving this objective. The current prototype allows precision spacing operations to commence even when the aircraft and its lead are not yet in-trail, but are on merging arrival routes to the runway. A series of fast-time evaluations of the new toolset were conducted at the Langley Research Center during the summer of 2004. The study assessed toolset performance in a mixed fleet of aircraft on three merging arrival streams under a range of operating conditions. The results of the study indicate that the prototype possesses a high degree of robustness to moderate variations in operating conditions.

Regional prediction of soil organic carbon content over temperate croplands using visible near-infrared airborne hyperspectral imagery and synchronous field spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaudour, E.; Gilliot, J. M.; Bel, L.; Lefevre, J.; Chehdi, K.

2016-07-01

This study aimed at identifying the potential of Vis-NIR airborne hyperspectral AISA-Eagle data for predicting the topsoil organic carbon (SOC) content of bare cultivated soils over a large peri-urban area (221 km2) with both contrasted soils and SOC contents, located in the western region of Paris, France. Soil types comprised haplic luvisols, calcaric cambisols and colluvic cambisols. Airborne AISA-Eagle data (400-1000 nm, 126 bands) with 1 m-resolution were acquired on 17 April 2013 over 13 tracks. Tracks were atmospherically corrected then mosaicked at a 2 m-resolution using a set of 24 synchronous field spectra of bare soils, black and white targets and impervious surfaces. The land use identification system layer (RPG) of 2012 was used to mask non-agricultural areas, then calculation and thresholding of NDVI from an atmospherically corrected SPOT image acquired the same day enabled to map agricultural fields with bare soil. A total of 101 sites sampled either in 2013 or in the 3 previous years and in 2015 were identified as bare by means of this map. Predictions were made from the mosaic AISA spectra which were related to topsoil SOC contents by means of partial least squares regression (PLSR). Regression robustness was evaluated through a series of 1000 bootstrap data sets of calibration-validation samples, considering 74 sites outside cloud shadows only, and different sampling strategies for selecting calibration samples. Validation root-mean-square errors (RMSE) were comprised between 3.73 and 4.49 g Kg-1 and were ∼4 g Kg-1 in median. The most performing models in terms of coefficient of determination (R2) and Residual Prediction Deviation (RPD) values were the calibration models derived either from Kennard-Stone or conditioned Latin Hypercube sampling on smoothed spectra. The most generalizable model leading to lowest RMSE value of 3.73 g Kg-1 at the regional scale and 1.44 g Kg-1 at the within-field scale and low bias was the cross-validated leave-one-out PLSR model constructed with the 28 near-synchronous samples and raw spectra.

Particle size distributions of lead measured in battery manufacturing and secondary smelter facilities and implications in setting workplace lead exposure limits.

PubMed

Petito Boyce, Catherine; Sax, Sonja N; Cohen, Joel M

2017-08-01

Inhalation plays an important role in exposures to lead in airborne particulate matter in occupational settings, and particle size determines where and how much of airborne lead is deposited in the respiratory tract and how much is subsequently absorbed into the body. Although some occupational airborne lead particle size data have been published, limited information is available reflecting current workplace conditions in the U.S. To address this data gap, the Battery Council International (BCI) conducted workplace monitoring studies at nine lead acid battery manufacturing facilities (BMFs) and five secondary smelter facilities (SSFs) across the U.S. This article presents the results of the BCI studies focusing on the particle size distributions calculated from Personal Marple Impactor sampling data and particle deposition estimates in each of the three major respiratory tract regions derived using the Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry model. The BCI data showed the presence of predominantly larger-sized particles in the work environments evaluated, with average mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMADs) ranging from 21-32 µm for the three BMF job categories and from 15-25 µm for the five SSF job categories tested. The BCI data also indicated that the percentage of lead mass measured at the sampled facilities in the submicron range (i.e., <1 µm, a particle size range associated with enhanced absorption of associated lead) was generally small. The estimated average percentages of lead mass in the submicron range for the tested job categories ranged from 0.8-3.3% at the BMFs and from 0.44-6.1% at the SSFs. Variability was observed in the particle size distributions across job categories and facilities, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore this variability. The BCI results were compared with results reported in the scientific literature. Screening-level analyses were also conducted to explore the overall degree of lead absorption potentially associated with the observed particle size distributions and to identify key issues associated with applying such data to set occupational exposure limits for lead.

Structural Variation in the Bacterial Community Associated with Airborne Particulate Matter in Beijing, China, during Hazy and Nonhazy Days.

PubMed

Yan, Dong; Zhang, Tao; Su, Jing; Zhao, Li-Li; Wang, Hao; Fang, Xiao-Mei; Zhang, Yu-Qin; Liu, Hong-Yu; Yu, Li-Yan

2018-05-01

The structural variation of the bacterial community associated with particulate matter (PM) was assessed in an urban area of Beijing during hazy and nonhazy days. Sampling for different PM fractions (PM 2.5 [<2.5 μm], PM 10 [<10 μm], and total suspended particulate) was conducted using three portable air samplers from September 2014 to February 2015. The airborne bacterial community in these samples was analyzed using the Illumina MiSeq platform with bacterium-specific primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene. A total of 1,707,072 reads belonging to 6,009 operational taxonomic units were observed. The airborne bacterial community composition was significantly affected by PM fractions ( R = 0.157, P < 0.01). In addition, the relative abundances of several genera significantly differed between samples with various haze levels; for example, Methylobacillus , Tumebacillus , and Desulfurispora spp. increased in heavy-haze days. Canonical correspondence analysis and permutation tests showed that temperature, SO 2 concentration, relative humidity, PM 10 concentration, and CO concentration were significant factors that associated with airborne bacterial community composition. Only six genera increased across PM 10 samples ( Dokdonella , Caenimonas , Geminicoccus , and Sphingopyxis ) and PM 2.5 samples ( Cellulomonas and Rhizobacter ), while a large number of taxa significantly increased in total suspended particulate samples, such as Paracoccus , Kocuria , and Sphingomonas Network analysis indicated that Paracoccus , Rubellimicrobium , Kocuria , and Arthrobacter were the key genera in the airborne PM samples. Overall, the findings presented here suggest that diverse airborne bacterial communities are associated with PM and provide further understanding of bacterial community structure in the atmosphere during hazy and nonhazy days. IMPORTANCE The results presented here represent an analysis of the airborne bacterial community associated with particulate matter (PM) and advance our understanding of the structural variation of these communities. We observed a shift in bacterial community composition with PM fractions but no significant difference with haze levels. This may be because the bacterial differences are obscured by high bacterial diversity in the atmosphere. However, we also observed that a few genera (such as Methylobacillus , Tumebacillus , and Desulfurispora ) increased significantly on heavy-haze days. In addition, Paracoccus , Rubellimicrobium , Kocuria , and Arthrobacter were the key genera in the airborne PM samples. Accurate and real-time techniques, such as metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, should be developed for a future survey of the relationship of airborne bacteria and haze. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Climate Change and Air Pollution: Effects on Respiratory Allergy

PubMed Central

Pawankar, Ruby; Vitale, Carolina; Lanza, Maurizia; Molino, Antonio; Stanziola, Anna; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Vatrella, Alessandro; D'Amato, Maria

2016-01-01

A body of evidence suggests that major changes involving the atmosphere and the climate, including global warming induced by anthropogenic factors, have impact on the biosphere and human environment. Studies on the effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still lacking and current knowledge is provided by epidemiological and experimental studies on the relationship between allergic respiratory diseases, asthma and environmental factors, such as meteorological variables, airborne allergens, and air pollution. Urbanization with its high levels of vehicle emissions, and a westernized lifestyle are linked to the rising frequency of respiratory allergic diseases and bronchial asthma observed over recent decades in most industrialized countries. However, it is not easy to evaluate the impact of climate changes and air pollution on the prevalence of asthma in the general population and on the timing of asthma exacerbations, although the global rise in asthma prevalence and severity could also be an effect of air pollution and climate change. Since airborne allergens and air pollutants are frequently increased contemporaneously in the atmosphere, an enhanced IgE-mediated response to aeroallergens and enhanced airway inflammation could account for the increasing frequency of respiratory allergy and asthma in atopic subjects in the last 5 decades. Pollen allergy is frequently used to study the relationship between air pollution and respiratory allergic diseases, such as rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that urbanization, high levels of vehicle emissions, and westernized lifestyle are correlated with an increased frequency of respiratory allergy prevalently in people who live in urban areas in comparison with people living in rural areas. Climatic factors (temperature, wind speed, humidity, thunderstorms, etc.) can affect both components (biological and chemical) of this interaction. PMID:27334776

Variations in atmospheric PM trace metal content in Spanish towns: Illustrating the chemical complexity of the inorganic urban aerosol cocktail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Teresa; Querol, Xavier; Alastuey, Andrés; Viana, Mar; Salvador, Pedro; Sánchez de la Campa, Ana; Artiñano, Begoña; de la Rosa, Jesús; Gibbons, Wes

The majority of the Spanish urban population breathe air containing inhalable ambient airborne particles at average concentrations of 30-46 μg m -3 (PM 10) and 20-30 μg m -3 (PM 2.5). Even though the average weight of inhaled urban aerosol is commonly similar, however, there can be large chemical differences between the ambient dusts from different towns, including the more bioreactive elements such as some metals. In this context, we compare the source-apportioned trace metal content of airborne PM 10 and PM 2.5 collected daily over a 1-year period from six population centres in Spain: Barcelona, Alcobendas, Llodio, Huelva, Tarragona and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Total average trace metal (ΣTM) PM 10 and PM 2.5 contents vary by up to a factor of around 3, reaching a maximum of ΣTM 10 811 ng m -3 and ΣTM 2.5 503 ng m -3 at Llodio, an industrial but humid site with the lowest PM 10 mass levels but high contamination by Zn, Pb, Mn, Sn, Ni and Cr. In contrast, pollution at Huelva, although another industrially influenced site, instead emphasises Cu and As, whereas Barcelona, where traffic emissions and resuspension contribute to some of the highest average PM 10 levels in Spain, has unusually raised levels of Ti, V and Ba. Such variations in both daily and annual average PM bulk chemistry, particularly in potentially toxic trace metals concentrated in the finer aerosols (such as Cd, As, Pb, Hg and Ni), predict that PM health effects on resident populations from different towns are unlikely to be the same.

Climate Change and Air Pollution: Effects on Respiratory Allergy.

PubMed

D'Amato, Gennaro; Pawankar, Ruby; Vitale, Carolina; Lanza, Maurizia; Molino, Antonio; Stanziola, Anna; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Vatrella, Alessandro; D'Amato, Maria

2016-09-01

A body of evidence suggests that major changes involving the atmosphere and the climate, including global warming induced by anthropogenic factors, have impact on the biosphere and human environment. Studies on the effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still lacking and current knowledge is provided by epidemiological and experimental studies on the relationship between allergic respiratory diseases, asthma and environmental factors, such as meteorological variables, airborne allergens, and air pollution. Urbanization with its high levels of vehicle emissions, and a westernized lifestyle are linked to the rising frequency of respiratory allergic diseases and bronchial asthma observed over recent decades in most industrialized countries. However, it is not easy to evaluate the impact of climate changes and air pollution on the prevalence of asthma in the general population and on the timing of asthma exacerbations, although the global rise in asthma prevalence and severity could also be an effect of air pollution and climate change. Since airborne allergens and air pollutants are frequently increased contemporaneously in the atmosphere, an enhanced IgE-mediated response to aeroallergens and enhanced airway inflammation could account for the increasing frequency of respiratory allergy and asthma in atopic subjects in the last 5 decades. Pollen allergy is frequently used to study the relationship between air pollution and respiratory allergic diseases, such as rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that urbanization, high levels of vehicle emissions, and westernized lifestyle are correlated with an increased frequency of respiratory allergy prevalently in people who live in urban areas in comparison with people living in rural areas. Climatic factors (temperature, wind speed, humidity, thunderstorms, etc.) can affect both components (biological and chemical) of this interaction.

Improve regional distribution and source apportionment of PM2.5 trace elements in China using inventory-observation constrained emission factors.

PubMed

Ying, Qi; Feng, Miao; Song, Danlin; Wu, Li; Hu, Jianlin; Zhang, Hongliang; Kleeman, Michael J; Li, Xinghua

2018-05-15

Contributions to 15 trace elements in airborne particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <2.5μm (PM 2.5 ) in China from five major source sectors (industrial sources, residential sources, transportation, power generation and windblown dust) were determined using a source-oriented Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Using emission factors in the composite speciation profiles from US EPA's SPECIATE database for the five sources leads to relatively poor model performance at an urban site in Beijing. Improved predictions of the trace elements are obtained by using adjusted emission factors derived from a robust multilinear regression of the CMAQ predicted primary source contributions and observation at the urban site. Good correlations between predictions and observations are obtained for most elements studied with R>0.5, except for crustal elements Al, Si and Ca, particularly in spring. Predicted annual and seasonal average concentrations of Mn, Fe, Zn and Pb in Nanjing and Chengdu are also consistently improved using the adjusted emission factors. Annual average concentration of Fe is as high as 2.0μgm -3 with large contributions from power generation and transportation. Annual average concentration of Pb reaches 300-500ngm -3 in vast areas, mainly from residential activities, transportation and power generation. The impact of high concentrations of Fe on secondary sulfate formation and Pb on human health should be evaluated carefully in future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Use of the Airborne Thermal/Visible Land Application Sensor (ATLAS) to Determine the Thermal Response Numbers for Urban Areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, Doug; Quattroch, Dale; Estes. Maury

2007-01-01

Although satellite data are very useful for analysis of the urban heat island effect at a coarse scale, they do not lend themselves to developing a better understanding of which surfaces across the city contribute or drive the development of the urban heat island effect. Analysis of thermal energy responses for specific or discrete surfaces typical of the urban landscape (e.g., asphalt, building rooftops, vegetation) requires measurements at a very fine spatial scale (i.e., < 15m) to adequately resolve these surfaces and their attendant thermal energy regimes. Additionally, very fine scale spatial resolution thermal infrared data, such as that obtained from aircraft, are very useful for demonstrating to planning officials, policy makers, and the general populace the benefits of the urban forest. These benefits include mitigating the urban heat island effect, making cities more aesthetically pleasing and more habitable environments, and aid in overall cooling of the community. High spatial resolution thermal data are required to quantify how artificial surfaces within the city contribute to an increase in urban heating and the benefit of cool surfaces (e.g., surface coatings that reflect much of the incoming solar radiation as opposed to absorbing it thereby lowering urban temperatures). The TRN (thermal response number)(Luvall and Holbo 1989) is a technique using aircraft remotely sensed surface temperatures to quantify the thermal response of urban surfaces. The TRN was used to quantify the thermal response of various urban surface types ranging from completely vegetated surfaces to asphalt and concrete parking lots for several cities in the United States.

Contribution of air pollution to COPD and small airway dysfunction.

PubMed

Berend, Norbert

2016-02-01

Although in many Western countries levels of ambient air pollution have been improving with the setting of upper limits and better urban planning, air pollution in developing countries and particularly those with rapid industrialization has become a major global problem. Together with increased motor vehicle ownership and traffic congestion, there is a growing issue with airborne particles of respirable size. These particles are thought responsible for respiratory and cardiovascular effects and have also been implicated in cancer pathogenesis. The pathologic effects in the lung are mediated via inflammatory pathways and involve oxidative stress similar to cigarette smoking. These effects are seen in the peripheral airways where the smaller particle fractions are deposited and lead to airway remodelling. However, emphysema and loss of bronchioles seen with cigarette smoking have not been described with ambient air pollution, and there are few studies specifically looking at peripheral airway function. Definitive evidence of air pollution causing COPD is lacking and a different study design is required to link air pollution and COPD. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Satellites as Sentinels for Environment & Health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maynard, Nancy G.

2002-01-01

Satellites as Sentinels for Environment & Health Remotely-sensed data and observations are providing powerful new tools for addressing human and ecosystem health by enabling improved understanding of the relationships and linkages between health-related environmental parameters and society as well as techniques for early warning of potential health problems. NASA Office of Earth Science Applications Program has established a new initiative to utilize its data, expertise, and observations of the Earth for public health applications. In this initiative, lead by Goddard Space Flight Center, remote sensing, geographic information systems, improved computational capabilities, and interdisciplinary research between the Earth and health science communities are being combined in rich collaborative efforts resulting in more rapid problem-solving, early warning, and prevention in global health issues. This presentation provides a number of recent examples of applications of advanced remote sensing and other technologies to health.and security issues related to the following: infectious and vector-borne diseases; urban, regional and global air pollution; African and Asian airborne dust; heat stress; UV radiation; water-borne disease; extreme weather; contaminant pathways (ocean, atmosphere, ice)

Comparative Study of Lead Concentration in Feathers of Urban and Rural Passerines in Merida, Mexico.

PubMed

Nava-Diaz, Remedios; Hoogesteijn, Almira L; Erosa, Mercy Dzul; Febles, Jose L; Mendez-Gonzalez, Rosa M

2015-10-01

Lead is a commonly monitored heavy metal because of potential health effects on exposed organisms. We quantified lead in secondary feathers of two passerine bird species, clay-colored thrushes (Turdus grayi) and great-tailed grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus), from an urban and a rural site in the municipality of Merida, Yucatan. Urban lead concentration was significantly higher than its rural counterpart for both species (p < 0.05). In the urban site, lead concentration was similar in both species (p = 0.14). However, data from the rural site showed that lead concentration was significantly higher in thrush feathers (p < 0.05). Lead levels herein presented are among the lowest ever reported suggesting that either lead accumulation or absorption is limited. Finally, our data seem to support the hypothesis that species feeding ecology plays a major role in lead accumulation.

Airborne Nicotine, Secondhand Smoke, and Precursors to Adolescent Smoking.

PubMed

McGrath, Jennifer J; Racicot, Simon; Okoli, Chizimuzo T C; Hammond, S Katharine; O'Loughlin, Jennifer

2018-01-01

Secondhand smoke (SHS) directly increases exposure to airborne nicotine, tobacco's main psychoactive substance. When exposed to SHS, nonsmokers inhale 60% to 80% of airborne nicotine, absorb concentrations similar to those absorbed by smokers, and display high levels of nicotine biomarkers. Social modeling, or observing other smokers, is a well-established predictor of smoking during adolescence. Observing smokers also leads to increased pharmacological exposure to airborne nicotine via SHS. The objective of this study is to investigate whether greater exposure to airborne nicotine via SHS increases the risk for smoking initiation precursors among never-smoking adolescents. Secondary students ( N = 406; never-smokers: n = 338, 53% girls, mean age = 12.9, SD = 0.4) participated in the AdoQuest II longitudinal cohort. They answered questionnaires about social exposure to smoking (parents, siblings, peers) and known smoking precursors (eg, expected benefits and/or costs, SHS aversion, smoking susceptibility, and nicotine dependence symptoms). Saliva and hair samples were collected to derive biomarkers of cotinine and nicotine. Adolescents wore a passive monitor for 1 week to measure airborne nicotine. Higher airborne nicotine was significantly associated with greater expected benefits ( R 2 = 0.024) and lower expected costs ( R 2 = 0.014). Higher social exposure was significantly associated with more temptation to try smoking ( R 2 = 0.025), lower aversion to SHS ( R 2 = 0.038), and greater smoking susceptibility ( R 2 = 0.071). Greater social exposure was significantly associated with more nicotine dependence symptoms; this relation worsened with higher nicotine exposure (cotinine R 2 = 0.096; airborne nicotine R 2 = 0.088). Airborne nicotine exposure via SHS is a plausible risk factor for smoking initiation during adolescence. Public health implications include limiting airborne nicotine through smoking bans in homes and cars, in addition to stringent restrictions for e-cigarettes. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The application of airborne imaging radars (L and X-band) to earth resources problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drake, B.; Shuchman, R. A.; Bryan, M. L.; Larson, R. W.; Liskow, C. L.; Rendleman, R. A.

1974-01-01

A multiplexed synthetic aperture Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) that simultaneously images the terrain with X-band (3.2 cm) and L-band (23.0 cm) radar wavelengths was developed. The Feasibility of using multiplexed SLAR to obtain useful information for earth resources purposes. The SLAR imagery, aerial photographs, and infrared imagery are examined to determine the qualitative tone and texture of many rural land-use features imaged. The results show that: (1) Neither X- nor L-band SLAR at moderate and low depression angles can directly or indirectly detect pools of water under standing vegetation. (2) Many of the urban and rural land-use categories present in the test areas can be identified and mapped on the multiplexed SLAR imagery. (3) Water resources management can be done using multiplexed SLAR. (4) Drainage patterns can be determined on both the X- and L-band imagery.

Challenges and Opportunities of Airborne Metagenomics

PubMed Central

Behzad, Hayedeh; Gojobori, Takashi; Mineta, Katsuhiko

2015-01-01

Recent metagenomic studies of environments, such as marine and soil, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the diverse microbial communities living in these habitats and their essential roles in sustaining vast ecosystems. The increase in the number of publications related to soil and marine metagenomics is in sharp contrast to those of air, yet airborne microbes are thought to have significant impacts on many aspects of our lives from their potential roles in atmospheric events such as cloud formation, precipitation, and atmospheric chemistry to their major impact on human health. In this review, we will discuss the current progress in airborne metagenomics, with a special focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities of undertaking such studies. The main challenges of conducting metagenomic studies of airborne microbes are as follows: 1) Low density of microorganisms in the air, 2) efficient retrieval of microorganisms from the air, 3) variability in airborne microbial community composition, 4) the lack of standardized protocols and methodologies, and 5) DNA sequencing and bioinformatics-related challenges. Overcoming these challenges could provide the groundwork for comprehensive analysis of airborne microbes and their potential impact on the atmosphere, global climate, and our health. Metagenomic studies offer a unique opportunity to examine viral and bacterial diversity in the air and monitor their spread locally or across the globe, including threats from pathogenic microorganisms. Airborne metagenomic studies could also lead to discoveries of novel genes and metabolic pathways relevant to meteorological and industrial applications, environmental bioremediation, and biogeochemical cycles. PMID:25953766

Modelling the dynamics of ambient dose rates induced by radiocaesium in the Fukushima terrestrial environment.

PubMed

Gonze, Marc-André; Mourlon, Christophe; Calmon, Philippe; Manach, Erwan; Debayle, Christophe; Baccou, Jean

2016-09-01

Since the Fukushima accident, Japanese scientists have been intensively monitoring ambient radiations in the highly contaminated territories situated within 80 km of the nuclear site. The surveys that were conducted through mainly carborne, airborne and in situ gamma-ray measurement devices, enabled to efficiently characterize the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of air dose rates induced by Caesium-134 and Caesium-137 in the terrestrial systems. These measurements revealed that radiation levels decreased at rates greater than expected from physical decay in 2011-2012 (up to a factor of 2), and dependent on the type of environment (i.e. urban, agricultural or forest). Unlike carborne measurements that may have been strongly influenced by the depuration of road surfaces, no obvious reason can be invoked for airborne measurements, especially above forests that are known to efficiently retain and recycle radiocaesium. The purpose of our research project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the data acquired by Japanese, and identify the environmental mechanisms or factors that may explain such decays. The methodology relies on the use of a process-based and spatially-distributed dynamic model that predicts radiocaesium transfer and associated air dose rates inside/above a terrestrial environment (e.g., forests, croplands, meadows, bare soils and urban areas). Despite the lack of site-specific data, our numerical study predicts decrease rates that are globally consistent with both aerial and in situ observations. The simulation at a flying altitude of 200 m indicated that ambient radiation levels decreased over the first 12 months by about 45% over dense urban areas, 15% above evergreen coniferous forests and between 2 and 12% above agricultural lands, owing to environmental processes that are identified and discussed. In particular, we demonstrate that the decrease over evergreen coniferous regions might be due the combined effects of canopy depuration (through biological and physical mechanisms) and the shielding of gamma rays emitted from the forest floor by vegetation. Our study finally suggests that airborne surveys might have not reflected dose rates at ground level in forest systems, which were predicted to slightly increase by 5-10% during the same period of time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field assessment of the impacts of landscape structure on different-sized airborne particles in residential areas of Beijing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Shuxin; Li, Xiaopeng; Han, Jing; Cao, Yu; Dong, Li

2017-10-01

In high-density metropolis, residential areas are important human living environments. Aimed at investigating the impacts of landscape structure on the levels of different-sized airborne particle in residential areas, we conducted field monitoring of the levels of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 using mobile traverses in 18 residential areas during the daytime in winter (Dec. 2015-Feb. 2016) and summer (Jun.-Aug. 2016) in Beijing, China. The net concentration differences (d) of the four-sized particles (dTSP, dPM10, dPM2.5 and dPM1) between residential environments and nearby corresponding urban backgrounds, which can be regarded as the reduction of particle concentration in residential environments, were calculated. The effects and relative contributions of different landscape structure parameters on these net concentration differences were further investigated. Results showed that the distribution of particle concentrations has great spatial variation in urban environments. Within the residential environment, there were overall lower concentrations of the four-sized particles compared with the nearby urban background. The net concentration differences of the four-sized particles were all significantly different among the 18 studied residential areas. The average dTSP, dPM10, dPM2.5 and dPM1 reached 18.92, 12.28, 2.01 and 0.53 μg/m3 in summer, and 9.91, 7.81, 1.39 and 0.38 μg/m3 in winter, respectively. The impacts and relative contribution of different landscape structure parameters on the reductions of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 in residential environments differed and showed seasonal variation. Percentage of vegetation cover (PerVC) and building cover (PerBC) had the greatest impact. A 10% increase in PerVC would increase about 5.03, 8.15, 2.16 and 0.20 μg/m3 of dTSP, dPM10, dPM2.5 and dPM1 in summer, and a 10% increase in PerBC would decreased about 41.37, 16.54, 2.47 and 0.95 μg/m3 of them in winter. Increased vegetation coverage and decreased building construction were found to be conducive to ameliorate airborne particle levels in residential environments. Moreover, landscape structure parameters can be served as indicators for predicting the potential particle reduction at local scale.

The urban boundary-layer field campaign in marseille (ubl/clu-escompte): set-up and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mestayer, P.G.; Durand, P.; Augustin, P.; Bastin, S.; Bonnefond, J.-M.; Benech, B.; Campistron, B.; Coppalle, A.; Delbarre, H.; Dousset, B.; Drobinski, P.; Druilhet, A.; Frejafon, E.; Grimmond, C.S.B.; Groleau, D.; Irvine, M.; Kergomard, C.; Kermadi, S.; Lagouarde, J.-P.; Lemonsu, A.; Lohou, F.; Long, N.; Masson, V.; Moppert, C.; Noilhan, J.; Offerle, B.; Oke, T.R.; Pigeon, G.; Puygrenier, V.; Roberts, S.; Rosant, J.-M.; Sanid, F.; Salmond, J.; Talbaut, M.; Voogt, J.

The UBL/CLU (urban boundary layer/couche limite urbaine) observation and modelling campaign is a side-project of the regional photochemistry campaign ESCOMPTE. UBL/CLU focuses on the dynamics and thermodynamics of the urban boundary layer of Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast of France. The objective of UBL/CLU is to document the four-dimensional structure of the urban boundary layer and its relation to the heat and moisture exchanges between the urban canopy and the atmosphere during periods of low wind conditions, from June 4 to July 16, 2001. The project took advantage of the comprehensive observational set-up of the ESCOMPTE campaign over the Berre-Marseille area, especially the ground-based remote sensing, airborne measurements, and the intensive documentation of the regional meteorology. Additional instrumentation was installed as part of UBL/CLU. Analysis objectives focus on (i) validation of several energy balance computational schemes such as LUMPS, TEB and SM2-U, (ii) ground truth and urban canopy signatures suitable for the estimation of urban albedos and aerodynamic surface temperatures from satellite data, (iii) high resolution mapping of urban land cover, land-use and aerodynamic parameters used in UBL models, and (iv) testing the ability of high resolution atmospheric models to simulate the structure of the UBL during land and sea breezes, and the related transport and diffusion of pollutants over different districts of the city. This paper presents initial results from such analyses and details of the overall experimental set-up.

Allergen sensitisation among chronic respiratory diseases in urban and rural areas of the south of Viet Nam.

PubMed

Chu, H T; Godin, I; Phuong, N T; Nguyen, L H; Hiep, T T M; Michel, O

2018-02-01

To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for allergen sensitisation among patients with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) in southern Viet Nam. An environmental questionnaire and skin prick tests for airborne and food allergens were administered to patients with CRD, defined as individuals with respiratory symptoms and lung function defects. Of 610 CRD patients, 56% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 31% were asthma patients; 80% were males. The most frequent sensitisers were dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae 22%, Blomia tropicalis 19%, D. pteronyssinus 18%) and cockroach droppings (13%). Among study participants, 37% were from rural settings and 36% from urban areas, whereas 27% had migrated from rural to urban areas. Compared with people from rural areas, being born in an urban area was a risk factor for sensitisation to mites (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.11-2.20, P < 0.02). In multivariate analysis, place of birth remained a risk factor for mite sensitisation. Compared with the native urban population, the risk of mite sensitisation was not significantly different among patients born in rural areas and those migrating to urban areas. Dust mites and cockroach droppings were the most frequent allergens among people with CRD in the south of Viet Nam. Compared with the urban population, being native to a rural area was protective against mite sensitisation, but this effect ceased to be significant after migration from rural to urban areas.

Air-borne contact dermatitis caused exclusively by xanthium strumarium.

PubMed

Pasricha, J S; Verma, K K; D'Souza, P

1995-01-01

Most cases having air-borne contact dermatitis (ABCD) in India are considered to be caused by Parthenium hysterophorus. In some cases however, other plants have also been noticed to give positive patch test reactions. We are reporting two cases presenting as ABCD who showed positive patch tests with Xanthium strumarium while the patch tests with Parthenium hysterophorus were negative. It is therefore necessary to realise that every case of ABCD is not caused by Parthenium, and patch testing with Parthenium alone can lead to serious mistakes.

Improving stream studies with a small-footprint green lidar

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKean, Jim; Isaak, Dan; Wright, Wayne

2009-01-01

Technology is changing how scientists and natural resource managers describe and study streams and rivers. A new generation of airborne aquatic-terrestrial lidars is being developed that can penetrate water and map the submerged topography inside a stream as well as the adjacent subaerial terrain and vegetation in one integrated mission. A leading example of these new cross-environment instruments is the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a NASAbuilt sensor now operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) [Wright and Brock, 2002].

Air-Lubricated Lead Screw

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, G. S.

1983-01-01

Air lubricated lead screw and nut carefully machined to have closely matched closely fitting threads. Compressed air injected into two plenums encircle nut and flow through orifices to lubricate mating threads. Originally developed to position precisely interferometer retroreflector for airborne measurement of solar infrared radiation, device now has positioning accuracy of 0.25 micron.

Saberliner flight test for airborne wind shear forward looking detection and avoidance radar systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, Bruce D.

1991-01-01

Westinghouse conducted a flight test with its Sabreliner AN/APG-68 instrumented radar to assess the urban discrete/ground moving vehicle clutter environment. Glideslope approaches were flown into Washington National, BWI, and Georgetown, Delaware, airports employing radar mode timing, waveform, and processing configurations plausible for microburst windshear avoidance. The perceptions, both general and specific, of the clutter environment furnish an empirical foundation for beginning low false alarm detection algorithm development.

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 4. Boston Arts Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 6. Perspectives Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 7. TechBoston Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Report: Combustion Byproducts and Their Health Effects: Summary of the 10th International Congress

PubMed Central

Dellinger, Barry; D'Alessio, Antonio; D'Anna, Andrea; Ciajolo, Anna; Gullett, Brian; Henry, Heather; Keener, Mel; Lighty, JoAnn; Lomnicki, Slawomir; Lucas, Donald; Oberdörster, Günter; Pitea, Demetrio; Suk, William; Sarofim, Adel; Smith, Kirk R.; Stoeger, Tobias; Tolbert, Paige; Wyzga, Ron; Zimmermann, Ralf

2008-01-01

Abstract The 10th International Congress on Combustion Byproducts and their Health Effects was held in Ischia, Italy, from June 17–20, 2007. It is sponsored by the US NIEHS, NSF, Coalition for Responsible Waste Incineration (CRWI), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The congress focused on: the origin, characterization, and health impacts of combustion-generated fine and ultrafine particles; emissions of mercury and dioxins, and the development/application of novel analytical/diagnostic tools. The consensus of the discussion was that particle-associated organics, metals, and persistent free radicals (PFRs) produced by combustion sources are the likely source of the observed health impacts of airborne PM rather than simple physical irritation of the particles. Ultrafine particle-induced oxidative stress is a likely progenitor of the observed health impacts, but important biological and chemical details and possible catalytic cycles remain unresolved. Other key conclusions were: (1) In urban settings, 70% of airborne fine particles are a result of combustion emissions and 50% are due to primary emissions from combustion sources, (2) In addition to soot, combustion produces one, possibly two, classes of nanoparticles with mean diameters of ~10 nm and ~1 nm. (3) The most common metrics used to describe particle toxicity, viz. surface area, sulfate concentration, total carbon, and organic carbon, cannot fully explain observed health impacts, (4) Metals contained in combustion-generated ultrafine and fine particles mediate formation of toxic air pollutants such as PCDD/F and PFRs. (5) The combination of metal-containing nanoparticles, organic carbon compounds, and PFRs can lead to a cycle generating oxidative stress in exposed organisms. PMID:22476005

Modeling the weekly cycle of NOx and CO emissions and their impacts on O3 in the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin during the CalNex 2010 field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.-W.; McDonald, B. C.; Baidar, S.; Brown, S. S.; Dube, B.; Ferrare, R. A.; Frost, G. J.; Harley, R. A.; Holloway, J. S.; Lee, H.-J.; McKeen, S. A.; Neuman, J. A.; Nowak, J. B.; Oetjen, H.; Ortega, I.; Pollack, I. B.; Roberts, J. M.; Ryerson, T. B.; Scarino, A. J.; Senff, C. J.; Thalman, R.; Trainer, M.; Volkamer, R.; Wagner, N.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Waxman, E.; Young, C. J.

2016-02-01

We developed a new nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission inventory for the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) expanding the Fuel-based Inventory for motor-Vehicle Emissions and applied it in regional chemical transport modeling focused on the California Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) 2010 field campaign. The weekday NOx emission over the SoCAB in 2010 is 620 t d-1, while the weekend emission is 410 t d-1. The NOx emission decrease on weekends is caused by reduced diesel truck activities. Weekday and weekend CO emissions over this region are similar: 2340 and 2180 t d-1, respectively. Previous studies reported large discrepancies between the airborne observations of NOx and CO mixing ratios and the model simulations for CalNex based on the available bottom-up emission inventories. Utilizing the newly developed emission inventory in this study, the simulated NOx and CO mixing ratios agree with the observations from the airborne and the ground-based in situ and remote sensing instruments during the field study. The simulations also reproduce the weekly cycles of these chemical species. Both the observations and the model simulations indicate that decreased NOx on weekends leads to enhanced photochemistry and increase of O3 and Ox (=O3 + NO2) in the basin. The emission inventory developed in this study can be extended to different years and other urban regions in the U.S. to study the long-term trends in O3 and its precursors with regional chemical transport models.

24 CFR 35.130 - Lead hazard information pamphlet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.130 Lead hazard information... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Lead hazard information pamphlet...

24 CFR 35.130 - Lead hazard information pamphlet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.130 Lead hazard information... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Lead hazard information pamphlet...

24 CFR 35.130 - Lead hazard information pamphlet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.130 Lead hazard information... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Lead hazard information pamphlet...

24 CFR 35.130 - Lead hazard information pamphlet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.130 Lead hazard information... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Lead hazard information pamphlet...

24 CFR 35.130 - Lead hazard information pamphlet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.130 Lead hazard information... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Lead hazard information pamphlet...

Differences Between Rural and Urban Areas in Mortality Rates for the Leading Causes of Infant Death: United States, 2013-2015.

PubMed

Ely, Danielle M; Hoyert, Donna L

2018-02-01

The leading causes of infant death vary by age at death but were consistent from 2005 to 2015 (1-6). Previous research shows higher infant mortality rates in rural counties compared with urban counties and differences in cause of death for individuals aged 1 year and over by urbanization level (4,5,7,8). No research, however, has examined if mortality rates from the leading causes of infant death differ by urbanization level. This report describes the mortality rates for the five leading causes of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death in the United States across rural, small and medium urban, and large urban counties defined by maternal residence, as reported on the birth certificate for combined years 2013-2015. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Core Academic Strategic Designs: 1. Academy of the Pacific Rim

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Core Academic Strategic Designs: 2. Noble Street Charter High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 8. High Tech High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Personalization Strategic Designs: 9. MetWest High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Core Academic Strategic Designs: 3. University Park Campus School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 5. Life Academy of Health and Bioscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

2008-01-01

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

Measurement and Analysis of Thermal Energy Responses from Discrete Urban Surfaces Using Remote Sensing Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, D. A.; Ridd, M. K.

1993-01-01

This study employs data from the airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) to measure thermal (i.e., longwave) energy responses, emitted or upwelling, from discrete surfaces that are typical of the city landscape within Salt Lake City, Utah, over a single diurnal time period (i.e., a single day, night-time sequence). These data are used to quantify the disposition of thermal energy for selected urban surfaces during the daytime and night-time, and the amount of change in thermal response or flux recorded between day and night. An analysis is presented on the thermal interrelationships observed for common urban materials for day, night, and flux, as identified from the TIMS data through the delineation of discrete surface type polygons. The results from the study illustrate that such factors as heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and the amount of soil moisture available have a profound impact on the magnitude of thermal energy emanating from a specific surface and on the dynamics of longwave energy response between day and night.

Deposition and solubility of airborne metals to four plant species grown at varying distances from two heavily trafficked roads in London.

PubMed

Peachey, C J; Sinnett, D; Wilkinson, M; Morgan, G W; Freer-Smith, P H; Hutchings, T R

2009-01-01

In urban areas, a highly variable mixture of pollutants is deposited as particulate matter. The concentration and bioavailability of individual pollutants within particles need to be characterised to ascertain the risks to ecological receptors. This study, carried out at two urban parks, measured the deposition and water-solubility of metals to four species common to UK urban areas. Foliar Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations were elevated in at least one species compared with those from a rural control site. Concentrations were, however, only affected by distance to road in nettle and, to a lesser extent, birch leaves. Greater concentrations of metal were observed in these species compared to cypress and maple possibly due to differences in plant morphology and leaf surfaces. Solubility appeared to be linked to the size fraction and, therefore, origin of the metal with those present predominantly in the coarse fraction exhibiting low solubility.

Surface models for coupled modelling of runoff and sewer flow in urban areas.

PubMed

Ettrich, N; Steiner, K; Thomas, M; Rothe, R

2005-01-01

Traditional methods fail for the purpose of simulating the complete flow process in urban areas as a consequence of heavy rainfall and as required by the European Standard EN-752 since the bi-directional coupling between sewer and surface is not properly handled. The new methodology, developed in the EUREKA-project RisUrSim, solves this problem by carrying out the runoff on the basis of shallow water equations solved on high-resolution surface grids. Exchange nodes between the sewer and the surface, like inlets and manholes, are located in the computational grid and water leaving the sewer in case of surcharge is further distributed on the surface. Dense topographical information is needed to build a model suitable for hydrodynamic runoff calculations; in urban areas, in addition, many line-shaped elements like houses, curbs, etc. guide the runoff of water and require polygonal input. Airborne data collection methods offer a great chance to economically gather densely sampled input data.

Lead concentration distribution and source tracing of urban/suburban aquatic sediments in two typical famous tourist cities: Haikou and Sanya, China.

PubMed

Dong, Zhicheng; Bao, Zhengyu; Wu, Guoai; Fu, Yangrong; Yang, Yi

2010-11-01

The content and spatial distribution of lead in the aquatic systems in two Chinese tropical cities in Hainan province (Haikou and Sanyan) show an unequal distribution of lead between the urban and the suburban areas. The lead content is significantly higher (72.3 mg/kg) in the urban area than the suburbs (15.0 mg/kg) in Haikou, but quite equal in Sanya (41.6 and 43.9 mg/kg). The frequency distribution histograms suggest that the lead in Haikou and in Sanya derives from different natural and/or anthropogenic sources. The isotopic compositions indicate that urban sediment lead in Haikou originates mainly from anthropogenic sources (automobile exhaust, atmospheric deposition, etc.) which contribute much more than the natural sources, while natural lead (basalt and sea sands) is still dominant in the suburban areas in Haikou. In Sanya, the primary source is natural (soils and sea sands).

24 CFR 965.701 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention § 965.701 Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. The requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 965.701 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention § 965.701 Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. The requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 965.701 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention § 965.701 Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. The requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 35.135 - Use of paint containing lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.135 Use of paint containing lead. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Use of paint containing lead. 35...

24 CFR 35.135 - Use of paint containing lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.135 Use of paint containing lead. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Use of paint containing lead. 35...

24 CFR 35.135 - Use of paint containing lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.135 Use of paint containing lead. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Use of paint containing lead. 35...

24 CFR 35.135 - Use of paint containing lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.135 Use of paint containing lead. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Use of paint containing lead. 35...

24 CFR 965.701 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention § 965.701 Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. The requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 965.701 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention § 965.701 Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. The requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning...

24 CFR 35.135 - Use of paint containing lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements and Definitions for All Programs. § 35.135 Use of paint containing lead. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Use of paint containing lead. 35...

Toward a better understanding of the impact of mass transit air pollutants on human health.

PubMed

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kumar, Pawan; Szulejko, Jan E; Adelodun, Adedeji A; Junaid, Muhammad Faisal; Uchimiya, Minori; Chambers, Scott

2017-05-01

Globally, modern mass transport systems whether by road, rail, water, or air generate airborne pollutants in both developing and developed nations. Air pollution is the primary human health concern originating from modern transportation, particularly in densely-populated urban areas. This review will specifically focus on the origin and the health impacts of carbonaceous traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP), including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and elemental carbon (EC). We conclude that the greatest current challenge regarding urban TRAP is understanding and evaluating the human health impacts well enough to set appropriate pollution control measures. Furthermore, we provide a detailed discussion regarding the effects of TRAP on local environments and pedestrian health in low and high traffic-density environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hyperspectral remote sensing of postfire soil properties

Treesearch

Sarah A. Lewis; Peter R. Robichaud; William J. Elliot; Bruce E. Frazier; Joan Q. Wu

2004-01-01

Forest fires may induce changes in soil organic properties that often lead to water repellent conditions within the soil profile that decrease soil infiltration capacity. The remote detection of water repellent soils after forest fires would lead to quicker and more accurate assessment of erosion potential. An airborne hyperspectral image was acquired over the Hayman...

Endocrine disrupting compounds in the atmosphere of the urban area of Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salapasidou, M.; Samara, C.; Voutsa, D.

2011-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in a complex urban atmosphere. Target compounds were alkylphenols (NP, tOP, nOP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), bisphenol A (BPA), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and phthalates (DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, DNOP). EDCs were determined in ambient PM10 from two sampling sites, one urban-traffic and one urban-industrial, located in the city of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. At both sites, DEHP and NP were found to be the predominant EDCs in airborne PM10. Concentrations of NP did not exhibit any spatial difference, whereas concentrations of DEHP were significantly higher at the urban-traffic site. Wind direction was not found to have any significant effect on ambient EDCs concentrations suggesting impact from local sources rather than transport; however some peak concentrations might be attributed to short-distance sources. The gas/particle partition coefficient, Kp, and the gaseous phase of EDCs were calculated by employing two approaches based on literature data (a) for the subcooled liquid vapor pressure ( PL0) and (b) the octanol-air partition coefficient ( KOA). It appeared that the g/ p partition of phthalates estimated by the KOA approach is in better agreement with experimental partition data reported by other investigators. Absorption in organic matter was found to be significant partition mechanism at the urban-traffic site.

Challenges and opportunities of airborne metagenomics.

PubMed

Behzad, Hayedeh; Gojobori, Takashi; Mineta, Katsuhiko

2015-05-06

Recent metagenomic studies of environments, such as marine and soil, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the diverse microbial communities living in these habitats and their essential roles in sustaining vast ecosystems. The increase in the number of publications related to soil and marine metagenomics is in sharp contrast to those of air, yet airborne microbes are thought to have significant impacts on many aspects of our lives from their potential roles in atmospheric events such as cloud formation, precipitation, and atmospheric chemistry to their major impact on human health. In this review, we will discuss the current progress in airborne metagenomics, with a special focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities of undertaking such studies. The main challenges of conducting metagenomic studies of airborne microbes are as follows: 1) Low density of microorganisms in the air, 2) efficient retrieval of microorganisms from the air, 3) variability in airborne microbial community composition, 4) the lack of standardized protocols and methodologies, and 5) DNA sequencing and bioinformatics-related challenges. Overcoming these challenges could provide the groundwork for comprehensive analysis of airborne microbes and their potential impact on the atmosphere, global climate, and our health. Metagenomic studies offer a unique opportunity to examine viral and bacterial diversity in the air and monitor their spread locally or across the globe, including threats from pathogenic microorganisms. Airborne metagenomic studies could also lead to discoveries of novel genes and metabolic pathways relevant to meteorological and industrial applications, environmental bioremediation, and biogeochemical cycles. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

The effects of temperature and pressure on airborne exposure concentrations when performing compliance evaluations using ACGIH TLVs and OSHA PELs.

PubMed

Stephenson, D J; Lillquist, D R

2001-04-01

Occupational hygienists perform air sampling to characterize airborne contaminant emissions, assess occupational exposures, and establish allowable workplace airborne exposure concentrations. To perform these air sampling applications, occupational hygienists often compare an airborne exposure concentration to a corresponding American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) or an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL). To perform such comparisons, one must understand the physiological assumptions used to establish these occupational exposure limits, the relationship between a workplace airborne exposure concentration and its associated TLV or PEL, and the effect of temperature and pressure on the performance of an accurate compliance evaluation. This article illustrates the correct procedure for performing compliance evaluations using airborne exposure concentrations expressed in both parts per million and milligrams per cubic meter. In so doing, a brief discussion is given on the physiological assumptions used to establish TLVs and PELs. It is further shown how an accurate compliance evaluation is fundamentally based on comparison of a measured work site exposure dose (derived from the sampling site exposure concentration estimate) to an estimated acceptable exposure dose (derived from the occupational exposure limit concentration). In addition, this article correctly illustrates the effect that atmospheric temperature and pressure have on airborne exposure concentrations and the eventual performance of a compliance evaluation. This article also reveals that under fairly moderate conditions of temperature and pressure, 30 degrees C and 670 torr, a misunderstanding of how varying atmospheric conditions affect concentration values can lead to a 15 percent error in assessing compliance.

Potential impacts of urban land expansion on Asian airborne pollutant outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Wei; Liu, Junfeng; Ban-Weiss, George A.; Zhang, Lin; Zhang, Jiachen; Yi, Kan; Tao, Shu

2017-07-01

Eastern part of China (EPC) has experienced rapid urbanization during the past few decades. Here we investigate the impacts of urban land expansion over EPC on the export of Asian pollutants to the western Pacific during January, April, July, and October of 2009 using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled to Chemistry (WRF/Chem) and a single-layer urban canopy scheme. Over urbanizing areas, increases in the urban land fraction result in a linearly enhanced uplift of surface primary pollutants to higher altitudes. We further examine how this local effect would change outflows of Asian pollutants to the western Pacific using the tagged black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO) tracers emitted from EPC (denoted by BCt and COt, respectively). Overall, a 0.1 increase in the fraction of land area that is urban over EPC would linearly (R2 = 0.70-0.96) increase the mean tropospheric eastward export of BCt and COt across meridional planes (i.e., 135°E and 150°E) by 4-40% and 1-6% in different months, respectively. The relative perturbation in exporting efficiency generally maximizes during July while minimizes during April. The urbanization-export relationship is largely driven by the elevation effect and is also impacted by urbanization-forced changes in zonal winds. The spatial pattern of the response of BCt over the downwind Pacific differs from that of COt mainly due to aerosol-cloud interactions. Our findings demonstrate that extensive urban land expansion could substantially impact climate and air quality from a local scale to a regional scale, especially for shorter-lived air pollutants such as BC and other aerosols.

Measurements of Greenhouse Gases around the Sacramento Area: The Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Fischer, M. L.; Turnbull, J. C.; Sweeney, C.; Faloona, I. C.; Zagorac, N.; Guilderson, T. P.; Saripalli, S.; Sherwood, T.

2009-12-01

The state of California is leading the United States by enacting legislation (AB-32) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The success of reduction efforts can be gauged with accurate emissions inventories and potentially verified with atmospheric measurements of greenhouse gases (GHGs) over time. Measurements of multiple GHGs and associated trace gas species in a specific region also provide information on emissions ratios for source apportionment. We conducted the Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) campaign to determine emissions signature ratios for the sources that exist in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley areas. Specifically, we attempt to determine the emissions signatures of sources that influence ongoing measurements made at a tall-tower measurement site near Walnut Grove, CA. For two weeks in February and March of 2009, a Cessna 210 was flown throughout the Sacramento region, making continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, and CO while also sampling discrete flasks for a variety of additional tracers, including SF6, N2O, and 14C in CO2 (Δ14CO2). Flight paths were planned using wind predictions for each day to maximize sampling of sources whose emissions would also be sampled contemporaneously by the instrumentation at the Walnut Grove tower (WGC), part of the ongoing California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) project between NOAA/ESRL’s Carbon Cycle group and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Flights were performed in two distinct patterns: 1) flying across a plume upwind and downwind of the Sacramento urban area, and 2) flying across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from Richmond to Walnut Grove, a region consisting of natural wetlands as well as several power plants and refineries. Results show a variety of well-correlated mixing ratio signals downwind of Sacramento, documenting the urban signature emission ratios, while emissions ratios in the Delta region were more variable, likely due to the both natural and anthropogenic sources in that region. Periodic flask measurements of Δ14CO2 provide additional insight regarding the partitioning of CO2 emissions due to fossil fuel (deficient in 14C) from those of biospheric sources. A strong correlation between fossil-fuel CO2 and CO was measured downwind of Sacramento, suggesting that the continuous measurements of CO can be used to estimate a continuous profile of fossil-fuel CO2 enhancement in this region.

Effects of byproducts amended lead contaminated urban soils on carrot yield and lead uptake

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lead (Pb) has been used to produce a large number of materials and manufactured products. In areas with a history of lead paint use, high vehicular traffic and/or areas close to urban and industrial centers, atmospheric lead deposition may be very high. Consequently, a high deposition of lead in u...

Ecological connectivity in the three-dimensional urban green volume using waveform airborne lidar

PubMed Central

Casalegno, Stefano; Anderson, Karen; Cox, Daniel T. C.; Hancock, Steven; Gaston, Kevin J.

2017-01-01

The movements of organisms and the resultant flows of ecosystem services are strongly shaped by landscape connectivity. Studies of urban ecosystems have relied on two-dimensional (2D) measures of greenspace structure to calculate connectivity. It is now possible to explore three-dimensional (3D) connectivity in urban vegetation using waveform lidar technology that measures the full 3D structure of the canopy. Making use of this technology, here we evaluate urban greenspace 3D connectivity, taking into account the full vertical stratification of the vegetation. Using three towns in southern England, UK, all with varying greenspace structures, we describe and compare the structural and functional connectivity using both traditional 2D greenspace models and waveform lidar-generated vegetation strata (namely, grass, shrubs and trees). Measures of connectivity derived from 3D greenspace are lower than those derived from 2D models, as the latter assumes that all vertical vegetation strata are connected, which is rarely true. Fragmented landscapes that have more complex 3D vegetation showed greater functional connectivity and we found highest 2D to 3D functional connectivity biases for short dispersal capacities of organisms (6 m to 16 m). These findings are particularly pertinent in urban systems where the distribution of greenspace is critical for delivery of ecosystem services. PMID:28382936

Ecological connectivity in the three-dimensional urban green volume using waveform airborne lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalegno, Stefano; Anderson, Karen; Cox, Daniel T. C.; Hancock, Steven; Gaston, Kevin J.

2017-04-01

The movements of organisms and the resultant flows of ecosystem services are strongly shaped by landscape connectivity. Studies of urban ecosystems have relied on two-dimensional (2D) measures of greenspace structure to calculate connectivity. It is now possible to explore three-dimensional (3D) connectivity in urban vegetation using waveform lidar technology that measures the full 3D structure of the canopy. Making use of this technology, here we evaluate urban greenspace 3D connectivity, taking into account the full vertical stratification of the vegetation. Using three towns in southern England, UK, all with varying greenspace structures, we describe and compare the structural and functional connectivity using both traditional 2D greenspace models and waveform lidar-generated vegetation strata (namely, grass, shrubs and trees). Measures of connectivity derived from 3D greenspace are lower than those derived from 2D models, as the latter assumes that all vertical vegetation strata are connected, which is rarely true. Fragmented landscapes that have more complex 3D vegetation showed greater functional connectivity and we found highest 2D to 3D functional connectivity biases for short dispersal capacities of organisms (6 m to 16 m). These findings are particularly pertinent in urban systems where the distribution of greenspace is critical for delivery of ecosystem services.

Linking the Local Climate Zones and Land Surface Temperature to Investigate the Surface Urban Heat Island, a Case Study of San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chunhong

2018-04-01

The Local Climate Zones (LCZs) concept was initiated in 2012 to improve the documentation of Urban Heat Island (UHI) observations. Despite the indispensable role and initial aim of LCZs concept in metadata reporting for atmospheric UHI research, its role in surface UHI investigation also needs to be emphasized. This study incorporated LCZs concept to study surface UHI effect for San Antonio, Texas. LCZ map was developed by a GIS-based LCZs classification scheme with the aid of airborne Lidar dataset and other freely available GIS data. Then, the summer LST was calculated based Landsat imagery, which was used to analyse the relations between LST and LCZs and the statistical significance of the differences of LST among the typical LCZs, in order to test if LCZs are able to efficiently facilitate SUHI investigation. The linkage of LCZs and land surface temperature (LST) indicated that the LCZs mapping can be used to compare and investigate the SUHI. Most of the pairs of LCZs illustrated significant differences in average LSTs with considerable significance. The intra-urban temperature comparison among different urban classes contributes to investigate the influence of heterogeneous urban morphology on local climate formation.

Urban Density Indices Using Mean Shift-Based Upsampled Elevetion Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charou, E.; Gyftakis, S.; Bratsolis, E.; Tsenoglou, T.; Papadopoulou, Th. D.; Vassilas, N.

2015-04-01

Urban density is an important factor for several fields, e.g. urban design, planning and land management. Modern remote sensors deliver ample information for the estimation of specific urban land classification classes (2D indicators), and the height of urban land classification objects (3D indicators) within an Area of Interest (AOI). In this research, two of these indicators, Building Coverage Ratio (BCR) and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) are numerically and automatically derived from high-resolution airborne RGB orthophotos and LiDAR data. In the pre-processing step the low resolution elevation data are fused with the high resolution optical data through a mean-shift based discontinuity preserving smoothing algorithm. The outcome is an improved normalized digital surface model (nDSM) is an upsampled elevation data with considerable improvement regarding region filling and "straightness" of elevation discontinuities. In a following step, a Multilayer Feedforward Neural Network (MFNN) is used to classify all pixels of the AOI to building or non-building categories. For the total surface of the block and the buildings we consider the number of their pixels and the surface of the unit pixel. Comparisons of the automatically derived BCR and FAR indicators with manually derived ones shows the applicability and effectiveness of the methodology proposed.

An Overview of New Technologies Driving Innovation in the Airborne Science Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fladeland, Matthew M.

2017-01-01

Following a more than a century of scientific aircraft and ballooning there is a sense that a renaissance of sorts is at hand in the aviation industry. The advent of incredibly miniaturized autopilots, inertial navigation systems, GPS antennae, and payloads has sparked a revolution in manned and unmanned aircraft. Improved SATCOM and onboard computing has enabled realtime data processing and improved transfer of data on and off the aircraft, making flight planning and data collection more efficient and effective. Electric propulsion systems are scaling up to larger and larger vehicles as evidenced by the NASA GL-10, which is leading to a new X-plane and is leading to renewed interest in personal air vehicles. There is also significant private and government investments in the development of High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft. This presentation will explore how such developments are likely to improve our ability to observe earth systems processes from aircraft by providing an overview of current NASA Airborne Science capabilities, followed by a brief discussion of new technologies being applied to Airborne Science missions, and then conclude with an overview of new capabilities on the horizon that are likely to be of interest to the Earth Science community.

A Overview of New Technologies Driving Innovation in the Airborne Science Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fladeland, Matthew M.

2017-01-01

Following a more than a century of scientific aircraft and ballooning there is a sense that a renaissance of sorts is at hand in the aviation industry. The advent of incredibly miniaturized autopilots, inertial navigation systems, GPS antennae, and payloads has sparked a revolution in manned and unmanned aircraft. Improved SATCOM and onboard computing has enabled realtime data processing and improved transfer of data on and off the aircraft, making flight planning and data collection more efficient and effective. Electric propulsion systems are scaling up to larger and larger vehicles as evidenced by the NASA GL-10, which is leading to a new X-plane and is leading to renewed interest in personal air vehicles. There is also significant private and government investments in the development of High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft. This presentation will explore how such developments are likely to improve our ability to observe earth systems processes from aircraft by providing an overview of current NASA Airborne Science capabilities, followed by a brief discussion of new technologies being applied to Airborne Science missions, and then conclude with an overview of new capabilities on the horizon that are likely to be of interest to the Earth Science community.

The use of LiDAR-derived high-resolution DSM and intensity data to support modelling of urban flooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aktaruzzaman, Md.; Schmitt, Theo G.

2011-11-01

This paper addresses the issue of a detailed representation of an urban catchment in terms of hydraulic and hydrologic attributes. Modelling of urban flooding requires a detailed knowledge of urban surface characteristics. The advancement in spatial data acquisition technology such as airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has greatly facilitated the collection of high-resolution topographic information. While the use of the LiDAR-derived Digital Surface Model (DSM) has gained popularity over the last few years as input data for a flood simulation model, the use of LiDAR intensity data has remained largely unexplored in this regard. LiDAR intensity data are acquired along with elevation data during the data collection mission by an aircraft. The practice of using of just aerial images with RGB (Red, Green and Blue) wavebands is often incapable of identifying types of surface under the shadow. On the other hand, LiDAR intensity data can provide surface information independent of sunlight conditions. The focus of this study is the use of intensity data in combination with aerial images to accurately map pervious and impervious urban areas. This study presents an Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) framework for detecting urban land cover types, mainly pervious and impervious surfaces in order to improve the rainfall-runoff modelling. Finally, this study shows the application of highresolution DSM and land cover maps to flood simulation software in order to visualize the depth and extent of urban flooding phenomena.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

PubMed

Damialis, Athanasios; Kaimakamis, Evangelos; Konoglou, Maria; Akritidis, Ioannis; Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia; Gioulekas, Dimitrios

2017-03-16

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities' fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damialis, Athanasios; Kaimakamis, Evangelos; Konoglou, Maria; Akritidis, Ioannis; Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia; Gioulekas, Dimitrios

2017-03-01

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities’ fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

PubMed Central

Damialis, Athanasios; Kaimakamis, Evangelos; Konoglou, Maria; Akritidis, Ioannis; Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia; Gioulekas, Dimitrios

2017-01-01

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities’ fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents. PMID:28300143

Methane airborne measurements and comparison to global models during BARCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Veronika; Chen, Huilin; Gerbig, Christoph; Bergamaschi, Peter; Bruhwiler, Lori; Houweling, Sander; Röckmann, Thomas; Kolle, Olaf; Steinbach, Julia; Koch, Thomas; Sapart, Célia J.; van der Veen, Carina; Frankenberg, Christian; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Artaxo, Paulo; Longo, Karla M.; Wofsy, Steven C.

2012-08-01

Tropical regions, especially the Amazon region, account for large emissions of methane (CH4). Here, we present CH4 observations from two airborne campaigns conducted within the BARCA (Balanço Atmosférico Regional de Carbono na Amazônia) project in the Amazon basin in November 2008 (end of the dry season) and May 2009 (end of the wet season). We performed continuous measurements of CH4 onboard an aircraft for the first time in the Amazon region, covering the whole Amazon basin with over 150 vertical profiles between altitudes of 500 m and 4000 m. The observations support the finding of previous ground-based, airborne, and satellite measurements that the Amazon basin is a large source of atmospheric CH4. Isotope analysis verified that the majority of emissions can be attributed to CH4 emissions from wetlands, while urban CH4 emissions could be also traced back to biogenic origin. A comparison of five TM5 based global CH4 inversions with the observations clearly indicates that the inversions using SCIAMACHY observations represent the BARCA observations best. The calculated CH4 flux estimate obtained from the mismatch between observations and TM5-modeled CH4 fields ranges from 36 to 43 mg m-2 d-1 for the Amazon lowland region.

Summary of aircraft results for 1978 southeastern Virginia urban plume measurement study of ozone, nitrogen oxides, and methane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, G. L.; Wornom, D. E.; Mathis, J. J., Jr.; Sebacher, D. I.

1980-01-01

Ozone production was determined from aircraft and surface in situ measurements, as well as from an airborne laser absorption spectrometer. Three aircraft and approximately 10 surface stations provided air-quality data. Extensive meteorological, mixing-layer-height, and ozone-precursor data were also measured. Approximately 50 hrs (9 flight days) of data from the aircraft equipped to monitor ozone, nitrogen oxides, dewpoint temperature, and temperature are presented. In addition, each experiment conducted is discussed.

Mapping Wildfires In Nearly Real Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nichols, Joseph D.; Parks, Gary S.; Denning, Richard F.; Ibbott, Anthony C.; Scott, Kenneth C.; Sleigh, William J.; Voss, Jeffrey M.

1993-01-01

Airborne infrared-sensing system flies over wildfire as infrared detector in system and navigation subsystem generate data transmitted to firefighters' camp. There, data plotted in form of map of fire, including approximate variations of temperature. System, called Firefly, reveals position of fires and approximate thermal intensities of regions within fires. Firefighters use information to manage and suppress fires. Used for other purposes with minor modifications, such as to spot losses of heat in urban areas and to map disease and pest infestation in vegetation.

Urban and regional land use analysis: CARETS and census cities experiment package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, R. (Principal Investigator); Pease, R. W.; Lins, H. F., Jr.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Successful tentative calibration permits computer programs to be written to convert Skylab thermal tapes into line-printed graymaps showing actual surface radiation temperature distributions at the time of imaging. The calibrations will be further checked when atmospheric soundings are available. Success of Skylab calibration suggests that satellite are feasible platforms for thermal scanning and provide a much broader geographical field of view than is possible with airborne platforms.

24 CFR 35.1340 - Clearance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... abatement of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards shall be performed in accordance with 40 CFR 745...

24 CFR 35.1340 - Clearance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... abatement of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards shall be performed in accordance with 40 CFR 745...

24 CFR 35.1340 - Clearance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... abatement of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards shall be performed in accordance with 40 CFR 745...

24 CFR 35.1340 - Clearance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... abatement of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards shall be performed in accordance with 40 CFR 745...

24 CFR 35.1340 - Clearance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... abatement of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards shall be performed in accordance with 40 CFR 745...

The Influence of Endmember Selection Method in Extracting Impervious Surface from Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Feng, B.

2016-12-01

Impervious surface area (ISA) has long been studied as an important input into moisture flux models. In general, ISA impedes groundwater recharge, increases stormflow/flood frequency, and alters in-stream and riparian habitats. Urban area is recognized as one of the richest ISA environment. Urban ISA mapping assists flood prevention and urban planning. Hyperspectral imagery (HI), for its ability to detect subtle spectral signature, becomes an ideal candidate in urban ISA mapping. To map ISA from HI involves endmember (EM) selection. The high degree of spatial and spectral heterogeneity of urban environment puts great difficulty in this task: a compromise point is needed between the automatic degree and the good representativeness of the method. The study tested one manual and two semi-automatic EM selection strategies. The manual and the first semi-automatic methods have been widely used in EM selection. The second semi-automatic EM selection method is rather new and has been only proposed for moderate spatial resolution satellite. The manual method visually selected the EM candidates from eight landcover types in the original image. The first semi-automatic method chose the EM candidates using a threshold over the pixel purity index (PPI) map. The second semi-automatic method used the triangle shape of the HI scatter plot in the n-Dimension visualizer to identify the V-I-S (vegetation-impervious surface-soil) EM candidates: the pixels locate at the triangle points. The initial EM candidates from the three methods were further refined by three indexes (EM average RMSE, minimum average spectral angle, and count based EM selection) and generated three spectral libraries, which were used to classify the test image. Spectral angle mapper was applied. The accuracy reports for the classification results were generated. The overall accuracy are 85% for the manual method, 81% for the PPI method, and 87% for the V-I-S method. The V-I-S EM selection method performs best in this study. This fact proves the value of V-I-S EM selection method in not only moderate spatial resolution satellite image but also the more and more accessible high spatial resolution airborne image. This semi-automatic EM selection method can be adopted into a wide range of remote sensing images and provide ISA map for hydrology analysis.

Assessment of urban tree growth from structure, nutrients and composition data derived from airborne lidar and imaging spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, H.; Townsend, P. A.; Singh, A.

2014-12-01

Urban forests provide important ecosystem services related to climate, nutrients, runoff and aesthetics. Assessment of variations in urban forest growth is critical to urban management and planning, as well as to identify responses to climate and other environmental changes. We estimated annual relative basal area increment by tree rings from 37 plots in Madison, Wisconsin and neighboring municipalities. We related relative basal area growth to variables of vegetation traits derived from remote sensing, including structure (aboveground biomass, diameter, height, basal area, crown width and crown length) from discrete-return airborne lidar, and biochemical variables (foliar nitrogen, carbon, lignin, cellulose, fiber and LMA), spectral indices (NDVI, NDWI, PRI, NDII etc.) and species composition from AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery. Variations in tree growth was mainly correlated with tree species composition (R2 = 0.29, RMSE = 0.004) with coniferous stands having a faster growth rate than broadleaf plots. Inclusion of stand basal area improved model prediction from R2 = 0.29 to 0.35, with RMSE = 0.003. Then, we assessed the growth by functional type, we found that foliar lignin concentration and the proportion of live coniferous trees explained 57% variance in the growth of conifer stands. In contrast, broadleaf forest growth was more strongly correlated with species composition and foliar carbon (R2 = 0.59, RMSE = 0.003). Finally, we compared the relative basal area growth by species. In our study area, red pine and white pine exhibited higher growth rates than other species, while white oak plots grew slowest. There is a significant negative relationship between tree height and the relative growth in red pine stands (r = -0.95), as well as a strong negative relationship between crown width and the relative growth in white pine stands (r = -0.87). Growth declines as trees grow taller and wider may partly be the result of reduced photosynthesis and water availability. We also found that canopy cellulose content was negatively correlated with growth in white oak (r = -0.59), which could be caused by trade off of carbon allocation from shoot storage to leaves. These results demonstrate the potential of lidar and hyperspectral imagery to characterize important traits associated with biomass accumulation in urban forests.

Real-Time Airborne Gamma-Ray Background Estimation Using NASVD with MLE and Radiation Transport for Calibration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kulisek, Jonathan A.; Schweppe, John E.; Stave, Sean C.

2015-06-01

Helicopter-mounted gamma-ray detectors can provide law enforcement officials the means to quickly and accurately detect, identify, and locate radiological threats over a wide geographical area. The ability to accurately distinguish radiological threat-generated gamma-ray signatures from background gamma radiation in real time is essential in order to realize this potential. This problem is non-trivial, especially in urban environments for which the background may change very rapidly during flight. This exacerbates the challenge of estimating background due to the poor counting statistics inherent in real-time airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements. To address this, we have developed a new technique for real-time estimation ofmore » background gamma radiation from aerial measurements. This method is built upon on the noise-adjusted singular value decomposition (NASVD) technique that was previously developed for estimating the potassium (K), uranium (U), and thorium (T) concentrations in soil post-flight. The method can be calibrated using K, U, and T spectra determined from radiation transport simulations along with basis functions, which may be determined empirically by applying maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to previously measured airborne gamma-ray spectra. The method was applied to both measured and simulated airborne gamma-ray spectra, with and without man-made radiological source injections. Compared to schemes based on simple averaging, this technique was less sensitive to background contamination from the injected man-made sources and may be particularly useful when the gamma-ray background frequently changes during the course of the flight.« less

Building Ventilation as an Effective Disease Intervention Strategy in a Dense Indoor Contact Network in an Ideal City.

PubMed

Gao, Xiaolei; Wei, Jianjian; Lei, Hao; Xu, Pengcheng; Cowling, Benjamin J; Li, Yuguo

2016-01-01

Emerging diseases may spread rapidly through dense and large urban contact networks, especially they are transmitted by the airborne route, before new vaccines can be made available. Airborne diseases may spread rapidly as people visit different indoor environments and are in frequent contact with others. We constructed a simple indoor contact model for an ideal city with 7 million people and 3 million indoor spaces, and estimated the probability and duration of contact between any two individuals during one day. To do this, we used data from actual censuses, social behavior surveys, building surveys, and ventilation measurements in Hong Kong to define eight population groups and seven indoor location groups. Our indoor contact model was integrated with an existing epidemiological Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious, and Recovered (SEIR) model to estimate disease spread and with the Wells-Riley equation to calculate local infection risks, resulting in an integrated indoor transmission network model. This model was used to estimate the probability of an infected individual infecting others in the city and to study the disease transmission dynamics. We predicted the infection probability of each sub-population under different ventilation systems in each location type in the case of a hypothetical airborne disease outbreak, which is assumed to have the same natural history and infectiousness as smallpox. We compared the effectiveness of controlling ventilation in each location type with other intervention strategies. We conclude that increasing building ventilation rates using methods such as natural ventilation in classrooms, offices, and homes is a relatively effective strategy for airborne diseases in a large city.

Rapid Detection of Ceratocystis platani Inoculum by Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay

PubMed Central

Ghelardini, Luisa; Belbahri, Lassaâd; Quartier, Marion; Santini, Alberto

2013-01-01

Ceratocystis platani is the causal agent of canker stain of plane trees, a lethal disease able to kill mature trees in one or two successive growing seasons. The pathogen is a quarantine organism and has a negative impact on anthropogenic and natural populations of plane trees. Contaminated sawdust produced during pruning and sanitation fellings can contribute to disease spread. The goal of this study was to design a rapid, real-time quantitative PCR assay to detect a C. platani airborne inoculum. Airborne inoculum traps (AITs) were placed in an urban setting in the city of Florence, Italy, where the disease was present. Primers and TaqMan minor groove binder (MGB) probes were designed to target cerato-platanin (CP) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) genes. The detection limits of the assay were 0.05 pg/μl and 2 fg/μl of fungal DNA for CP and ITS, respectively. Pathogen detection directly from AITs demonstrated specificity and high sensitivity for C. platani, detecting DNA concentrations as low as 1.2 × 10−2 to 1.4 × 10−2 pg/μl, corresponding to ∼10 conidia per ml. Airborne inoculum traps were able to detect the C. platani inoculum within 200 m of the closest symptomatic infected plane tree. The combination of airborne trapping and real-time quantitative PCR assay provides a rapid and sensitive method for the specific detection of a C. platani inoculum. This technique may be used to identify the period of highest risk of pathogen spread in a site, thus helping disease management. PMID:23811499

Spatial variations in atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the ARCTAS-CARB 2008 Summer Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadrevu, K. P.; Choi, Y.; Vay, S. A.

2009-12-01

The Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) was a major NASA field campaign designed to understand the transport and transformation of trace gases and aerosols on transcontinental and intercontinental scales and their impact on the composition of the arctic atmosphere and climate. Preceding the summer ARCTAS deployment, measurements were conducted over the state of California in collaboration with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) utilizing the airborne chemistry payload already integrated on the NASA DC-8. In situ CO2 measurements were made using a modified infrared CO2 gas analyzer having a precision of 0.1 ppmv and accuracy of ±0.25 ppmv traceable to the WMO scale. This analysis focuses on the atmospheric CO2 variability and biospheric/atmospheric exchange over California. We used multi-satellite remote sensing datasets to relate airborne observations of CO2 to infer sources and sinks. Georeferencing the airborne CO2 transect data with the LANDSAT derived land cover datasets over California suggested significant spatial variations. The airborne CO2 concentrations were found to be 375-380ppm over the Pacific ocean, 385-391ppm in the highly vegetated agricultural areas, 400-420 in the near coastal areas and greater than 425ppmv in the urban areas. Analysis from MODIS fire products suggested significant fires in northern California. CO2 emissions exceeded 425ppmv in the fire affected regions, where mostly Douglas and White Fir conifers and mixed Chaparral vegetation was burnt. Analysis from GOES-East and GOES-West visible satellite imagery suggested significant smoke plumes moving from northern California towards Nevada and Idaho. To infer the biospheric uptake of CO2, we tested the potential correlations between airborne CO2 data and MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). Results suggested significant anti-correlations between the airborne CO2 data and vegetation indices. The correlations were stronger in agriculture than forested regions. We also tested the correlations between the MODIS leaf area index (LAI) and airborne CO2 data. Although, the correlation strength was low, higher LAI values were associated with low CO2 concentrations suggesting biospheric uptake. Particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration records obtained from the US EPA corresponding to the airborne sampling domain in the peak forest fire areas suggested concentrations exceeded 42.0ug/m3. Furthermore, analysis of MODIS aerosol optical depth values at 500nm exceeded 0.70 at several places, suggesting intense fire activity. Using the airborne measurements as well as multi-satellite remote sensing datasets, the implications of fire and other land use activities on atmospheric CO2 concentrations in California during the summer of 2008 will be presented.

24 CFR 35.155 - Minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Minimum requirements. 35.155 Section 35.155 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint...

24 CFR 35.155 - Minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Minimum requirements. 35.155 Section 35.155 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint...

24 CFR 35.160 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Waivers. 35.160 Section 35.160 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements...

24 CFR 35.155 - Minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Minimum requirements. 35.155 Section 35.155 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint...

24 CFR 35.160 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Waivers. 35.160 Section 35.160 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements...

24 CFR 35.155 - Minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Minimum requirements. 35.155 Section 35.155 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint...

24 CFR 35.155 - Minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Minimum requirements. 35.155 Section 35.155 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint...

24 CFR 35.160 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Waivers. 35.160 Section 35.160 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements...

24 CFR 35.160 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Waivers. 35.160 Section 35.160 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements...

24 CFR 35.160 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Waivers. 35.160 Section 35.160 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements...

Photogrammetric Point Clouds Generation in Urban Areas from Integrated Image Matching and Segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, L.; Wu, B.

2017-09-01

High-resolution imagery is an attractive option for surveying and mapping applications due to the advantages of high quality imaging, short revisit time, and lower cost. Automated reliable and dense image matching is essential for photogrammetric 3D data derivation. Such matching, in urban areas, however, is extremely difficult, owing to the complexity of urban textures and severe occlusion problems on the images caused by tall buildings. Aimed at exploiting high-resolution imagery for 3D urban modelling applications, this paper presents an integrated image matching and segmentation approach for reliable dense matching of high-resolution imagery in urban areas. The approach is based on the framework of our existing self-adaptive triangulation constrained image matching (SATM), but incorporates three novel aspects to tackle the image matching difficulties in urban areas: 1) occlusion filtering based on image segmentation, 2) segment-adaptive similarity correlation to reduce the similarity ambiguity, 3) improved dense matching propagation to provide more reliable matches in urban areas. Experimental analyses were conducted using aerial images of Vaihingen, Germany and high-resolution satellite images in Hong Kong. The photogrammetric point clouds were generated, from which digital surface models (DSMs) were derived. They were compared with the corresponding airborne laser scanning data and the DSMs generated from the Semi-Global matching (SGM) method. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is able to produce dense and reliable matches comparable to SGM in flat areas, while for densely built-up areas, the proposed method performs better than SGM. The proposed method offers an alternative solution for 3D surface reconstruction in urban areas.

Spectral Dimensionality and Scale of Urban Radiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Small, Christopher

2001-01-01

Characterization of urban radiance and reflectance is important for understanding the effects of solar energy flux on the urban environment as well as for satellite mapping of urban settlement patterns. Spectral mixture analyses of Landsat and Ikonos imagery suggest that the urban radiance field can very often be described with combinations of three or four spectral endmembers. Dimensionality estimates of Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) radiance measurements of urban areas reveal the existence of 30 to 60 spectral dimensions. The extent to which broadband imagery collected by operational satellites can represent the higher dimensional mixing space is a function of both the spatial and spectral resolution of the sensor. AVIRIS imagery offers the spatial and spectral resolution necessary to investigate the scale dependence of the spectral dimensionality. Dimensionality estimates derived from Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) eigenvalue distributions show a distinct scale dependence for AVIRIS radiance measurements of Milpitas, California. Apparent dimensionality diminishes from almost 40 to less than 10 spectral dimensions between scales of 8000 m and 300 m. The 10 to 30 m scale of most features in urban mosaics results in substantial spectral mixing at the 20 m scale of high altitude AVIRIS pixels. Much of the variance at pixel scales is therefore likely to result from actual differences in surface reflectance at pixel scales. Spatial smoothing and spectral subsampling of AVIRIS spectra both result in substantial loss of information and reduction of apparent dimensionality, but the primary spectral endmembers in all cases are analogous to those found in global analyses of Landsat and Ikonos imagery of other urban areas.

24 CFR 35.1220 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Tenant-Based Rental Assistance § 35.1220 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities...

24 CFR 35.1220 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Tenant-Based Rental Assistance § 35.1220 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities...

24 CFR 35.1220 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Tenant-Based Rental Assistance § 35.1220 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities...

24 CFR 35.1220 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Tenant-Based Rental Assistance § 35.1220 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities...

24 CFR 35.1220 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Tenant-Based Rental Assistance § 35.1220 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities...

Urbanization as a determinant of health: a socioepidemiological perspective.

PubMed

Patil, Rajan R

2014-01-01

Urbanization is a process that leads to the growth of cities due to industrialization and economic development and that leads to urban-specific changes. Urbanization is associated with profound changes in diet and exercise that in turn increase the prevalence of obesity with attendant increases in risk of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The growing burden of disease among vulnerable populations and pervasive socioeconomic inequities within urban systems exaggerates the adverse impacts of urbanization on health. More than one half of children younger than age 5 of urban poor are stunted and/or underweight. More than one half of the child births occur at home, in slums, putting the life of the mother and newborn in serious risk. Inadequate reach of services due to illegality, social exclusion of slums, hidden slum pockets, and weak social fabric have resulted in a rapid proliferation of the unqualified private health sector, leading to high health expenditures and continuing a vicious cycle of poverty and ill health in urban slums.

BAERLIN2014 - the influence of land surface types on and the horizontal heterogeneity of air pollutant levels in Berlin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonn, Boris; von Schneidemesser, Erika; Andrich, Dorota; Quedenau, Jörn; Gerwig, Holger; Lüdecke, Anja; Kura, Jürgen; Pietsch, Axel; Ehlers, Christian; Klemp, Dieter; Kofahl, Claudia; Nothard, Rainer; Kerschbaumer, Andreas; Junkermann, Wolfgang; Grote, Rüdiger; Pohl, Tobias; Weber, Konradin; Lode, Birgit; Schönberger, Philipp; Churkina, Galina; Butler, Tim M.; Lawrence, Mark G.

2016-06-01

Urban air quality and human health are among the key aspects of future urban planning. In order to address pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, efforts need to be made to quantify and reduce their concentrations. One important aspect in understanding urban air quality is the influence of urban vegetation which may act as both emitter and sink for trace gases and aerosol particles. In this context, the "Berlin Air quality and Ecosystem Research: Local and long-range Impact of anthropogenic and Natural hydrocarbons 2014" (BAERLIN2014) campaign was conducted between 2 June and 29 August in the metropolitan area of Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany. The predominant goals of the campaign were (1) the characterization of urban gaseous and particulate pollution and its attribution to anthropogenic and natural sources in the region of interest, especially considering the connection between biogenic volatile organic compounds and particulates and ozone; (2) the quantification of the impact of urban vegetation on organic trace gas levels and the presence of oxidants such as ozone; and (3) to explain the local heterogeneity of pollutants by defining the distribution of sources and sinks relevant for the interpretation of model simulations. In order to do so, the campaign included stationary measurements at urban background station and mobile observations carried out from bicycle, van and airborne platforms. This paper provides an overview of the mobile measurements (Mobile BAERLIN2014) and general conclusions drawn from the analysis. Bicycle measurements showed micro-scale variations of temperature and particulate matter, displaying a substantial reduction of mean temperatures and particulate levels in the proximity of vegetated areas compared to typical urban residential area (background) measurements. Van measurements extended the area covered by bicycle observations and included continuous measurements of O3, NOx, CO, CO2 and point-wise measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at representative sites for traffic- and vegetation-affected sites. The quantification displayed notable horizontal heterogeneity of the short-lived gases and particle number concentrations. For example, baseline concentrations of the traffic-related chemical species CO and NO varied on average by up to ±22.2 and ±63.5 %, respectively, on the scale of 100 m around any measurement location. Airborne observations revealed the dominant source of elevated urban particulate number and mass concentrations being local, i.e., not being caused by long-range transport. Surface-based observations related these two parameters predominantly to traffic sources. Vegetated areas lowered the pollutant concentrations substantially with ozone being reduced most by coniferous forests, which is most likely caused by their reactive biogenic VOC emissions. With respect to the overall potential to reduce air pollutant levels, forests were found to result in the largest decrease, followed by parks and facilities for sports and leisure. Surface temperature was generally 0.6-2.1 °C lower in vegetated regions, which in turn will have an impact on tropospheric chemical processes. Based on our findings, effective future mitigation activities to provide a more sustainable and healthier urban environment should focus predominantly on reducing fossil-fuel emissions from traffic as well as on increasing vegetated areas.

The Need for High Spatial Resolution Multispectral Thermal Remote Sensing Data In Urban Heat Island Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.; Luvall, Jeffrey C.

2006-01-01

Although the study of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect dates back to the early 1800's when Luke Howard discovered London s heat island, it has only been with the advent of thermal remote sensing systems that the extent, characteristics, and impacts of the UHI have become to be understood. Analysis of the UHI effect is important because above all, this phenomenon can directly influence the health and welfare of urban residents. For example, in 1995, over 700 people died in Chicago due to heat-related causes. UHI s are characterized by increased temperature in comparison to rural areas and mortality rates during a heat wave increase exponentially with the maximum temperature, an effect that is exacerbated by the UHI. Aside from the direct impacts of the UHI on temperature, UHI s can produce secondary effects on local meteorology, including altering local wind patterns, increased development of clouds and fog, and increasing rates of precipitation either over, or downwind, of cities. Because of the extreme heterogeneity of the urban surface, in combination with the sprawl associated with urban growth, thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing data have become of significant importance in understanding how land cover and land use characteristics affect the development and intensification of the UHI. TIR satellite data have been used extensively to analyze the surface temperature regimes of cities to help observe and measure the impacts of surface temperatures across the urban landscape. However, the spatial scales at which satellite TIR data are collected are for the most part, coarse, with the finest readily available TIR data collected by the Landsat ETM+ sensor at 60m spatial resolution. For many years, we have collected high spatial resolution (10m) data using an airborne multispectral TIR sensor over a number of cities across the United States. These high resolution data have been used to develop an understanding of how discrete surfaces across the urban environment (e.g., rooftops, pavements) interact from a surface-lower atmosphere energy flux perspective, to force the development of the UHI. Moreover, the airborne TIR sensor we used in our UHI studies was a multispectral sensor that had six channels in the 8-12pm range. The advantages of collecting multispectral TIR data became readily evident as a valuable tool for better calculation of unique surface thermal energy responses for urban materials over the 8-12 micrometer region, and also for getting a better handle on surface emissivity characteristics for these discrete surfaces. In this presentation, we will provide evidence on the virtues of how high spatial resolution multispectral TIR data can provide for better analysis of the UHI that cannot now be attained via TIR data obtained from satellites. Furthermore, we wish to provide compelling evidence on why future TIR satellite sensors should collect data at fine spatial resolutions (e.g. less than or equal to 30m) to better allow for measurement of surface thermal energy fluxes from discrete urban surfaces, and to better understand how surface fluxes from different urban materials in cities around the world in different climatic regimes, affect development of the UHI characteristics.

Wind tunnel investigation on the retention of air pollutants in three-dimensional recirculation zones in urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Marcos Sebastião de Paula; Isnard, André Augusto; Pinto, José Maurício do Carmo

The article discusses an experimental investigation of turbulent dispersion processes in a typical three-dimensional urban geometry, in reduced scale, in neutrally stable conditions. Wind tunnel experiments were carried out for characterizing the flow and the dispersion of a pollutant around a scaled model (1:400) of a group of eight 10-floor buildings surrounding a square. The situation corresponded to the dispersion of fine inertialess particles released from a line source positioned upstream of the urban geometry. After the sudden interruption of the source generation, the particles persisted in the recirculation cavity between the buildings, with the concentration decaying exponentially with time. This is in accordance with previous works on the dispersion process around bluff bodies of different shapes [e.g., Humphries and Vincent, 1976. An experimental investigation of the detention of airborne smoke in the wake bubble behind a disk. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 73, 453-464; Vincent, 1977. Model experiments on the nature of air pollution transport near buildings. Atmospheric Environment 11, 765-774; Fackrell, 1984. Parameters characterizing dispersion in the near wake of buildings. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics 16, 97-118]. The main parameter in the investigation was the characteristic time constant for the concentration decay. The measurements of the variation in the concentration of the fine particles were performed by means of a photo-detection technique based on the attenuation of light. The velocity fields were evaluated with the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. The dimensionless residence time H for the particles ( H= τU/ L, where τ is the time constant for the concentration decay, U the free-stream velocity, and L is a characteristic dimension for the urban geometry, as defined by Humphries and Vincent [1976. An experimental investigation of the detention of airborne smoke in the wake bubble behind a disk. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 73, 453-464] was determined for various locations in the scaled model, in the range of Reynolds numbers ( Re) between 8000 and 64,000. H was found to be 6.5±1.0.

24 CFR 35.935 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Rehabilitation § 35.935 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities. In the case of a rental... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.1355 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint Hazard Evaluation and Hazard Reduction Activities... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.935 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Rehabilitation § 35.935 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities. In the case of a rental... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.1355 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint Hazard Evaluation and Hazard Reduction Activities... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.935 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Rehabilitation § 35.935 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities. In the case of a rental... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.1355 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint Hazard Evaluation and Hazard Reduction Activities... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.935 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Rehabilitation § 35.935 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities. In the case of a rental... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.935 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Rehabilitation § 35.935 Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities. In the case of a rental... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.1355 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint Hazard Evaluation and Hazard Reduction Activities... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 570.461 - Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... requirements; lead-based paint. 570.461 Section 570.461 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... GRANTS Urban Development Action Grants § 570.461 Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint. The recipient may receive preliminary approval prior to the accomplishment of lead-based paint...

24 CFR 570.461 - Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... requirements; lead-based paint. 570.461 Section 570.461 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... GRANTS Urban Development Action Grants § 570.461 Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint. The recipient may receive preliminary approval prior to the accomplishment of lead-based paint...

24 CFR 570.461 - Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... requirements; lead-based paint. 570.461 Section 570.461 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... GRANTS Urban Development Action Grants § 570.461 Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint. The recipient may receive preliminary approval prior to the accomplishment of lead-based paint...

24 CFR 570.461 - Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... requirements; lead-based paint. 570.461 Section 570.461 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... GRANTS Urban Development Action Grants § 570.461 Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint. The recipient may receive preliminary approval prior to the accomplishment of lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.825 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES HUD-Owned and Mortgagee-in-Possession Multifamily Property § 35.825 Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.825 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES HUD-Owned and Mortgagee-in-Possession Multifamily Property § 35.825 Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.825 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES HUD-Owned and Mortgagee-in-Possession Multifamily Property § 35.825 Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.825 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES HUD-Owned and Mortgagee-in-Possession Multifamily Property § 35.825 Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 35.825 - Ongoing lead-based paint maintenance and reevaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ongoing lead-based paint..., Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES HUD-Owned and Mortgagee-in-Possession Multifamily Property § 35.825 Ongoing lead-based paint...

24 CFR 570.461 - Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... requirements; lead-based paint. 570.461 Section 570.461 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... GRANTS Urban Development Action Grants § 570.461 Post-preliminary approval requirements; lead-based paint. The recipient may receive preliminary approval prior to the accomplishment of lead-based paint...

Relationship Between Total and Bioaccessible Lead on Children’s Blood Lead Levels in Urban Residential Philadelphia Soils

EPA Science Inventory

Relationships between total soil or bioaccessible lead (Pb), measured using an in vitro bioaccessibility assay, and children’s blood lead levels (BLL) were investigated in an urban neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, with a history of soil Pb contamination....

Stable isotopes of lead and strontium as tracers of sources of airborne particulate matter in Kyrgyzstan

EPA Science Inventory

Central Asia is dominated by an arid climate and desert-like conditions, leading to the potential for long-range transport of desert dust within and out of the region. Of particular interest is the Aral Sea, which has receded in size largely due to water diversion. As a result, n...

Contribution of particle-size-fractionated airborne lead to blood lead during National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2008

EPA Science Inventory

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated associations between blood Pb (PbB) and a broad range of adverse health effects. The national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for Pb is set for air Pb (PbA) not PbB, to protect public health. Therefore, assessment of the association be...

Analysis and Application of Airborne Thermal Data at the Local Level Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley-Murphy, Elizabeth A.

1999-01-01

Expanding cities are transforming periurban environments such as agricultural land, natural grasslands, forests, wetlands, and and land, into urban surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete. This transformation is part of a process defined as "urban heat island". The urban surfaces get much hotter during the daylight hours in the summer than the natural or vegetated environment. The heat builds up creating a dome effect over the city making it many degrees hotter than it's surrounding area. The impacts from this, which include higher usage of air conditioners, water, etc., are numerous and costly. As cities expand, this problem is exacerbated. It is necessary to incorporate better quality data into urban analysis and for establishing methods that systematically and objectively monitor growth and change due to increased urbanization. NASA initiated Project Atlanta in 1997 "as an interdisciplinary remote sensing study to observe and measure the growth and development of the urban heat island effect over Atlanta, and its associated impacts". This project has recently included Salt Lake City, among others, in the study of the development and effects of "urban heat islands". NASA has made available to Salt Lake City, high resolution, 10 meter, multispectral thermal data collected in June 1998. The data collection was part of a special NASA over-flight, a mission supported by the U.S. EPA in conjunction with their Urban Heat Island (UHI) Mitigation Initiative. Salt Lake City is one of three pilot cities selected to participate in this unique initiative. Hence, this project constitutes a rare opportunity to capitalize upon state-of-the-art NASA technology and link it to an urban community very concerned about rapid growth and development. This data will enhance existing data and be used for improving technical tools used to plan for Utah's future.

A Method for Scheduling Air Traffic with Uncertain En Route Capacity Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arneson, Heather; Bloem, Michael

2009-01-01

A method for scheduling ground delay and airborne holding for flights scheduled to fly through airspace with uncertain capacity constraints is presented. The method iteratively solves linear programs for departure rates and airborne holding as new probabilistic information about future airspace constraints becomes available. The objective function is the expected value of the weighted sum of ground and airborne delay. In order to limit operationally costly changes to departure rates, they are updated only when such an update would lead to a significant cost reduction. Simulation results show a 13% cost reduction over a rough approximation of current practices. Comparison between the proposed as needed replanning method and a similar method that uses fixed frequency replanning shows a typical cost reduction of 1% to 2%, and even up to a 20% cost reduction in some cases.

Analysis of airborne and waterborne particles around a taconite ore processing facility.

PubMed

Axten, Charles W; Foster, David

2008-10-01

Since the mid-1970s, samples of airborne and waterborne fibrous particulates have been collected in the area of the Northshore Taconite Ore Processing Facility by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA), and the University of Minnesota. Indirect sample preparation has consistently been used although other aspects of the sampling methods and sites have varied and analytical procedures were altered over time as more accurate and precise microscopy methods were developed (i.e., phase contrast optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy). In the mid-1970s, levels of airborne fibrous particulate in the Silver Bay area averaged from 0.00030 to 0.03 f/ml. This level was significantly greater than levels of similar particulates in the St. Paul, MN area, although two of the Silver Bay sampling sites, considered individually, did not indicate levels of fibrous particulate markedly different than that seen in St. Paul. More recent sampling data (i.e., 1990-2001) indicate mean concentration of airborne fibrous particulates (amphibole-like fibrous particulates) of 0.0020 f/ml with a range of values from 0.0001 to 0.0140 f/ml. Such levels are not significantly different from those seen in other non-urban environments in the US and Europe. Concentrations of fibrous particulates in water samples were higher in the mid-1970 when iron ore tailings were being deposited in Lake Superior, but since the tailings have been deposited on land waterborne levels of fibrous particulate in the Beaver River have remained relatively constant averaging in the range of 7.5 MFL. This level is only slightly in excess of the current EPA drinking water standard for fibrous particulates. Review and consideration of this data is important in determining the potential health risks associated with airborne and waterborne fibrous particulates in the areas of the Northshore Taconite Ore Processing Facility.

Generic aspects of the airborne spread of human pathogens indoors and emerging air decontamination technologies.

PubMed

Ijaz, M Khalid; Zargar, Bahram; Wright, Kathryn E; Rubino, Joseph R; Sattar, Syed A

2016-09-02

Indoor air can be an important vehicle for a variety of human pathogens. This review provides examples of airborne transmission of infectious agents from experimental and field studies and discusses how airborne pathogens can contaminate other parts of the environment to give rise to secondary vehicles leading air-surface-air nexus with possible transmission to susceptible hosts. The following groups of human pathogens are covered because of their known or potential airborne spread: vegetative bacteria (staphylococci and legionellae), fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium spp and Stachybotrys chartarum), enteric viruses (noro- and rotaviruses), respiratory viruses (influenza and coronaviruses), mycobacteria (tuberculous and nontuberculous), and bacterial spore formers (Clostridium difficile and Bacillus anthracis). An overview of methods for experimentally generating and recovering airborne human pathogens is included, along with a discussion of factors that influence microbial survival in indoor air. Available guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other global regulatory bodies for the study of airborne pathogens are critically reviewed with particular reference to microbial surrogates that are recommended. Recent developments in experimental facilities to contaminate indoor air with microbial aerosols are presented, along with emerging technologies to decontaminate indoor air under field-relevant conditions. Furthermore, the role that air decontamination may play in reducing the contamination of environmental surfaces and its combined impact on interrupting the risk of pathogen spread in both domestic and institutional settings is discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Airborne gravity measurement over sea-ice: The western Weddel Sea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brozena, J.; Peters, M.; LaBrecque, J.

1990-10-01

An airborne gravity study of the western Weddel Sea, east of the Antarctic Peninsula, has shown that floating pack-ice provides a useful radar altimetric reference surface for altitude and vertical acceleration corrections surface for alititude and vertical acceleration corrections to airborne gravimetry. Airborne gravimetry provides an important alternative to satellite altimetry for the sea-ice covered regions of the world since satellite alimeters are not designed or intended to provide accurate geoidal heights in areas where significant sea-ice is present within the radar footprint. Errors in radar corrected airborne gravimetry are primarily sensitive to the variations in the second derivative ofmore » the sea-ice reference surface in the frequency pass-band of interest. With the exception of imbedded icebergs the second derivative of the pack-ice surface closely approximates that of the mean sea-level surface at wavelengths > 10-20 km. With the airborne method the percentage of ice coverage, the mixture of first and multi-year ice and the existence of leads and pressure ridges prove to be unimportant in determining gravity anomalies at scales of geophysical and geodetic interest, provided that the ice is floating and not grounded. In the Weddell study an analysis of 85 crosstrack miss-ties distributed over 25 data tracks yields an rms error of 2.2 mGals. Significant structural anomalies including the continental shelf and offsets and lineations interpreted as fracture zones recording the early spreading directions within the Weddell Sea are observed in the gravity map.« less

Sea Ice Thickness Estimates from Data Collected Using Airborne Sensors and Coincident In Situ Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, J. M.; Brozena, J. M.; Abelev, A.; Hagen, R. A.; Liang, R.; Ball, D.

2016-12-01

The Naval Research Laboratory collected data using Airborne sensors and coincident in-situ measurements over multiple sites of floating, but land-fast ice north of Barrow, AK. The in-situ data provide ground-truth for airborne measurements from a scanning LiDAR (Riegl Q 560i), digital photogrammetry (Applanix DSS-439), a low-frequency SAR (P-band in 2014 and P and L bands in 2015 and 2016) and a snow/Ku radar procured from the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets of the University of Kansas. The CReSIS radar was updated in 2015 to integrate the snow and Ku radars into a single continuous chirp, thus improving resolution. The objective of the surveys was to aid our understanding of the accuracy of ice thickness estimation via the freeboard method using the airborne sensor suite. Airborne data were collected on multiple overflights of the transect areas. The LiDAR measured total freeboard (ice + snow) referenced to leads in the ice, and produced swaths 200-300 m wide. The SAR imaged the ice beneath the snow and the snow/Ku radar measured snow thickness. The freeboard measurements and snow thickness are used to estimate ice thickness via isostasy and density estimates. Comparisons and processing methodology will be shown using data from three field seasons (2014-2016). The results of this ground-truth experiment will inform our analysis of grids of airborne data collected over areas of sea-ice illuminated by Cryosat-2.

24 CFR 200.77 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 200.77 Section 200.77 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...-based paint poisoning prevention. Requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 35 apply to these programs. ...

24 CFR 200.77 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 200.77 Section 200.77 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...-based paint poisoning prevention. Requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 35 apply to these programs. ...

24 CFR 200.77 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 200.77 Section 200.77 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...-based paint poisoning prevention. Requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 35 apply to these programs. ...

24 CFR 200.77 - Lead-based paint poisoning prevention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Lead-based paint poisoning prevention. 200.77 Section 200.77 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...-based paint poisoning prevention. Requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 35 apply to these programs. ...

Arctic Sea Ice: Using Airborne Topographic Mapper Measurements (ATM) to Determine Sea Ice Thickness

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-10

Track Distance (Km) E le v a ti o n ( m ) ATM Elevation Profile Elevation 18 Figure 13: Geoid shape of earth’s equipotential surface , which is...inferred for the region between successive leads. Therefore, flying over a lead in the ice is very important for determining the exact sea surface elevation...inferred for the region between successive leads. Therefore, flying over a lead in the ice is very important for determining the exact sea surface

Lead Emissions and Population Vulnerability in the Detroit (Michigan, USA) Metropolitan Area, 2006-2013: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis.

PubMed

Moody, Heather; Grady, Sue C

2017-11-23

Objective : The purpose of this research is to geographically model airborne lead emission concentrations and total lead deposition in the Detroit Metropolitan Area (DMA) from 2006 to 2013. Further, this study characterizes the racial and socioeconomic composition of recipient neighborhoods and estimates the potential for IQ (Intelligence Quotient) loss of children residing there. Methods : Lead emissions were modeled from emitting facilities in the DMA using AERMOD (American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model). Multilevel modeling was used to estimate local racial residential segregation, controlling for poverty. Global Moran's I bivariate spatial autocorrelation statistics were used to assess modeled emissions with increasing segregation. Results : Lead emitting facilities were primarily located in, and moving to, highly black segregated neighborhoods regardless of poverty levels-a phenomenon known as environmental injustice. The findings from this research showed three years of elevated airborne emission concentrations in these neighborhoods to equate to a predicted 1.0 to 3.0 reduction in IQ points for children living there. Across the DMA there are many areas where annual lead deposition was substantially higher than recommended for aquatic (rivers, lakes, etc.) and terrestrial (forests, dunes, etc.) ecosystems. These lead levels result in decreased reproductive and growth rates in plants and animals, and neurological deficits in vertebrates. Conclusions : This lead-hazard and neighborhood context assessment will inform future childhood lead exposure studies and potential health consequences in the DMA.

Measurement of airborne concentrations of tire and road wear particles in urban and rural areas of France, Japan, and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panko, Julie M.; Chu, Jennifer; Kreider, Marisa L.; Unice, Ken M.

2013-06-01

In addition to industrial facilities, fuel combustion, forest fires and dust erosion, exhaust and non-exhaust vehicle emissions are an important source of ambient air respirable particulate matter (PM10). Non-exhaust vehicle emissions are formed from wear particles of vehicle components such as brakes, clutches, chassis and tires. Although the non-exhaust particles are relatively minor contributors to the overall ambient air particulate load, reliable exposure estimates are few. In this study, a global sampling program was conducted to quantify tire and road wear particles (TRWP) in the ambient air in order to understand potential human exposures and the overall contribution of these particles to the PM10. The sampling was conducted in Europe, the United States and Japan and the sampling locations were selected to represent a variety of settings including both rural and urban core; and within each residential, commercial and recreational receptors. The air samples were analyzed using validated chemical markers for rubber polymer based on a pyrolysis technique. Results indicated that TRWP concentrations in the PM10 fraction were low with averages ranging from 0.05 to 0.70 μg m-3, representing an average PM10 contribution of 0.84%. The TRWP concentration in air was associated with traffic load and population density, but the trend was not statistically significant. Further, significant differences across days were not observed. This study provides a robust dataset to understand potential human exposures to airborne TRWP.

Overview of Ground Air Quality Measurements and Their Links to Airborne, Remote Sensing and Model Studies during the KORUS-AQ Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, G.; Ahn, J. Y.; Chang, L. S.; Kim, J.; Park, R.

2017-12-01

During the KORUS-AQ, extensive sets of chemical measurements for reactive gases and aerosol species were made at 3 major sites on upwind island (Baengyeong Island), urban (Olympic Park in Seoul) and downwind rural forest location (Taewha Forest). Also, intensive aerosol size and composition observations from 5 NIER super sites, 3 NIMR monitoring sites, and 5 other university sites were currently facilitated in the KORUS-AQ data set. In addition, air quality criteria species data from 264 nation-wide ground monitoring sites with 5 minute temporal resolution during the whole campaign period were supplemented to cover mostly in densely populated urban areas, but sparsely in rural areas. The specific objectives of these ground sites were to provide highly comprehensive data set to coordinate the close collaborations among other research platforms including airborne measurements, remote sensing, and model studies. The continuous measurements at ground sites were well compared with repetitive low-level aircraft observations of NASA's DC-8 over Olympic Park and Taewha Forest site. Similarly, many ground measurements enabled the validation of chemical transport models and the remote sensing observations from ground and NASA's King Air. The observed results from inter-comparison studies in many reactive gases and aerosol compositions between different measurement methods and platforms will be presented. Compiling data sets from ground sites, source-wise analysis for ozone and aerosol, their in-situ formations, and transport characteristics by local/regional circulation will be discussed, too.

Airborne endotoxin concentrations in indoor and outdoor particulate matter and their predictors in an urban city.

PubMed

Yoda, Y; Tamura, K; Shima, M

2017-09-01

Endotoxins are an important biological component of particulate matter and have been associated with adverse effects on human health. There have been some recent studies on airborne endotoxin concentrations. We collected fine (PM 2.5 ) and coarse (PM 10-2.5 ) particulate matter twice on weekdays and weekends each for 48 hour, inside and outside 55 homes in an urban city in Japan. Endotoxin concentrations in both fractions were measured using the kinetic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate assay. The relationships between endotoxin concentrations and household characteristics were evaluated for each fraction. Both indoor and outdoor endotoxin concentrations were higher in PM 2.5 than in PM 10-2.5 . In both PM 2.5 and PM 10-2.5 , indoor endotoxin concentrations were higher than outdoor concentrations, and the indoor endotoxin concentrations significantly correlated with outdoor concentrations in each fraction (R 2 =0.458 and 0.198, respectively). Indoor endotoxin concentrations in PM 2.5 were significantly higher in homes with tatami or carpet flooring and in homes with pets, and lower in homes that used air purifiers. Indoor endotoxin concentrations in PM 10-2.5 were significantly higher in homes with two or more children and homes with tatami or carpet flooring. These results showed that the indoor endotoxin concentrations were associated with the household characteristics in addition to outdoor endotoxin concentrations. © 2017 The Authors. Indoor Air Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analyzing the causes of urban waterlogging and sponge city technology in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Yun-Fang; Dong, Wen-Yi; Lin, Lu-Sheng; Zhang, Qian

2017-03-01

With the rapid development of social economy in China, increased urban population, and rapid urbanization cause serious problems, for example, a heavy rain in the city inevitably leads to waterlogging, which poses a great threat to the livelihood and property security. Disaster due to urban flood is a key problem that restricts the development of urban ecology in China. The reason is the sharp increase of impermeable surface ratio in urban areas, leading to a decrease in rainfall infiltration and increase in surface runoff. To effectively solve the urban waterlogging, China proposed the construction of sponge city. This paper analyzes and summarizes the reasons for the formation of urban waterlogging, and introduces the concept of the sponge city technology to prevent waterlogging.

Dispersion and Deposition of Fine Particulates, Heavy Metals and Nitrogen in Urban Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitlow, T. H.; Tong, Z.

2015-12-01

Cities are characterized by networks of heavily trafficked roads, abrupt environmental gradients and local sources of airborne pollutants. Because urban dwellers are inevitably in close proximity to near ground pollution, there has been recent interest in using trees and green roofs to reduce human exposure yet there have been few empirical studies documenting the effect of vegetation and spatial heterogeneity on pollution concentration, human exposure and food safety. In this paper we describe the results of 2 studies in the New York metropolitan area. The first describes the effect of roadside trees on the concentration of fine particulates downwind of a major highway. The second examines vertical attenuation of fine particulates between street level and a rooftop vegetable farm and the deposition of nitrogen and heavy metals to vegetables and soil on the roof.

Accuracy assessment of TanDEM-X IDEM using airborne LiDAR on the area of Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woroszkiewicz, Małgorzata; Ewiak, Ireneusz; Lulkowska, Paulina

2017-06-01

The TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement (TanDEM-X) mission launched in 2010 is another programme - after the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000 - that uses space-borne radar interferometry to build a global digital surface model. This article presents the accuracy assessment of the TanDEM-X intermediate Digital Elevation Model (IDEM) provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) under the project "Accuracy assessment of a Digital Elevation Model based on TanDEM-X data" for the southwestern territory of Poland. The study area included: open terrain, urban terrain and forested terrain. Based on a set of 17,498 reference points acquired by airborne laser scanning, the mean errors of average heights and standard deviations were calculated for areas with a terrain slope below 2 degrees, between 2 and 6 degrees and above 6 degrees. The absolute accuracy of the IDEM data for the analysed area, expressed as a root mean square error (Total RMSE), was 0.77 m.

Comparison of the suitability of two lichen species and one higher plant for monitoring airborne heavy metals.

PubMed

Aprile, Giuseppa Grazia; Di Salvatore, Mina; Carratù, Giovanna; Mingo, Antonio; Carafa, Anna Maria

2010-03-01

We compared the capacity to accumulate airborne heavy metals of two lichens (Flavoparmelia caperata and Parmotrema chinense) and one higher plant (Nerium oleander) at a very densely populated urban site near Naples. After 15, 45, 75, and 120 days of exposure at four sites with different levels of air pollution, equal portions of thalli and 20 leaves were collected, and four environmentally significant elements, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb, were measured by inductively coupled plasma analysis. To compare the accumulation rates of lichens and the vascular plant, we determined an index of relative accumulation rate of pollutants during time and the ratio between the concentrations of each element in exposed samples to that of control samples (exposed-to-control ratio). Our data indicate F. caperata as being the most suitable bioaccumulator, followed by P. chinense. N. oleander was also found to be a useful heavy metal biomonitor though not suitable as a bioaccumulator.

Diurnal variations of airborne pollen concentration and the effect of ambient temperature in three sites of Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ríos, B.; Torres-Jardón, R.; Ramírez-Arriaga, E.; Martínez-Bernal, A.; Rosas, I.

2016-05-01

Pollen is an important cause of allergic respiratory ailments in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). However, very little is known if ambient air temperature correlates with the early blooming of plants observed in other urban areas around the world. A research study was conducted during the dry season of 2012-2013 at three representative sites of the MCMA with different urban characteristics with the aim to understand the relationships between the profusion and diversity of pollen against temperature and other meteorological variables and degree of urbanization. Pollen samples were collected using a Hirst-type trap sampler in the sites: Merced (highly urbanized), Iztapalapa (medium-high urbanized) and Coyoacan (moderately urbanized). Urbanization levels were determined using a composite index based on population density, proportion of surface covered by construction and asphalt, and urban heat island intensity. A set of representative pollen sampling tapes were assayed under a light microscope at magnification of ×1,000 and converted to grains per cubic meter. The most representative pollen types found in the three sites were, regardless of urbanization levels were: Fraxinus, Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae, Casuarina, Alnus, Myrtaceae, and Pinus. Total pollen concentration was greatest in the moderately urbanized area, although earlier blooming took place at the highly urbanized zone. Total pollen concentration in the medium-high urbanized site has the lowest because the green areas in this zone of MCMA are few. In a diurnal basis, the most abundant pollen types peaked near midday or in the afternoon evening at the three sites. A Spearman test showed a positive correlation among bihourly pollen concentrations, temperature and relative humidity in all sites, but wind speed just correlated in Iztapalapa and Coyoacan. The results obtained suggest that Urban Heat Island Intensity can disturb flowering periods and pollen concentrations, largely in the highly urbanized areas. A principal components analysis established that the concentrations of each pollen type differed across the urbanization gradients. Additionally, it was found that a large number of allergenic pollens are produced by ornamental trees, some only recently introduced by urban planners.

24 CFR 35.1310 - References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint...) The HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines...

24 CFR 35.1310 - References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint...) The HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines...

24 CFR 35.120 - Options.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements... are required by this part, the designated party has the option to presume that lead-based paint or...

24 CFR 35.1310 - References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint...) The HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines...

24 CFR 35.120 - Options.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements... are required by this part, the designated party has the option to presume that lead-based paint or...

24 CFR 35.120 - Options.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements... are required by this part, the designated party has the option to presume that lead-based paint or...

24 CFR 35.1310 - References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint...) The HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines...

24 CFR 35.1310 - References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint...) The HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines...

24 CFR 35.120 - Options.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES General Lead-Based Paint Requirements... are required by this part, the designated party has the option to presume that lead-based paint or...

24 CFR 242.48 - Insured advances for certain equipment and long lead items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Insured advances for certain equipment and long lead items. 242.48 Section 242.48 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING-FEDERAL HOUSING...

Breeding performance of blue tits (Cyanistes cæruleus ultramarinus) in relation to lead pollution and nest failure rates in rural, intermediate, and urban sites in Algeria.

PubMed

Brahmia, Zahra; Scheifler, Renaud; Crini, Nadia; Maas, Samuel; Giraudoux, Patrick; Benyacoub, Slim

2013-03-01

The breeding parameters and the egg and nestling morphology of Cyanistes caeruleus populations from rural, intermediate, and urban sites in Algeria and the relationships of those variables with lead contamination were studied during three consecutive years. Breeding success was explained only by predation and vandalism rates. Predation was higher in the rural area, whereas vandalism was higher in the urban site. The other measured breeding parameters and egg characteristics were relatively insensitive to study site. The morphology of urban nestlings exhibited a trend toward smaller body size and mass compared to individuals from intermediate and rural sites. Although lead concentrations were higher in the tissues of urban birds than in intermediate and rural individuals, we did not detect a clear influence of this variable on nestling morphology. We conclude that urbanization influenced blue tit breeding parameters through predation and vandalism and nestling morphology through mechanisms other than lead pollution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community blood lead survey with emphasis on preschool children following lead dust pollution in Esperance, Western Australia.

PubMed

Rossi, Enrico; McLaughlin, Virginia; Joseph, John; Bulsara, Max; Coleman, Kerryn; Douglas, Charles; Robertson, Andrew

2012-04-01

To assess the impact of airborne lead dust on blood lead levels in residents of Esperance, a regional Western Australian town, with particular reference to preschool children. Following identification of significant airborne lead contamination, residents were notified that a blood lead clinic was available to all, with testing of preschool children encouraged. About 40% (333 children) of the preschool group and about 20% of the remaining population were tested. The main measures were blood lead levels, prevalence of elevated results and comparisons to other Western Australian surveys. In preschoolers, 2.1% (seven children) had blood lead levels exceeding the current 10 μg/dL level of concern. This was not significantly different to two previous community-based surveys elsewhere in Western Australia. However, at a lower cut-off of 5 μg/dL, the prevalence of elevated lead levels was 24.6%, significantly higher than children tested in a previous Western Australian survey. The prevalence of blood lead levels of 10 μg/dL or greater in adults was 1.3% (26 adults), not significantly different from a previous Western Australian survey. The prevalence of preschool children with blood lead levels exceeding the current level of concern was not significantly increased. However, the increased prevalence of children with lead levels at or above 5 μg/dL demonstrates exposure to lead dust pollution. This episode of lead dust contamination highlights the need for strict adherence to environmental controls and effective monitoring processes to ensure the prevention of future events. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

Quality Assessment and Comparison of Smartphone and Leica C10 Laser Scanner Based Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirmacek, Beril; Lindenbergh, Roderik; Wang, Jinhu

2016-06-01

3D urban models are valuable for urban map generation, environment monitoring, safety planning and educational purposes. For 3D measurement of urban structures, generally airborne laser scanning sensors or multi-view satellite images are used as a data source. However, close-range sensors (such as terrestrial laser scanners) and low cost cameras (which can generate point clouds based on photogrammetry) can provide denser sampling of 3D surface geometry. Unfortunately, terrestrial laser scanning sensors are expensive and trained persons are needed to use them for point cloud acquisition. A potential effective 3D modelling can be generated based on a low cost smartphone sensor. Herein, we show examples of using smartphone camera images to generate 3D models of urban structures. We compare a smartphone based 3D model of an example structure with a terrestrial laser scanning point cloud of the structure. This comparison gives us opportunity to discuss the differences in terms of geometrical correctness, as well as the advantages, disadvantages and limitations in data acquisition and processing. We also discuss how smartphone based point clouds can help to solve further problems with 3D urban model generation in a practical way. We show that terrestrial laser scanning point clouds which do not have color information can be colored using smartphones. The experiments, discussions and scientific findings might be insightful for the future studies in fast, easy and low-cost 3D urban model generation field.

The relationship between historical development and potentially toxic element concentrations in urban soils.

PubMed

McIlwaine, Rebekka; Doherty, Rory; Cox, Siobhan F; Cave, Mark

2017-01-01

Increasing urbanisation has a direct impact on soil quality, resulting in elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils. This research aims to assess if soil PTE concentrations can be used as an 'urbanisation tracer' by investigating geogenic and anthropogenic source contributions and controls, and considering PTE enrichment across historical urban development zones. The UK cities of Belfast and Sheffield are chosen as study areas, where available shallow and deep concentrations of PTEs in soil are compared to identify geogenic and anthropogenic contributions to PTEs. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis are used to elucidate the main controls over PTE concentrations. Pollution indices indicate that different periods of historical development are linked to enrichment of different PTEs. Urban subdomains are identified and background values calculated using various methodologies and compared to generic site assessment criteria. Exceedances for a number of the PTEs considered suggest a potential human health risk could be posed across subdomains of both Belfast and Sheffield. This research suggests that airborne diffuse contamination from often historical sources such as traffic, domestic combustion and industrial processes contribute greatly to soil contamination within urban environments. The relationship between historical development and differing PTEs is a novel finding, suggesting that PTEs have the potential for use as 'urbanisation tracers'. The investigative methodology employed has potential applications for decision makers, urban planners, regulators and developers of urban areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 35.1325 - Abatement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... accordance with § 35.1340. If encapsulation or enclosure is used as a method of abatement, ongoing lead-based...

24 CFR 35.1325 - Abatement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... accordance with § 35.1340. If encapsulation or enclosure is used as a method of abatement, ongoing lead-based...

24 CFR 35.1325 - Abatement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... accordance with § 35.1340. If encapsulation or enclosure is used as a method of abatement, ongoing lead-based...

24 CFR 35.1325 - Abatement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... accordance with § 35.1340. If encapsulation or enclosure is used as a method of abatement, ongoing lead-based...

24 CFR 35.1325 - Abatement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Methods and Standards for Lead-Paint... accordance with § 35.1340. If encapsulation or enclosure is used as a method of abatement, ongoing lead-based...

24 CFR 35.86 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Disclosure of Known Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards Upon Sale or Lease of Residential Property § 35.86 Definitions. The...

24 CFR 35.86 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Disclosure of Known Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards Upon Sale or Lease of Residential Property § 35.86 Definitions. The...

24 CFR 35.86 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Disclosure of Known Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards Upon Sale or Lease of Residential Property § 35.86 Definitions. The...

24 CFR 35.96 - Enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES Disclosure of Known Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards Upon Sale or Lease of Residential Property § 35.96 Enforcement. (a...

24 CFR 35.815 - Evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development LEAD... Multifamily Property § 35.815 Evaluation. HUD shall conduct a risk assessment and a lead-based paint... 15, 2000, the lead-based paint inspection and risk assessment shall be conducted no later than...

Life cycle assessment of urban waste management: energy performances and environmental impacts. The case of Rome, Italy.

PubMed

Cherubini, Francesco; Bargigli, Silvia; Ulgiati, Sergio

2008-12-01

Landfilling is nowadays the most common practice of waste management in Italy in spite of enforced regulations aimed at increasing waste pre-sorting as well as energy and material recovery. In this work we analyse selected alternative scenarios aimed at minimizing the unused material fraction to be delivered to the landfill. The methodological framework of the analysis is the life cycle assessment, in a multi-method form developed by our research team. The approach was applied to the case of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Rome, with a special focus on energy and material balance, including global and local scale airborne emissions. Results, provided in the form of indices and indicators of efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impacts, point out landfill activities as the worst waste management strategy at a global scale. On the other hand, the investigated waste treatments with energy and material recovery allow important benefits of greenhouse gas emission reduction (among others) but are still affected by non-negligible local emissions. Furthermore, waste treatments leading to energy recovery provide an energy output that, in the best case, is able to meet 15% of the Rome electricity consumption.

Stable isotopes of lead and strontium as tracers of sources of airborne particulate matter in Kyrgyzstan.

EPA Science Inventory

Central Asia is dominated by an arid climate and desert-like conditions, leading to the potential of long-range transport of desert dust. One potential source of dust to Central Asia is the Aral Sea, the surface area of which has receded in size from 68,000 km2 to 14,280 km2, lar...

Effective Detection of Sub-Surface Archeological Features from Laser Scanning Point Clouds and Imagery Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fryskowska, A.; Kedzierski, M.; Walczykowski, P.; Wierzbicki, D.; Delis, P.; Lada, A.

2017-08-01

The archaeological heritage is non-renewable, and any invasive research or other actions leading to the intervention of mechanical or chemical into the ground lead to the destruction of the archaeological site in whole or in part. For this reason, modern archeology is looking for alternative methods of non-destructive and non-invasive methods of new objects identification. The concept of aerial archeology is relation between the presence of the archaeological site in the particular localization, and the phenomena that in the same place can be observed on the terrain surface form airborne platform. One of the most appreciated, moreover, extremely precise, methods of such measurements is airborne laser scanning. In research airborne laser scanning point cloud with a density of 5 points/sq. m was used. Additionally unmanned aerial vehicle imagery data was acquired. Test area is located in central Europe. The preliminary verification of potentially microstructures localization was the creation of digital terrain and surface models. These models gave an information about the differences in elevation, as well as regular shapes and sizes that can be related to the former settlement/sub-surface feature. The paper presents the results of the detection of potentially sub-surface microstructure fields in the forestry area.

Soil Lead Testing at a High Spatial Resolution in an Urban Community Garden: A Case Study in Relic Lead in Terre Haute, Indiana.

PubMed

Latimer, Jennifer C; Van Halen, David; Speer, James; Krull, Stephanie; Weaver, Patricia; Pettit, Joseph; Foxx, Heather

2016-10-01

Industrial emissions, deteriorating or improperly removed lead paint, and the use of lead additives in fuel have left a substantial burden of heavy metals, such as lead, in urban soils. Much of this lead remains near the surface where it has the potential to impact human health. Exposure to lead, especially in children, can have lasting impacts on neurological development and academic achievement. Urban gardening, in particular, is an activity that could result in increased exposure to soil lead for many unsuspecting gardeners. During the summer of 2012, more than 1,061 surface soil samples were collected from an approximately 1.25 acre urban community garden in Terre Haute, Indiana. Samples were collected to evaluate the spatial distribution of lead across the community garden on the plot level. The results highlight the variability that can be seen within small areas of a former residential property, for example lead concentrations that are low (<200 parts per million [ppm]) within the same 10 x 10 foot garden plot as concentrations that are considered high (>600 ppm). Based on the results of this work, several areas of concern were identified and the community garden was reconfigured to reduce potential lead exposure to gardeners and the local community.

A fully automatic approach to register mobile mapping and airborne imagery to support the correction of platform trajectories in GNSS-denied urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jende, Phillipp; Nex, Francesco; Gerke, Markus; Vosselman, George

2018-07-01

Mobile Mapping (MM) solutions have become a significant extension to traditional data acquisition methods over the last years. Independently from the sensor carried by a platform, may it be laser scanners or cameras, high-resolution data postings are opposing a poor absolute localisation accuracy in urban areas due to GNSS occlusions and multipath effects. Potentially inaccurate position estimations are propagated by IMUs which are furthermore prone to drift effects. Thus, reliable and accurate absolute positioning on a par with MM's high-quality data remains an open issue. Multiple and diverse approaches have shown promising potential to mitigate GNSS errors in urban areas, but cannot achieve decimetre accuracy, require manual effort, or have limitations with respect to costs and availability. This paper presents a fully automatic approach to support the correction of MM imaging data based on correspondences with airborne nadir images. These correspondences can be employed to correct the MM platform's orientation by an adjustment solution. Unlike MM as such, aerial images do not suffer from GNSS occlusions, and their accuracy is usually verified by employing well-established methods using ground control points. However, a registration between MM and aerial images is a non-standard matching scenario, and requires several strategies to yield reliable and accurate correspondences. Scale, perspective and content strongly vary between both image sources, thus traditional feature matching methods may fail. To this end, the registration process is designed to focus on common and clearly distinguishable elements, such as road markings, manholes, or kerbstones. With a registration accuracy of about 98%, reliable tie information between MM and aerial data can be derived. Even though, the adjustment strategy is not covered in its entirety in this paper, accuracy results after adjustment will be presented. It will be shown that a decimetre accuracy is well achievable in a real data test scenario.

Particle size distribution and respiratory deposition estimates of airborne perfluoroalkyl acids during the haze period in the megacity of Shanghai.

PubMed

Guo, Mengjie; Lyu, Yan; Xu, Tingting; Yao, Bo; Song, Weihua; Li, Mei; Yang, Xin; Cheng, Tiantao; Li, Xiang

2018-03-01

This study presents the particle size distribution and respiratory deposition estimates of airborne perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) during the haze period. Size-segregated haze aerosols were collected from an urban location in Shanghai using an eight-stage air sampler. The samples were analyzed for eight PFAAs using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The quantification results showed that the concentrations of particle-bound Σ 8PFAAs ranged from 0.26 to 1.90 ng m -3 (mean: 1.44 ng m -3 ). All of the measured PFAAs particle size distributions had a bimodal mode that peaked respectively in accumulation size range (0.4 < Dp < 2.1 μm) and coarse size ranges (Dp > 2.1 μm), but the width of each distribution somewhat varied by compound. The emission source, molecular weight, and volatility of the PFAAs were important factors influencing the size distribution of particle-bound PFAAs. Of these compounds, PFUnDA presented a strong accumulation in the fine size range (average 75% associated with particles <2.1 μm), followed by PFOA (69%) and PFDA (64%). The human risk assessment of PFOS via inhalation was addressed and followed the same pattern as the size distribution, with a 2-fold higher risk for the fine particle fraction compared to the coarse particle fraction at urban sites. Approximately 30.3-82.0% of PFAA deposition (∑PFAA: 72.5%) in the alveolar region was associated with particles <2.1 μm, although the contribution of fine particles to the total PFAAs concentration in urban air was only 28-57% (∑8PFAAs: 48%). These results suggested that fine particles are significant contributors to the deposition of PFAAs in the alveolar region of the lung. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satellite Phenology Observations Inform Peak Season of Allergenic Grass Pollen Aerobiology across Two Continents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huete, A. R.; Devadas, R.; Davies, J.

2015-12-01

Pollen exposure and prevalence of allergenic diseases have increased in many parts of the world during the last 30 years, with exposure to aeroallergen grass pollen expected to intensify with climate change, raising increased concerns for allergic diseases. The primary contributing factors to higher allergenic plant species presence are thought to be climate change, land conversion, and biotic mixing of species. Conventional methods for monitoring airborne pollen are hampered by a lack of sampling sites and heavily rely on meteorology with less attention to land cover updates and monitoring of key allergenic species phenology stages. Satellite remote sensing offers an alternative method to overcome the restrictive coverage afforded by in situ pollen networks by virtue of its synoptic coverage and repeatability of measurements that enable timely updates of land cover and land use information and monitoring landscape dynamics and interactions with human activity and climate. In this study, we assessed the potential of satellite observations of urban/peri-urban environments to directly inform landscape conditions conducive to pollen emissions. We found satellite measurements of grass cover phenological evolution to be highly correlated with in situ aerobiological grass pollen concentrations in five urban centres located across two hemispheres (Australia and France). Satellite greenness data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were found to be strongly synchronous with grass pollen aerobiology in both temperate grass dominated sites (France and Melbourne), as well as in Sydney, where multiple pollen peaks coincided with the presence of subtropical grasses. Employing general additive models (GAM), the satellite phenology data provided strong predictive capabilities to inform airborne pollen levels and forecast periods of grass pollen emissions at all five sites. Satellite phenology offer promising opportunities of improving public health risk management through dissemination of timely data for use in public health action and alerts and to minimise the impact of these common chronic conditions.

Soil geochemical signature of urbanization and industrialization – Chicago, Illinois, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, W.F.; Horton, John D.

2009-01-01

The concentrations of 45 elements in ambient (not obviously disturbed) surface soils were determined for 57 sites distributed throughout the city of Chicago, Illinois in the upper Midwestern United States. These concentrations were compared to soils from 105 sites from a largely agricultural region within a 500-km radius surrounding the city and to soils collected from 90 sites across the state of Illinois. Although the bulk composition of the Chicago urban soils reflects largely natural sources, the soils are significantly enriched in many trace elements, apparently from anthropogenic sources. The median concentration of Pb in Chicago soils is 198 mg/kg, a 13-fold enrichment compared to regional concentrations. Zinc (median 235 mg/kg), Cu (59 mg/kg), and Ni (31 mg/kg) are also enriched from 2- to 4-fold in Chicago soils and all four elements show strong mutual correlations. These elevated concentrations are most likely related to vehicular and roadway sources and represent uneven distribution across the city as airborne material. Other airborne particulate material from a combination of fossil fuel combustion, waste incineration, and steel production may contribute to apparent elevated concentrations in Chicago soil of Fe (median 2.9%), Mo (5 mg/kg), V (82 mg/kg) and S (0.09%). Chicago soils are enriched from about 1.6- to 3-fold in these elements. Enrichments in P and Se may be caused by direct addition of phosphate fertilizer to parklands, lawns and gardens. The density of the sampling (1 site per 10 km2) is inadequate to define the distribution of the observed enrichments within the city or to predict soil compositions for most of the areas between sample sites, but does provide a statistically significant signature of the history of urban and industrial activity within the city in contrast to the surrounding agricultural lands.

Allergens in Urban Schools and Homes of Children with Asthma

PubMed Central

Permaul, Perdita; Hoffman, Elaine B.; Fu, Chunxia; Sheehan, William J.; Baxi, Sachin N.; Gaffin, Jonathan M.; Lane, Jeffrey P.; Bailey, Ann; King, Eva; Chapman, Martin D.; Gold, Diane R.; Phipatanakul, Wanda

2012-01-01

Background Most studies of indoor allergens have focused on the home environment. However, schools may be an important site of allergen exposure for children with asthma. We compared school allergen exposure to home exposure in a cohort of children with asthma. Correlations between settled dust and airborne allergen levels in classrooms were examined. Methods Settled dust and airborne samples from 12 inner-city schools were analyzed for indoor allergens using multiplex array technology (MARIA). School samples were linked to students with asthma enrolled in the School Inner-City Asthma Study (SICAS). Settled dust samples from students’ bedrooms were analyzed similarly. Results From schools, 229 settled dust and 197 airborne samples were obtained. From homes, 118 settled dust samples were obtained. Linear mixed regression models of log-transformed variables showed significantly higher settled dust levels of mouse, cat and dog allergens in schools than homes (545% higher for Mus m 1, estimated absolute difference 0.55 μg/g, p<0.0001; 198% higher for Fel d 1, estimated absolute difference 0.13 μg/g, p=0.0033; and 144% higher for Can f 1, estimated absolute difference 0.05 μg/g, p=0.0008). Airborne and settled dust Mus m 1 levels in classrooms were moderately correlated (r=0.48; p< 0.0001). There were undetectable to very low levels of cockroach and dust mite allergens in both homes and schools. Conclusions Mouse allergen levels in schools were substantial. In general, cat and dog allergen levels were low, but detectable, and were higher in schools. Aerosolization of mouse allergen in classrooms may be a significant exposure for students. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of indoor allergen exposure in schools on asthma morbidity in students with asthma. PMID:22672325

A Collaborative Study of Source Apportionment and Total City Emissions of CH4 from Indianapolis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajny, K. D.; Davis, K. J.; Franklin, J. E.; Harvey, R. M.; Lavoie, T. N.; Miles, N. L.; Richardson, S.; Salmon, O. E.; Sarmiento, D. P.; Shepson, P. B.; Stirm, B. H.; Wofsy, S.

2016-12-01

Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas emitted in the United States, accounting for about 11% of all US greenhouse gas emissions in 2014. Over 60% of CH4 emissions globally are due to human activity and two of the largest anthropogenic sources of CH4 are waste decomposition in landfills and losses from the energy sector. Indianapolis has been a testbed site for development of methods for quantitative urban-scale greenhouse gas emissions measurements, through the Indianapolis Flux Experiment (INFLUX) since 2010. Multiple airborne mass balance experiments with Purdue University's Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) have been performed in the area to quantify greenhouse gas emissions, since 2008. Previous research has shown that the large landfill in Indianapolis is the only significant point source, emitting 45 ± 14 mols CH4/s or roughly 1/3 of all CH4 emissions. Propane/methane ratios have indicated that all other CH4 emissions were due to leaks in the natural gas distribution system in the city, but not all the sources have been identified. A recent collaborative effort aimed to investigate this further using tower based inversions from INFLUX data, ground based Lagrangian transport modeling using Fourier Transform Spectrometers, and airborne based mass balance experiments using ALAR. Within the 2-week long project there were 4 days with atmospheric conditions that allowed for simultaneous airborne and ground based measurements. Here we will discuss selected outcomes from this effort, including city-wide mass balance measurements from ALAR, our results in light of the FTS observations, and how the results compare to the historical data base for Indianapolis.

A Multi-scale Approach to Urban Thermal Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gluch, Renne; Quattrochi, Dale A.

2005-01-01

An environmental consequence of urbanization is the urban heat island effect, a situation where urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas. The urban heat island phenomenon results from the replacement of natural landscapes with impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt and is linked to adverse economic and environmental impacts. In order to better understand the urban microclimate, a greater understanding of the urban thermal pattern (UTP), including an analysis of the thermal properties of individual land covers, is needed. This study examines the UTP by means of thermal land cover response for the Salt Lake City, Utah, study area at two scales: 1) the community level, and 2) the regional or valleywide level. Airborne ATLAS (Advanced Thermal Land Applications Sensor) data, a high spatial resolution (10-meter) dataset appropriate for an environment containing a concentration of diverse land covers, are used for both land cover and thermal analysis at the community level. The ATLAS data consist of 15 channels covering the visible, near-IR, mid-IR and thermal-IR wavelengths. At the regional level Landsat TM data are used for land cover analysis while the ATLAS channel 13 data are used for the thermal analysis. Results show that a heat island is evident at both the community and the valleywide level where there is an abundance of impervious surfaces. ATLAS data perform well in community level studies in terms of land cover and thermal exchanges, but other, more coarse-resolution data sets are more appropriate for large-area thermal studies. Thermal response per land cover is consistent at both levels, which suggests potential for urban climate modeling at multiple scales.

Semi-Automated Approach for Mapping Urban Trees from Integrated Aerial LiDAR Point Cloud and Digital Imagery Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogon-Yaro, M. A.; Kumar, P.; Rahman, A. Abdul; Buyuksalih, G.

2016-09-01

Mapping of trees plays an important role in modern urban spatial data management, as many benefits and applications inherit from this detailed up-to-date data sources. Timely and accurate acquisition of information on the condition of urban trees serves as a tool for decision makers to better appreciate urban ecosystems and their numerous values which are critical to building up strategies for sustainable development. The conventional techniques used for extracting trees include ground surveying and interpretation of the aerial photography. However, these techniques are associated with some constraints, such as labour intensive field work and a lot of financial requirement which can be overcome by means of integrated LiDAR and digital image datasets. Compared to predominant studies on trees extraction mainly in purely forested areas, this study concentrates on urban areas, which have a high structural complexity with a multitude of different objects. This paper presented a workflow about semi-automated approach for extracting urban trees from integrated processing of airborne based LiDAR point cloud and multispectral digital image datasets over Istanbul city of Turkey. The paper reveals that the integrated datasets is a suitable technology and viable source of information for urban trees management. As a conclusion, therefore, the extracted information provides a snapshot about location, composition and extent of trees in the study area useful to city planners and other decision makers in order to understand how much canopy cover exists, identify new planting, removal, or reforestation opportunities and what locations have the greatest need or potential to maximize benefits of return on investment. It can also help track trends or changes to the urban trees over time and inform future management decisions.

Air-borne heavy metal contamination to dietary vegetables: a case study from India.

PubMed

Pandey, J; Pandey, Richa; Shubhashish, K

2009-12-01

Contamination of edible parts of three dietary vegetables, Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), Radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) by air-borne cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) was determined using pot culture experiments at three sites in the city of Varanasi, India. The data revealed that although Cr and Cu in vegetables remained below their safe limits, about 68% of the total samples contained Cd, Ni, and Pb above their respective safe limits of 1.5, 1.5, and 2.5 μg g(-1). Site wise synchrony and air accumulation factor (AAF) indicated that atmospheric deposition was the main contributor of metal contamination to vegetables. The study suggests that if the present trends of atmospheric deposition are continued, air-borne heavy metals will contaminate the agricultural produce with long-term health implications.

Aerosol Profile Measurements from the NASA Langley Research Center Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obland, Michael D.; Hostetler, Chris A.; Ferrare, Richard A.; Hair, John W.; Roers, Raymond R.; Burton, Sharon P.; Cook, Anthony L.; Harper, David B.

2008-01-01

Since achieving first light in December of 2005, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) has been involved in seven field campaigns, accumulating over 450 hours of science data across more than 120 flights. Data from the instrument have been used in a variety of studies including validation and comparison with the Cloud- Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite mission, aerosol property retrievals combining passive and active instrument measurements, aerosol type identification, aerosol-cloud interactions, and cloud top and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height determinations. Measurements and lessons learned from the HSRL are leading towards next-generation HSRL instrument designs that will enable even further studies of aerosol intensive and extensive parameters and the effects of aerosols on the climate system. This paper will highlight several of the areas in which the NASA Airborne HSRL is making contributions to climate science.

A Concept for Airborne Precision Spacing for Dependent Parallel Approaches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmore, Bryan E.; Baxley, Brian T.; Abbott, Terence S.; Capron, William R.; Smith, Colin L.; Shay, Richard F.; Hubbs, Clay

2012-01-01

The Airborne Precision Spacing concept of operations has been previously developed to support the precise delivery of aircraft landing successively on the same runway. The high-precision and consistent delivery of inter-aircraft spacing allows for increased runway throughput and the use of energy-efficient arrivals routes such as Continuous Descent Arrivals and Optimized Profile Descents. This paper describes an extension to the Airborne Precision Spacing concept to enable dependent parallel approach operations where the spacing aircraft must manage their in-trail spacing from a leading aircraft on approach to the same runway and spacing from an aircraft on approach to a parallel runway. Functionality for supporting automation is discussed as well as procedures for pilots and controllers. An analysis is performed to identify the required information and a new ADS-B report is proposed to support these information needs. Finally, several scenarios are described in detail.

Urban Youth Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Lead Poisoning.

PubMed

Bogar, Sandra; Szabo, Aniko; Woodruff, Shane; Johnson, Sheri

2017-12-01

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is a promising and evolving field of research that could benefit from youth engagement. Yet studies focused on youths' environmental health awareness and concerns are limited. For example, although lead exposure remains a threat to youth development in urban environments, no published studies have measured urban youth's knowledge of lead poisoning. A CBPR partnership established a youth advisory council (YAC) who helped to design, interpret and disseminate a mixed methods study exploring environmental health perceptions among urban youths ages 10-18. Surveys assessed awareness, attitudes, and knowledge regarding lead poisoning and five environmental health issues determined by the YAC. Focus group questions further contextualized youths' lead knowledge and understanding of youths' environmental health concerns. A majority of youth could identify specific sources of lead exposure but had minimal knowledge of prevention strategies, and focus group data revealed misinformation regarding lead sources and consequences. Survey and focus group respondents' level of awareness and concern regarding YAC-selected EH issues was high in comparison to lead poisoning. In particular, job opportunities and police brutality were endorsed as both neighborhood concerns and priorities. Awareness and knowledge of environmental health issues among urban youth have not been well described. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing problems of local relevance. Moving forward, lead poisoning prevention education for youth and youth EHL partnerships may benefit from incorporating an ecological approach wherein connections to the social and economic context are made explicit.

New Airborne LiDAR Survey of the Hayward Fault, Northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocher, T. M.; Prentice, C. S.; Phillips, D. A.; Bevis, M.; Shrestha, R. L.

2007-12-01

We present a digital elevation model (DEM) constructed from newly acquired high-resolution LIght Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data along the Hayward Fault in Northern California. The data were acquired by the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) in the spring of 2007 in conjunction with a larger regional airborne LIDAR survey of the major crustal faults in northern California coordinated by UNAVCO and funded by the National Science Foundation as part of GeoEarthScope. A consortium composed of the U. S. Geological Survey, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and the City of Berkeley separately funded the LIDAR acquisition along the Hayward Fault. Airborne LIDAR data were collected within a 106-km long by 1-km wide swath encompassing the Hayward Fault that extended from San Pablo Bay on the north to the southern end of its restraining stepover with the Calaveras Fault on the south. The Hayward Fault is among the most urbanized faults in the nation. With its most recent major rupture in 1868, it is well within the time window for its next large earthquake, making it an excellent candidate for a "before the earthquake" DEM image. After the next large Hayward Fault event, this DEM can be compared to a post-earthquake LIDAR DEM to provide a means for a detailed analysis of fault slip. In order to minimize location errors, temporary GPS ground control stations were deployed by Ohio State University, UNAVCO, and student volunteers from local universities to augment the available continuous GPS arrays operated in the study area by the Bay Area Regional Deformation (BARD) Network and the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO). The vegetation cover varies along the fault zone: most of the vegetation is non-native species. Photographs from the 1860s show very little tall vegetation along the fault zone. A number of interesting geomorphic features are associated with the Hayward Fault, even in urbanized areas. Sag ponds and push up ridges can easily be followed along the fault zone, as well as more subtle features. Landslides along the western flanks of the East Bay Hills were also imaged. We expect that these new LIDAR images will allow us to detect subtle geomorphic features associated with active faulting that may reveal previously undetected active strands or better delineate active strands in areas of pervasive landsliding (as well as better mapping of the landslides themselves). We also anticipate that they will aid in land use planning and identification of new paleoseismic sites. The LIDAR data are freely available at www.earthscope.org.

Traffic in the operating room: a review of factors influencing air flow and surgical wound contamination.

PubMed

Pokrywka, Marian; Byers, Karin

2013-06-01

Surgical wound contamination leading to surgical site infection can result from disruption of the intended airflow in the operating room (OR). When personnel enter and exit the OR, or create unnecessary movement and traffic during the procedure, the intended airflow in the vicinity of the open wound becomes disrupted and does not adequately remove airborne contaminants from the sterile field. An increase in the bacterial counts of airborne microorganisms is noted during increased activity levels within the OR. Researchers have studied OR traffic and door openings as a determinant of air contamination. During a surgical procedure the door to the operating room may be open as long as 20 minutes out of each surgical hour during critical procedures involving implants. Interventions into limiting excessive movement and traffic in the OR may lead to reductions in surgical site infections in select populations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuscamman, Stephanie J.

This section describes ways in which an urban environment can affect the distribution of airborne radiological material. In an urban area, winds at street level are significantly more variable and complex than the prevailing winds above the buildings. Elevated winds may be uniform and representative of the general flow over the surrounding area, but buildings influence the local flow such that the winds below the building heights vary significantly in location and time (Hanna et al 2006). For a release of material near an individual building, the complex effect of the building on the airflow may locally enhance the airmore » concentration of released material in some regions near the building and reduce it in others compared to a release in open terrain. However, the overall effect of an individual building is to induce a rapid enlargement and dilution of an incident plume from an isolated source upwind of the building (Hosker 1984). A plume spreading through an urban environment of multiple buildings will experience enhanced mixing and greater spreading of the contaminant plume in both the vertical and horizontal directions, compared to the same release in open terrain.« less

Tire tread wear particles in ambient air--a previously unknown source of human exposure to the biocide 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.

PubMed

Avagyan, Rozanna; Sadiktsis, Ioannis; Bergvall, Christoffer; Westerholm, Roger

2014-10-01

Urban particulate matter (PM), asphalt, and tire samples were investigated for their content of benzothiazole and benzothiazole derivates. The purpose of this study was to examine whether wear particles, i.e., tire tread wear or road surface wear, could contribute to atmospheric concentrations of benzothiazole derivatives. Airborne particulate matter (PM10) sampled at a busy street in Stockholm, Sweden, contained on average 17 pg/m(3) benzothiazole and 64 pg/m(3) 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, and the total suspended particulate-associated benzothiazole and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole concentrations were 199 and 591 pg/m(3), respectively. This indicates that tire tread wear may be a major source of these benzothiazoles to urban air PM in Stockholm. Furthermore, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole was determined in urban air particulates for the first time in this study, and its presence in inhalable PM10 implies that the human exposure to this biocide is underestimated. This calls for a revision of the risk assessments of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole exposure to humans which currently is limited to occupational exposure.

Spatial variability in airborne pollen concentrations.

PubMed

Raynor, G S; Ogden, E C; Hayes, J V

1975-03-01

Tests were conducted to determine the relationship between airborne pollen concentrations and distance. Simultaneous samples were taken in 171 tests with sets of eight rotoslide samplers spaced from one to 486 M. apart in straight lines. Use of all possible pairs gave 28 separation distances. Tests were conducted over a 2-year period in urban and rural locations distant from major pollen sources during both tree and ragweed pollen seasons. Samples were taken at a height of 1.5 M. during 5-to 20-minute periods. Tests were grouped by pollen type, location, year, and direction of the wind relative to the line. Data were analyzed to evaluate variability without regard to sampler spacing and variability as a function of separation distance. The mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, ratio of maximum to the mean, and ratio of minimum to the mean were calculated for each test, each group of tests, and all cases. The average coefficient of variation is 0.21, the maximum over the mean, 1.39 and the minimum over the mean, 0.69. No relationship was found with experimental conditions. Samples taken at the minimum separation distance had a mean difference of 18 per cent. Differences between pairs of samples increased with distance in 10 of 13 groups. These results suggest that airborne pollens are not always well mixed in the lower atmosphere and that a sample becomes less representative with increasing distance from the sampling location.

Airborne exposure to trihalomethanes from tap water in homes with refrigeration-type and evaporative cooling systems.

PubMed

Kerger, Brent D; Suder, David R; Schmidt, Chuck E; Paustenbach, Dennis J

2005-03-26

This study evaluates airborne concentrations of common trihalomethane compounds (THM) in selected living spaces of homes supplied with chlorinated tap water containing >85 ppb total THM. Three small homes in an arid urban area were selected, each having three bedrooms, a full bath, and approximately 1000 square feet; two homes had standard (refrigeration-type) central air conditioning and the third had a central evaporative cooling system ("swamp cooler"). A high-end water-use pattern was used at each home in this exposure simulation. THM were concurrently measured on 4 separate test days in tap water and air in the bathroom, living room, the bedroom closest to the bathroom, and outside using Summa canisters. Chloroform (trichloromethane, TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), and dibromochloromethane (DBCM) concentrations were quantified using U.S. EPA Method TO-14. The apparent volatilization fraction consistently followed the order: TCM > BDCM > DBCM. Relatively low airborne THM concentrations (similar to outdoors) were found in the living room and bedroom samples for the home with evaporative cooling, while the refrigeration-cooled homes showed significantly higher THM levels (three- to fourfold). This differential remained after normalizing the air concentrations based on estimated THM throughput or water concentrations. These findings indicate that, despite higher throughput of THM-containing water in homes using evaporative coolers, the higher air exchange rates associated with these systems rapidly clears THM to levels similar to ambient outdoor concentrations.

Clustering of Multispectral Airborne Laser Scanning Data Using Gaussian Decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morsy, S.; Shaker, A.; El-Rabbany, A.

2017-09-01

With the evolution of the LiDAR technology, multispectral airborne laser scanning systems are currently available. The first operational multispectral airborne LiDAR sensor, the Optech Titan, acquires LiDAR point clouds at three different wavelengths (1.550, 1.064, 0.532 μm), allowing the acquisition of different spectral information of land surface. Consequently, the recent studies are devoted to use the radiometric information (i.e., intensity) of the LiDAR data along with the geometric information (e.g., height) for classification purposes. In this study, a data clustering method, based on Gaussian decomposition, is presented. First, a ground filtering mechanism is applied to separate non-ground from ground points. Then, three normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVIs) are computed for both non-ground and ground points, followed by histograms construction from each NDVI. The Gaussian function model is used to decompose the histograms into a number of Gaussian components. The maximum likelihood estimate of the Gaussian components is then optimized using Expectation - Maximization algorithm. The intersection points of the adjacent Gaussian components are subsequently used as threshold values, whereas different classes can be clustered. This method is used to classify the terrain of an urban area in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, into four main classes, namely roofs, trees, asphalt and grass. It is shown that the proposed method has achieved an overall accuracy up to 95.1 % using different NDVIs.

Urban, Forest, and Agricultural AIS Data: Fine Spectral Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderbilt, V. C.

1985-01-01

Spectra acquired by the Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) near Lafayette, IN, Ely, MN, and over the Stanford University campus, CA were analyzed for fine spectral structure using two techniques: the ratio of radiance of a ground target to the radiance of a standard and also the correlation coefficient of radiances at adjacent wavelengths. The results show ramp like features in the ratios. These features are due to the biochemical composition of the leaf and to the optical scattering properties of its cuticle. The size and shape of the ramps vary with ground cover.

Back-trajectories show export of airborne fungal spores (Ganoderma sp.) from forests to agricultural and urban areas in England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadyś, M.; Skjøth, C. A.; Kennedy, R.

2014-02-01

We propose here the hypothesis that all of United Kingdom (UK) is likely to be affected by Ganoderma sp. spores, an important plant pathogen. We suggest that the main sources of this pathogen, which acts as a bioaerosol, are the widely scattered woodlands in the country, although remote sources must not be neglected. The hypothesis is based on related studies on bioaerosols and supported by new observations from a non-forest site and model calculations to support our hypothesis.

[Contamination of urban air in a snowy district with 1-nitropyrene and particulate matter during the winter].

PubMed

Saitoh, N; Wada, Y; Koizumi, A; Kamiyama, S

1990-10-01

Nitroarenes, potent rodent carcinogens, have attracted much attention as environmental contaminants. Recently, simultaneous exposure to dust have been found to potentiate tumorigenicity of nitroarenes in rats (14). We hypothesized that inhabitants of northwestern Japan may be exposed to such substances in winter. First, we sought to develop a sensitive yet time saving method to determine nitroarene concentrations in airborne particulate matter. The method developed used a high-performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a fluorescence detector. By on-column catalytic reduction, using silica coated with platinum and rhodium, 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), 1,3-dinitropyrene, 1,6-dinitropyrene, and 1,8-dinitropyrene were effectively reduced to their amino derivatives which were easily detectable with the fluorescence detector. The lowest detectable limits found using the present method were on the order of picograms for individual compounds. Subsequently, we sought to determine the concentrations of nitroarenes using the new method on airborne particulate matter during the period from November to April. Samples were collected at sampling sites on road with high-volume air samplers for 24 hours or 72 hours in four different rural areas in Iwate Prefecture. At one location in the city of Morioka, samples were collected at the height of 25 m from the ground. Among the four nitropyrenes mentioned above, only 1-NP was detected in the samples. The concentrations of 1-NP and airborne particulates changed significantly in all examined areas in parallel with the rise and fall of the frequencies of studded tire use. The highest 1-NP and airborne particulate concentrations were 1.210 pg/m3 and 1,291 micrograms/m3, respectively, being recorded at the busiest road in Kitakami. In contrast, the lowest values were 38 to 66 pg/m3 for 1-NP and 54 to 94 micrograms/m3 for airborne particulates in Morioka, being recorded in November and April, respectively. The mutagenicities of extracts of airborne particulate matter showed similar trends. Thus, exposure situations with high concentrations of dust and 1-NP were confirmed to occur in Iwate. Finally, the risk posed by 1-NP in airborne particulate matter was estimated using the equation proposed by Cuddihy and McClellan (37) and was found to range from 3.12 x 10(-2) to 24.2 x 10(-2) lung cancer/year/10(6) people. Although the estimated risk due to 1-NP is relatively small, further surveillance is highly recommended in those areas since heavy dust exposure also occurs there.

Review: Lead exposure in battery manufacturing and recycling in developing countries and among children in nearby communities.

PubMed

Gottesfeld, Perry; Pokhrel, Amod K

2011-09-01

The battery industry is the largest consumer of lead, using an estimated 80% of the global lead production. The industry is also rapidly expanding in emerging market countries. A review of published literature on exposures from lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling plants in developing countries was conducted. The review included studies from 37 countries published from 1993 to 2010 and excluded facilities in developed countries, such as the United States and those in Western Europe, except for providing comparisons to reported findings. The average worker blood lead level (BLL) in developing countries was 47 μg/dL in battery manufacturing plants and 64 μg/dL in recycling facilities. Airborne lead concentrations reported in battery plants in developing countries averaged 367 μg/m3, which is 7-fold greater than the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's 50 μg/m3 permissible exposure limit. The geometric mean BLL of children residing near battery plants in developing countries was 19 μg/dL, which is about 13-fold greater than the levels observed among children in the United States. The blood lead and airborne lead exposure concentrations for battery workers were substantially higher in developing countries than in the United States. This disparity may worsen due to rapid growth in lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling operations worldwide. Given the lack of regulatory and enforcement capacity in most developing countries, third-party certification programs may be the only viable option to improve conditions.

Total and Bioaccessible Soil Arsenic and Lead Levels and Plant Uptake in Three Urban Community Gardens in Puerto Rico

EPA Science Inventory

Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are two contaminants of concern associated with urban gardening. In Puerto Rico, data currently is limited on As and Pb levels in urban garden soils, soil metal (loid) bioaccessibility, and uptake of As and Pb in soil by edible plants grown in the regio...

Latex allergens in tire dust and airborne particles.

PubMed Central

Miguel, A G; Cass, G R; Weiss, J; Glovsky, M M

1996-01-01

The prevalence and severity of latex allergy has increased dramatically in the last 15 years due to exposure to natural rubber products. Although historically this health risk has been elevated in hospital personnel and patients, a recent survey has indicated a significant potential risk for the general population. To obtain a wide-spread source for latex exposure, we have considered tire debris. We have searched for the presence of latex allergens in passenger car and truck tire tread, in debris deposited from the atmosphere near a freeway, and in airborne particulate matter samples representative of the entire year 1993 at two sites in the Los Angeles basin (California). After extraction of the samples with phosphate buffered saline, a modified-ELISA inhibition assay was used to measure relative allergen potency and Western blot analyses were used to identify latex allergens. The inhibition studies with the human IgE latex assay revealed inhibition by the tire tread source samples and ambient freeway dust, as well as by control latex sap and latex glove extracts. Levels of extractable latex allergen per unit of protein extracted were about two orders of magnitude lower for tire tread as compared to latex gloves. Western blot analyses using binding of human IgE from latex-sensitive patients showed a band at 34-36 kDa in all tire and ambient samples. Long Beach and Los Angeles, California, air samples showed four additional bands between 50 and 135 kDa. Alternative Western blot analyses using rabbit IgG raised against latex proteins showed a broad band at 30-50 kDa in all samples, with additional bands in the urban air samples similar to the IgE results. A latex cross-reactive material was identified in mountain cedar. In conclusion, the latex allergens or latex cross-reactive material present in sedimented and airborne particulate material, derived from tire debris, and generated by heavy urban vehicle traffic could be important factors in producing latex allergy and asthma symptoms associated with air pollution particles. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. A Figure 2. B Figure 3. Figure 4. PMID:8959407

Urban biomass - not an urban legend

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Utilizing biomass from urban landscapes could significantly contribute to the nation’s renewable energy needs. There is an estimated 16.4 million hectares of land in urban areas cultivated with turfgrass and associated vegetation. Vegetation in urban areas is intensely managed which lead to regula...

Photochemistry in the Atmospheres of Denver and Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantrell, C. A.

2016-12-01

The composition of atmospheres in and downwind of urban centers has been the subject of study for decades. While early campaigns involved measurements exclusively from the ground, more recent studies have included airborne-based observations. Improved understanding has hinged critically on the development of instrumentation for better qualitifcation of pollutants, and measurement of previously unobserved species in the gas and particulate phases. Comprehensive, well-planned studies have, over time, led to more detailed understanding of chemical transformations and thus improved model representations and directions for further research. This presentation focuses on findings from two case studies of urban atmospheres, namely the MILAGRO study in the Mexico City metropolitan area and the FRAPPE study in the Denver metropolitan region. Both studies made use of extensive ground-based networks and multiple aircraft platforms. The data collected during these studies have been combined with numerical models to derive assessments of the evolution of atmospheric composition due to photochemistry, mixing, and surface processes. Here, analysis of MILAGRO data focuses on the evolution of outflow downwind of the urban region. In FRAPPE, the focus is the possible role of oil and gas exploration on urban air quality. These findings are used to assess the accuracy of current numerical models to reproduce observations, and to point toward areas possibly needing further study.

Urban air carcinogens and their effects on health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lechner, J.F.

1994-11-01

Airborne carcinogens may be relevant especially in metropolitan regions with extreme smog as a primary cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer is most common in urban environs and the incidence directly correlates with the size of the city. In addition, several, but not all formal epidemiological studies also suggest a positive correlation between lung cancer incidence and the intensity of air pollution exposure. There is further support for a role of air pollution; as of 1993, 4.4% of all of the bronchogenic adenocarcinoma cancer cases among Mexicans living in industrialized cities are under 40 years of age. It is plausiblemore » that chronic inhalation of automobile combustion products, factory emissions, and/or radon is at least partially responsible for the higher incidence of lung cancer exemplified by the never-smoking urban residents. The exceptionally high incidence of lung cancer cases among never-smokers living in highly industrialized Mexican cities offers a unique opportunity to use molecular epidemiology to test whether chronic inhalation of atmospheric pollutants increases the risk for this disease. Overall, the analysis of the genetic alterations in two cancer genes, and possibly the hprt locus should give new insight as to whether the urban never-smokers developed their cancers because of exposure to environmental pollutants.« less

Characteristics, determinants, and spatial variations of ambient fungal levels in the subtropical Taipei metropolis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yi-Hua; Chan, Chang-Chuan; Rao, Carol Y.; Lee, Chung-Te; Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien; Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu; Chao, H. Jasmine

This study was conducted to investigate the temporal and spatial distributions, compositions, and determinants of ambient aeroallergens in Taipei, Taiwan, a subtropical metropolis. We monitored ambient culturable fungi in Shin-Jhuang City, an urban area, and Shi-Men Township, a rural area, in Taipei metropolis from 2003 to 2004. We collected ambient fungi in the last week of every month during the study period, using duplicate Burkard portable samplers and Malt Extract Agar. The median concentration of total fungi was 1339 colony-forming units m -3 of air over the study period. The most prevalent fungi were non-sporulating fungi, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Curvularia and Aspergillus at both sites. Airborne fungal concentrations and diversity of fungal species were generally higher in urban than in rural areas. Most fungal taxa had significant seasonal variations, with higher levels in summer. Multivariate analyses showed that the levels of ambient fungi were associated positively with temperature, but negatively with ozone and several other air pollutants. Relative humidity also had a significant non-linear relationship with ambient fungal levels. We concluded that the concentrations and the compositions of ambient fungi are diverse in urban and rural areas in the subtropical region. High ambient fungal levels were related to an urban environment and environmental conditions of high temperature and low ozone levels.

Oblique Photogrammetry Supporting 3d Urban Reconstruction of Complex Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toschi, I.; Ramos, M. M.; Nocerino, E.; Menna, F.; Remondino, F.; Moe, K.; Poli, D.; Legat, K.; Fassi, F.

2017-05-01

Accurate 3D city models represent an important source of geospatial information to support various "smart city" applications, such as space management, energy assessment, 3D cartography, noise and pollution mapping as well as disaster management. Even though remarkable progress has been made in recent years, there are still many open issues, especially when it comes to the 3D modelling of complex urban scenarios like historical and densely-built city centres featuring narrow streets and non-conventional building shapes. Most approaches introduce strong building priors/constraints on symmetry and roof typology that penalize urban environments having high variations of roof shapes. Furthermore, although oblique photogrammetry is rapidly maturing, the use of slanted views for façade reconstruction is not completely included in the reconstruction pipeline of state-of-the-art software. This paper aims to investigate state-of-the-art methods for 3D building modelling in complex urban scenarios with the support of oblique airborne images. A reconstruction approach based on roof primitives fitting is tested. Oblique imagery is then exploited to support the manual editing of the generated building models. At the same time, mobile mapping data are collected at cm resolution and then integrated with the aerial ones. All approaches are tested on the historical city centre of Bergamo (Italy).

Wildfire Emissions and Their Interaction with Urban and Rural Pollution: Data and Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, H. B.

2014-01-01

In recent years NASA has conducted a series of airborne campaigns (e. g. SEAC4RS*, ARCTAS, INTEX-A/B) over North America using an instrumented DC-8 aircraft equipped to measure a very large number of gaseous and aerosol constituents including several unique tracers. In these campaigns wild fires were extensively sampled near source as well as downwind after aging. The data provided detailed information on the composition and chemistry of fire emissions under a variety of atmospheric conditions as well as their interactions with rural and urban air pollution. Major fires studied including the California Rim fire in 2013 (SEAC4RS), the 2008 California wildfires (ARCTAS), and the Alaskan fires downwind over eastern US (INTEX-A). Although some fire plumes contained virtually no O3 enhancement, others showed significant ozone formation. Over Los Angeles, the highest O3 mixing ratios were observed in fire influenced urban air masses. Attempts to simulate these interactions using state of the art models were only minimally successful and indicated several shortcomings in simulating fire emission influences on urban smog formation. A variety of secondary oxidation products (e. g. O3, PAN, HCHO) were substantially underestimated. We will discuss the data collected in fire influenced air masses and their potential air quality implications.

Representation of urban surfaces of tropical and subtropical cities in numerical models of the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karam, H. A.; Pereira Filho, A. J.

This work proposes a numerical representation of the urban surface for tropical and subtropical cities in numerical models of atmosphere. A typical tropical metropolis is São Paulo City, SP, Brazil, that presents a neighborhood area characterized by an uncompleted urbanization and where the public services are limited in attend the needs of the population. The suburban area of São Paulo city presents an occupation that is distinguished of the typical occupation of the European cities because: (1) it occurs in risk areas, i.e., over inclined terrain or potentially flooded areas on the borders of rivers; (2) the buildings are made with some cheap row material mixed with traditional materials; (3) the distribution of short and long wave radiation is conditioned by the inclination of the terrain, geometry of the buildings, materials and population density; (4) the exclusion of many common living areas; (5) intense or free thermal convection is found over the urban surface on the diurnal time with impact in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer dynamics; (6) high levels of airborne pollutants are found; etc. The proposed numerical scheme is designed to contribute with the current tools used to forecast the impact of convective precipitations in the risk areas of São Paulo City.

Integrative health risk assessment of air pollution in the northwest of Spain.

PubMed

García-Santiago, Xela; Gallego-Fernández, Nuria; Muniategui-Lorenzo, Soledad; Piñeiro-Iglesias, María; López-Mahía, Purificación; Franco-Uría, Amaya

2017-02-01

Levels, origins and potential risks due to different air pollutants (ozone, SO 2 and particle-borne metals) in NW Spain were investigated in eight locations affected by different emission sources. All monitored locations suffered the influence of traffic and industrial emissions, being this influence more important in urban locations. Although average values of the estimated hazard index (HI) due to particle-borne metals showed values lower than one, maximum values of this parameter exceeded this safety limit in urban locations. In general, Ni and As were identified as those metals most contributing to the HI. Furthermore, the presence of industrial emission episodes produced a significant increase in the magnitude of the HI in two of the seven urban areas. Therefore, the frequency and intensity of these episodes should be further investigated. Finally, levels of airborne and particle-borne pollutants were integrated with the aim of providing a comprehensive assessment of health risk. According to an established indexing system, air quality can be classified from good to moderate, being the southern urban locations (the most densely populated and industrialised ones) presenting the worst values. However, either the high or the low influence of acute and chronic-effect pollutants on air quality depends on the location.

Temporal variation in airborne microbial populations and microbially-derived allergens in a tropical urban landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Anthony C.; Brar, Manreetpal S.; Chan, Yuki; Lau, Maggie C. Y.; Leung, Frederick C. C.; Scott, James A.; Vrijmoed, Lilian L. P.; Zawar-Reza, Peyman; Pointing, Stephen B.

2013-08-01

The microbial component of outdoor aerosols was assessed along a gradient of urban development from inner-city to rural in the seasonal-tropical metropolis of Hong Kong. Sampling over a continuous one-year period was conducted, with molecular analyses to characterize bacterial and eukaryal microbial populations, immuno-assays to detect microbially-derived allergens and extensive environmental and meteorological observations. The data revealed bio-aerosol populations were not significantly impacted by the level of urban development as measured by anthropogenic pollutants and human population levels, but instead exhibited a strong seasonal trend related to general climatic variables. We applied back-trajectory analysis to establish sources of air masses and this allowed further explanation of urban bio-aerosols largely in terms of summer-marine and winter-continental origins. We also evaluated bio-aerosols for the potential to detect human health threats. Many samples supported bacterial and fungal phylotypes indicative of known pathogenic taxa, together with common indicators of human presence. The occurrence of allergenic endotoxins and beta-glucans generally tracked trends in microbial populations, with levels known to induce symptoms detected during summer months when microbial loading was higher. This strengthens calls for bio-aerosols to be considered in future risk assessments and surveillance of air quality, along with existing chemical and particulate indices.

Level, potential sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM10) in Naples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Vaio, Paola; Cocozziello, Beatrice; Corvino, Angela; Fiorino, Ferdinando; Frecentese, Francesco; Magli, Elisa; Onorati, Giuseppe; Saccone, Irene; Santagada, Vincenzo; Settimo, Gaetano; Severino, Beatrice; Perissutti, Elisa

2016-03-01

In Naples, particulate matter PM10 associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air were determined in urban background (NA01) and urban traffic (NA02) sites. The principal objective of the study was to determine the concentration and distribution of PAHs in PM10 for identification of their possible sources (through diagnostic ratio - DR and principal component analysis - PCA) and an estimation of the human health risk (from exposure to airborne TEQ). Airborne PM10 samples were collected on quartz filters using a Low Volume Sampler (LVS) for 24 h with seasonal samples (autumn, winter, spring and summer) of about 15 days each between October 2012 and July 2013. The PM10 mass was gravimetrically determined. The PM10 levels, in all seasons, were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the urban-traffic site (NA02) than in the urban-background site (NA01). The filters were then extracted with dichloromethane using an ultrasonicator (SONICA) to perform a detailed characterization of 12 priority PAHs proposed by the USEPA, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis. The concentration of Benzo[a]Pyrene, BaP (EU and National limit value: 1 ng m-3 in PM10), varied from 0.065 ng m-3 during autumn time to 0.872 ng m-3 in spring time (NA01) and from 0.120 ng m-3 during autumn time to 1.48 ng m-3 of winter time (NA02) with four overshoots. In NA02 the trend of Σ12 PAHs was comparable to NA01 but were observed higher values than NA01. In fact, the mean concentration of Σ12 PAHs, in urban-traffic site was generally 2 times greater than in urban-background site in all the campaigns. PAHs with 5 and 6 ring, many of which are suspected carcinogens or genotoxic agents, (i.e Benzo[a]Pyrene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]Pyrene, Benzo[b]Fluoranthene, Benzo[k]Fluoranthene and Benzo[g,h,i]Perylene), had a large contribution (∼50-55%) of total PAHs concentration in PM10 in two sites and in each of the campaigns. Diagnostic ratio analysis and PCA suggested a substantial contributions from traffic emission with minimal influence from coal combustion and natural gas emissions. In particular diesel vehicular emissions were the major source of PAHs at the studied sites. The use of Toxicity Equivalence Quantity (TEQ) concentration provide a better estimation of carcinogenicity activities; health risk to adults and children associated with PAHs inhalation was assessed by taking into account the lifetime average daily dose and corresponding incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). The ILCR was within the acceptable range (10-6-10-4), indicating a low health risk to residents in these areas.

Improving urban land use and land cover classification from high-spatial-resolution hyperspectral imagery using contextual information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, He; Ma, Ben; Du, Qian; Yang, Chenghai

2010-08-01

In this paper, we propose approaches to improve the pixel-based support vector machine (SVM) classification for urban land use and land cover (LULC) mapping from airborne hyperspectral imagery with high spatial resolution. Class spatial neighborhood relationship is used to correct the misclassified class pairs, such as roof and trail, road and roof. These classes may be difficult to be separated because they may have similar spectral signatures and their spatial features are not distinct enough to help their discrimination. In addition, misclassification incurred from within-class trivial spectral variation can be corrected by using pixel connectivity information in a local window so that spectrally homogeneous regions can be well preserved. Our experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approaches in classification accuracy improvement. The overall performance is competitive to the object-based SVM classification.

Walker occupancy has an impact on changing airborne bacterial communities in an underground pedestrian space, as small-dust particles increased with raising both temperature and humidity.

PubMed

Okubo, Torahiko; Osaki, Takako; Nozaki, Eriko; Uemura, Akira; Sakai, Kouhei; Matushita, Mizue; Matsuo, Junji; Nakamura, Shinji; Kamiya, Shigeru; Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki

2017-01-01

Although human occupancy is a source of airborne bacteria, the role of walkers on bacterial communities in built environments is poorly understood. Therefore, we visualized the impact of walker occupancy combined with other factors (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, dust particles) on airborne bacterial features in the Sapporo underground pedestrian space in Sapporo, Japan. Air samples (n = 18; 4,800L/each sample) were collected at 8:00 h to 20:00 h on 3 days (regular sampling) and at early morning / late night (5:50 h to 7:50 h / 22:15 h to 24:45 h) on a day (baseline sampling), and the number of CFUs (colony forming units) OTUs (operational taxonomic units) and other factors were determined. The results revealed that temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure changed with weather. The number of walkers increased greatly in the morning and evening on each regular sampling day, although total walker numbers did not differ significantly among regular sampling days. A slight increase in small dust particles (0.3-0.5μm) was observed on the days with higher temperature regardless of regular or baseline sampling. At the period on regular sampling, CFU levels varied irregularly among days, and the OTUs of 22-phylum types were observed, with the majority being from Firmicutes or Proteobacteria (γ-), including Staphylococcus sp. derived from human individuals. The data obtained from regular samplings reveled that although no direct interaction of walker occupancy and airborne CFU and OTU features was observed upon Pearson's correlation analysis, cluster analysis indicated an obvious lineage consisting of walker occupancy, CFU numbers, OTU types, small dust particles, and seasonal factors (including temperature and humidity). Meanwhile, at the period on baseline sampling both walker and CFU numbers were similarly minimal. Taken together, the results revealed a positive correlation of walker occupancy with airborne bacteria that increased with increases in temperature and humidity in the presence of airborne small particles. Moreover, the results indicated that small dust particles at high temperature and humidity may be a crucial factor responsible for stabilizing the bacteria released from walkers in built environments. The findings presented herein advance our knowledge and understanding of the relationship between humans and bacterial communities in built environments, and will help improve public health in urban communities.

Walker occupancy has an impact on changing airborne bacterial communities in an underground pedestrian space, as small-dust particles increased with raising both temperature and humidity

PubMed Central

Okubo, Torahiko; Osaki, Takako; Nozaki, Eriko; Uemura, Akira; Sakai, Kouhei; Matushita, Mizue; Matsuo, Junji; Nakamura, Shinji; Kamiya, Shigeru

2017-01-01

Although human occupancy is a source of airborne bacteria, the role of walkers on bacterial communities in built environments is poorly understood. Therefore, we visualized the impact of walker occupancy combined with other factors (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, dust particles) on airborne bacterial features in the Sapporo underground pedestrian space in Sapporo, Japan. Air samples (n = 18; 4,800L/each sample) were collected at 8:00 h to 20:00 h on 3 days (regular sampling) and at early morning / late night (5:50 h to 7:50 h / 22:15 h to 24:45 h) on a day (baseline sampling), and the number of CFUs (colony forming units) OTUs (operational taxonomic units) and other factors were determined. The results revealed that temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure changed with weather. The number of walkers increased greatly in the morning and evening on each regular sampling day, although total walker numbers did not differ significantly among regular sampling days. A slight increase in small dust particles (0.3–0.5μm) was observed on the days with higher temperature regardless of regular or baseline sampling. At the period on regular sampling, CFU levels varied irregularly among days, and the OTUs of 22-phylum types were observed, with the majority being from Firmicutes or Proteobacteria (γ-), including Staphylococcus sp. derived from human individuals. The data obtained from regular samplings reveled that although no direct interaction of walker occupancy and airborne CFU and OTU features was observed upon Pearson's correlation analysis, cluster analysis indicated an obvious lineage consisting of walker occupancy, CFU numbers, OTU types, small dust particles, and seasonal factors (including temperature and humidity). Meanwhile, at the period on baseline sampling both walker and CFU numbers were similarly minimal. Taken together, the results revealed a positive correlation of walker occupancy with airborne bacteria that increased with increases in temperature and humidity in the presence of airborne small particles. Moreover, the results indicated that small dust particles at high temperature and humidity may be a crucial factor responsible for stabilizing the bacteria released from walkers in built environments. The findings presented herein advance our knowledge and understanding of the relationship between humans and bacterial communities in built environments, and will help improve public health in urban communities. PMID:28922412

Mapping forest structure, species gradients and growth in an urban area using lidar and hyperspectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Huan

Urban forests play an important role in the urban ecosystem by providing a range of ecosystem services. Characterization of forest structure, species variation and growth in urban forests is critical for understanding the status, function and process of urban ecosystems, and helping maximize the benefits of urban ecosystems through management. The development of methods and applications to quantify urban forests using remote sensing data has lagged the study of natural forests due to the heterogeneity and complexity of urban ecosystems. In this dissertation, I quantify and map forest structure, species gradients and forest growth in an urban area using discrete-return lidar, airborne imaging spectroscopy and thermal infrared data. Specific objectives are: (1) to demonstrate the utility of leaf-off lidar originally collected for topographic mapping to characterize and map forest structure and associated uncertainties, including aboveground biomass, basal area, diameter, height and crown size; (2) to map species gradients using forest structural variables estimated from lidar and foliar functional traits, vegetation indices derived from AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery in conjunction with field-measured species data; and (3) to identify factors related to relative growth rates in aboveground biomass in the urban forests, and assess forest growth patterns across areas with varying degree of human interactions. The findings from this dissertation are: (1) leaf-off lidar originally acquired for topographic mapping provides a robust, potentially low-cost approach to quantify spatial patterns of forest structure and carbon stock in urban areas; (2) foliar functional traits and vegetation indices from hyperspectral data capture gradients of species distributions in the heterogeneous urban landscape; (3) species gradients, stand structure, foliar functional traits and temperature are strongly related to forest growth in the urban forests; and (4) high uncertainties in our ability to map forest structure, species gradient and growth rate occur in residential neighborhoods and along forest edges. Maps generated from this dissertation provide estimates of broad-scale spatial variations in forest structure, species distributions and growth to the city forest managers. The associated maps of uncertainty help managers understand the limitations of the maps and identify locations where the maps are more reliable and where more data are needed.

Effects on asthma and respiratory allergy of Climate change and air pollution.

PubMed

D'Amato, Gennaro; Vitale, Carolina; De Martino, Annamaria; Viegi, Giovanni; Lanza, Maurizia; Molino, Antonio; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Vatrella, Alessandro; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; D'Amato, Maria

2015-01-01

The major changes to our world are those involving the atmosphere and the climate, including global warming induced by anthropogenic factors, with impact on the biosphere and human environment. Studies on the effects of climate changes on respiratory allergy are still lacking and current knowledge is provided by epidemiological and experimental studies on the relationship between allergic respiratory diseases, asthma and environmental factors, like meteorological variables, airborne allergens and air pollution. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that urbanization, high levels of vehicle emissions and westernized lifestyle are correlated with an increased frequency of respiratory allergy, mainly in people who live in urban areas in comparison with people living in rural areas. However, it is not easy to evaluate the impact of climate changes and air pollution on the prevalence of asthma in general and on the timing of asthma exacerbations, although the global rise in asthma prevalence and severity could be also considered an effect of air pollution and climate changes. Since airborne allergens and air pollutants are frequently increased contemporaneously in the atmosphere, enhanced IgE-mediated response to aeroallergens and enhanced airway inflammation could account for the increasing frequency of respiratory allergy and asthma in atopic subjects in the last five decades. Pollen allergy is frequently used to study the interrelationship between air pollution and respiratory allergic diseases such as rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Climatic factors (temperature, wind speed, humidity, thunderstorms, etc) can affect both components (biological and chemical) of this interaction. Scientific societies should be involved in advocacy activities, such as those realized by the Global Alliance against chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD).

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Urbanization - Physical Habitat

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to physical habitat changes associated with urbanization, overview of how urbanization can lead to channel enlargement, summary of how road crossings can affect stream ecosystems, summary of how urbanization can alter streambed substrates.

Monitoring trends of urban development and environmental impact of Beijing, 1999-2006.

PubMed

Liu, Gengyuan; Yang, Zhifeng; Chen, Bin; Ulgiati, Sergio

2011-08-15

The high rates of environmental change and accelerated species loss in the urban development process should be quantified to rebalance the social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In this study, an emergy-based environmental impact assessment model is designed according to the framework of the Eco-Indicator 99 for monitoring the negative effects on human well-being and ecosystem integrity in the urban development system of Beijing from 1999 to 2006. The environmental impact assessment model is based on the sustainability promotion perspective, and emphasizes the determinants of human health and ecosystem integrity in the urban development process. It is vital that the links among human health, ecosystem integrity and urban sustainability are therefore considered especially from the perspective of a supply-side environmental cost evaluation (including ecological service supply, ecological and economic losses and investment for treatment). Results suggest that: (1) out of all the pollutants, ecological services were mainly used to dilute sulfur dioxide and NH(3)-N; (2) nitrogen dioxide and greenhouse gases released by the urban system contribute heavily to both ecological and economic losses evaluated in emergy terms; and (3) emissions impact, mainly from airborne pollutants, with small contribution from waterborne emissions, generally increases from 1999 to 2006, undermining the sustainability of Beijing. The emergy synthesis proves to be very appropriate to account for large-scale and indirect costs generated by pollution as side effects of economic activity. Such knowledge is a necessary pre-requisite to perform a reliable cost-benefit evaluation of urban sustainability strategies, and provide guidance for policy decision making to maximize benefits and minimize negative impacts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA's P-3 at Sunrise

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA's P-3B airborne laboratory on the ramp at Thule Air Base in Greenland early on the morning of Mar. 21, 2013. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Christy Hansen NASA's Operation IceBridge is an airborne science mission to study Earth's polar ice. For more information about IceBridge, visit: www.nasa.gov/icebridge NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Portable detection of trace metals in airborne particulates and sediments via μPADs and smartphone.

PubMed

Jia, Yuan; Dong, Hui; Zheng, Jianping; Sun, Hao

2017-11-01

Particulate matter (PM), a key indicator of air pollution by natural and anthropogenic activities, contributes to a wide spectrum of diseases that lead to a shortening of life expectancy. It has been recognized that trace metals in airborne PM are highly toxic and can be correlated with lesion in respiratory, gastrointestinal, immunological, and hematological systems. Traditional methods for trace metal assay require sophisticated instrumentations and highly trained operators in centralized laboratories. In this work, by integrating the technologies of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices, additive manufacturing, smartphone, and colorimetric sensing, we developed the first smartphone based paper microfluidic platform for portable, disposable, and quantitative measurements of cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in ambient air and street sediments. On a single A4-sized paper, 48 devices were fabricated in under 30 s with a total cost of ∼$1.9. On each device, 12 reaction units were patterned and used for colorimetric tests. Particulate samples from urban ambient air and street sediments were collected, processed, and analyzed. Signals of the on-chip complexation product were recorded using a smartphone camera and processed by a self-developed app on an iOS system. For precisely controlling the object distance, chip position, and luminance, a hand-held 3D cellphone housing was designed and printed. The detection limits of Co, Cu, and Fe were determined to be 8.2, 45.8, and 186.0 ng, while the linear dynamic ranges were calculated to be 8.2-81.6, 45.8-4.58 × 10 2 , and 1.86 × 10 2 -1.86 × 10 3  ng, representing a practically relevant device performance with a significant reduction in the detection cost and time consumption. Trace metals in ambient air and sediments of two cities in China have been quantified portably, thus demonstrating the utility of our system in improving strategies for air pollution control in low-resource settings.

Airborne and ground-based measurements of the trace gases and particles emitted from prescribed fires in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burling, Ian; Yokelson, Robert J.; Akagi, Sheryl

2011-12-07

We measured the emission factors for 19 trace gas species and particulate matter (PM2.5) from 14 prescribed fires in chaparral and oak savanna in the southwestern US, as well as pine forest understory in the southeastern US and Sierra Nevada mountains of California. These are likely the most extensive emission factor field measurements for temperate biomass burning to date and the only published emission factors for temperate oak savanna fuels. This study helps close the gap in emissions data available for temperate zone fires relative to tropical biomass burning. We present the first field measurements of the biomass burning emissionsmore » of glycolaldehyde, a possible precursor for aqueous phase secondary organic aerosol formation. We also measured the emissions of phenol, another aqueous phase secondary organic aerosol precursor. Our data confirm previous suggestions that urban deposition can impact the NOx emission factors and thus subsequent plume chemistry. For two fires, we measured the emissions in the convective smoke plume from our airborne platform at the same time the unlofted residual smoldering combustion emissions were measured with our ground-based platform after the flame front passed through. The smoke from residual smoldering combustion was characterized by emission factors for hydrocarbon and oxygenated organic species that were up to ten times higher than in the lofted plume, including significant 1,3-butadiene and isoprene concentrations which were not observed in the lofted plume. This should be considered in modeling the air quality impacts of smoke that disperses at ground level, and we show that the normally-ignored unlofted emissions can also significantly impact estimates of total emissions. Preliminary evidence of large emissions of monoterpenes was seen in the residual smoldering spectra, but we have not yet quantified these emissions. These data should lead to an improved capacity to model the impacts of biomass burning in similar ecosystems.« less

Measuring Thermal Characteristics of Urban Landscapes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Quattrochi, Dale A.; Rickman, Doug L.

1999-01-01

The additional heating of the air over the city is the result of the replacement of naturally vegetated surfaces with those composed of asphalt, concrete, rooftops and other man-made materials. The temperatures of these artificial surfaces can be 20 to 40 C higher than vegetated surfaces. Materials such as asphalt store much of the sun's energy and remains hot long after sunset. This produces a dome of elevated air temperatures 5 to 8 C greater over the city, compared to the air temperatures over adjacent rural areas. This effect is called the "urban heat island". Urban landscapes are a complex mixture of vegetated and nonvegetated surfaces. It is difficult to take enough temperature measurements over a large city area to characterize the complexity of urban radiant surface temperature variability. However, the use of remotely sensed thermal data from airborne scanners are ideal for the task. In a study funded by NASA, a series of flights over Huntsville, Alabama were performed in September 1994 and over Atlanta, Georgia in May 1997. Analysis of thermal energy responses for specific or discrete surfaces typical of the urban landscape (e.g., asphalt, building rooftops, vegetation) requires measurements at a very fine spatial scale (i.e., <15 m) to adequately resolve these surfaces and their attendant thermal energy regimes. Additionally, very fine scale spatial resolution thermal infrared data, such as that obtained from aircraft, are very useful for demonstrating to planning officials, policy makers, and the general populace, what the benefits are of the urban forest in both mitigating the urban heat island effect, in making cities more aesthetically pleasing and more habitable environments, and in overall cooling of the community. In this presentation we will examine the techniques of analyzing remotely sensed data for measuring the effect of various urban surfaces on their contribution to the urban heat island effect.

Measuring urban tree loss dynamics across residential landscapes.

PubMed

Ossola, Alessandro; Hopton, Matthew E

2018-01-15

The spatial arrangement of urban vegetation depends on urban morphology and socio-economic settings. Urban vegetation changes over time because of human management. Urban trees are removed due to hazard prevention or aesthetic preferences. Previous research attributed tree loss to decreases in canopy cover. However, this provides little information about location and structural characteristics of trees lost, as well as environmental and social factors affecting tree loss dynamics. This is particularly relevant in residential landscapes where access to residential parcels for field surveys is limited. We tested whether multi-temporal airborne LiDAR and multi-spectral imagery collected at a 5-year interval can be used to investigate urban tree loss dynamics across residential landscapes in Denver, CO and Milwaukee, WI, covering 400,705 residential parcels in 444 census tracts. Position and stem height of trees lost were extracted from canopy height models calculated as the difference between final (year 5) and initial (year 0) vegetation height derived from LiDAR. Multivariate regression models were used to predict number and height of tree stems lost in residential parcels in each census tract based on urban morphological and socio-economic variables. A total of 28,427 stems were lost from residential parcels in Denver and Milwaukee over 5years. Overall, 7% of residential parcels lost one stem, averaging 90.87 stems per km 2 . Average stem height was 10.16m, though trees lost in Denver were taller compared to Milwaukee. The number of stems lost was higher in neighborhoods with higher canopy cover and developed before the 1970s. However, socio-economic characteristics had little effect on tree loss dynamics. The study provides a simple method for measuring urban tree loss dynamics within and across entire cities, and represents a further step toward high resolution assessments of the three-dimensional change of urban vegetation at large spatial scales. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Airborne Detection of Cosmic-Ray Albedo Neutrons for Regional-Scale Surveys of Root-Zone Soil Water on Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrön, M.; Bannehr, L.; Köhli, M.; Zreda, M. G.; Weimar, J.; Zacharias, S.; Oswald, S. E.; Bumberger, J.; Samaniego, L. E.; Schmidt, U.; Zieger, P.; Dietrich, P.

2017-12-01

While the detection of albedo neutrons from cosmic rays became a standard method in planetary space science, airborne neutron sensing has never been conceived for hydrological research on Earth. We assessed the applicability of atmospheric neutrons to sense root-zone soil moisture averaged over tens of hectares using neutron detectors on an airborne vehicle. Large-scale quantification of near-surface water content is an urgent challenge in hydrology. Information about soil and plant water is crucial to accurately assess the risks for floods and droughts, to adjust regional weather forecasts, and to calibrate and validate the corresponding models. However, there is a lack of data at scales relevant for these applications. Most conventional ground-based geophysical instruments provide root-zone soil moisture only within a few tens of m2, while electromagnetic signals from conventional remote-sensing instruments can only penetrate the first few centimeters below surface, though at larger spatial areas.In the last couple of years, stationary and roving neutron detectors have been used to sense the albedo component of cosmic-ray neutrons, which represents the average water content within 10—15 hectares and 10—50 cm depth. However, the application of these instruments is limited by inaccessible terrain and interfering local effects from roads. To overcome these limitations, we have pioneered first simulations and experiments of such sensors in the field of airborne geophysics. Theoretical investigations have shown that the footprint increases substantially with height above ground, while local effects smooth out throughout the whole area. Campaigns with neutron detectors mounted on a lightweight gyrocopter have been conducted over areas of various landuse types including agricultural fields, urban areas, forests, flood plains, and lakes. The neutron signal showed influence of soil moisture patterns in heights of up to 180 m above ground. We found correlation with ground-truthing data, using mobile cosmic-ray neutron sensors, local soil samples, TDR, and buried wireless soil moisture monitoring networks. The work opens the path towards further systematic assessment of airborne neutron sensing, which could become a valuable addition - or even an alternative - to conventional remote-sensing methods.

Manganese and lead in dust fall accumulation in elementary schools near a ferromanganese alloy plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Menezes-Filho, José Antonio, E-mail: antomen@ufba.br; Souza, Karine O. Fraga de, E-mail: karinefraga11@hotmail.com; Rodrigues, Juliana L. Gomes, E-mail: juuhrodrigues@icloud.com

Previous studies have shown elevated airborne manganese (Mn) in villages adjacent to a Mn alloy production plant in Brazil and negative associations between biomarkers of Mn and children's cognition and behavior. Since small Mn particles may be carried for long distances, we measured manganese (Mn) and lead (Pb) dust fall accumulation in 15 elementary schools, located between 1.25 and 6.48 km from the plant in the municipality of Simões Filho, Bahia, Brazil. Passive samplers (polyethylene Petri dishes) were set in interior and exterior environments. After 30 days, the samplers’ content was solubilized with diluted nitric acid and Mn and Pbmore » levels were analyzed by electrothermal absorption spectrometry. The overall geometric mean and range of Mn and Pb accumulation in dust fall (loading rates) were 1582 μg Mn/m{sup 2}/30 days (37–37,967) and 43.2 μg Pb/m{sup 2}/30 days (2.9–210.4). A logarithmic decrease in interior and exterior Mn loading rates was observed with distance from the ferro-manganese alloy plant. Multiple regression analyses of log-transformed Mn loading rate within the schools showed a positive association with Mn levels in outdoor dust, a negative association with distance from the plant; as well, wind direction (downwind>upwind) and school location (urban>rural) entered significantly into the model. For the interior school environments, located within a 2-km radius from the plant, loading rate was, on average, 190 times higher than the Mn levels reported by Gulson et al., (2014) in daycare centers in Sydney, Australia, using a similar method. Pb loading rates were not associated with distance from the plant and were lower than the rates observed in the same daycare centers in Sydney. Our findings suggest that a significant portion of the children in this town in Brazil may be exposed to airborne Mn at concentrations that may affect their neurodevelopment. - Highlights: • Manganese levels in settled dust in schools are inversely associated with distance from the Mn processing plant. • In schools within 2-km from plant, indoor Mn levels are 190 times higher than the levels observed in daycares in Australia. • Pb levels are not associated with distance from the plant and are lower than the levels observed in daycares in Australia.« less

Monitoring total endotoxin and (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan at the air exhaust of concentrated animal feeding operations.

PubMed

Yang, Xufei; Wang, Xinlei; Zhang, Yuanhui; Lee, Jongmin; Su, Jingwei; Gates, Richard S

2013-10-01

Mitigation of bioaerosol emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) demands knowledge of bioaerosol concentrations feeding into an end-of-pipe air treatment process. The aim of this preliminary study was to measure total endotoxin and (1 --> 3)-beta-glucan concentrations at the air exhaust of 18 commercial CAFOs and to examine their variability with animal operation type (swine farrowing, swine gestation, swine weaning, swine finishing, manure belt laying hen, and tom turkey) and season (cold, mild, and hot). The measured airborne concentrations of total endotoxin ranged from 98 to 23,157 endotoxin units (EU)/m3, and the airborne concentrations of total (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan ranged from 2.4 to 537.9 ng/m3. Animal operation type in this study had a significant effect on airborne concentrations of total endotoxin and (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan but no significant effect on their concentrations in total suspended particulate (TSP). Both endotoxin and (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan attained their highest airborne concentrations in visited tom turkey buildings. Comparatively, season had no significant effect on airborne concentrations of total endotoxin or (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan. Endotoxin and (1 --> 3)-beta-glucan concentrations in TSP dust appeared to increase as the weather became warmer, and this seasonal effect was significant in swine buildings. Elevated indoor temperatures in the hot season were considered to facilitate the growth and propagation of bacteria and fungi, thus leading to higher biocomponent concentrations in TSP.

Geo-referenced digital data acquisition and processing system using LiDAR technology.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-02-01

LiDAR technology, introduced in the late 90s, has received wide acceptance in airborne surveying as a leading : tool for obtaining high-quality surface data at decimeter-level vertical accuracy in an unprecedentedly short : turnaround time. State-of-...

The relationship between airborne small ions and particles in urban environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Xuan; Jayaratne, Rohan; Morawska, Lidia

2013-11-01

Ions play an important role in affecting climate and particle formation in the atmosphere. Small ions rapidly attach to particles in the air and, therefore, studies have shown that they are suppressed in polluted environments. Urban environments, in particular, are dominated by motor vehicle emissions and, since motor vehicles are a source of both particles and small ions, the relationship between these two parameters is not well known. In order to gain a better understanding of this relationship, an intensive campaign was undertaken where particles and small ions of both signs were monitored over two week periods at each of three sites A, B and C that were affected to varying degrees by vehicle emissions. Site A was close to a major road and reported the highest particle number and lowest small ion concentrations. Precursors from motor vehicle emissions gave rise to clear particle formation events on five days and, on each day this was accompanied by a suppression of small ions. Observations at Site B, which was located within the urban airshed, though not adjacent to motor traffic, showed particle enhancement but no formation events. Site C was a clean site, away from urban sources. This site reported the lowest particle number and highest small ion concentration. The positive small ion concentration was 10%-40% higher than the corresponding negative value at all sites. These results confirm previous findings that there is a clear inverse relationship between small ions and particles in urban environments dominated by motor vehicle emissions.

Source of lead-210 and polonium-210 in tobacco.

PubMed

Tso, T C; Harley, N; Alexander, L T

1966-08-19

Test plants were grown within a chamber enriched with radon-222 in the atmosphere, in tobacco fields with different sources of phosphate-containing fertilizer, and in culture containing lead-210 in the nutrient solution. Harvested leaves were subjected to three curing conditions. The major portion of the lead-210 in the plant was probably absorbed through the roots. Airborne radon 222 and its daughters contributed much less to the plant's content of lead-210 and of polonium-210. The stage of leaf development and the methods used to cure the leaf affected the final amount of polonium-210 in tobacco leaf.

Rapid determination of lead for industrial hygiene surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, E. W.; Hill, R. F.

1982-02-01

Emphasis on the continued reduction of personnel exposure to airborne lead has led to the development and evaluation of portable instrumentation for the rapid determination of microgram quantities of lead collected on air filter samples. The instrumentation is based on radioisotope-induced X-ray fluorescence; a cadmium-109 radioisotope source is used for sample excitation, and the characteristic lead X-rays emitted are measured by a proportional detector. The effects of excitation source geometry, particle size, and interferences from other elements were investigated. This type of portable instrumentation appears ideally suited for in-plant measurements intended to monitor lead and evaluate new control measures.

Effect of three extraction techniques on submitochondrial particle and Microtox bioassays for airborne particulate matter.

PubMed

Torres-Pérez, Mónica I; Jiménez-Velez, Braulio D; Mansilla-Rivera, Imar; Rodríguez-Sierra, Carlos J

2005-03-01

The effect that three extraction techniques (e.g., Soxhlet, ultrasound and microwave-assisted extraction) have on the toxicity, as measured by submitochondrial particle (SMP) and Microtox assays, of organic extracts was compared from three sources of airborne particulate matter (APM). The extraction technique influenced the toxicity response of APM extracts and it was dependent on the bioassay method, and APM sample source. APM extracts from microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were similar or more toxic than the conventional extraction techniques of Soxhlet and ultrasound, thus, providing an alternate extraction method. The microwave extraction technique has the advantage of using less solvent volume, less extraction time, and the capacity to simultaneously extract twelve samples. The ordering of APM toxicity was generally urban dust > diesel dust > PM10 (particles with diameter < 10 microm), thus, reflecting different chemical composition of the samples. This study is the first to report the suitability of two standard in-vitro bioassays for the future toxicological characterization of APM collected from Puerto Rico, with the SMP generally showing better sensitivity to the well-known Microtox bioassay.

Initial Validation and Results of Geoscience Laser Altimeter System Optical Properties Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hlavka, Dennis L.; Hart, W. D.; Pal, S. P.; McGill, M.; Spinhirne, J. D.

2004-01-01

Verification of Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) optical retrievals is . problematic in that passage over ground sites is both instantaneous and sparse plus space-borne passive sensors such as MODIS are too frequently out of sync with the GLAS position. In October 2003, the GLAS Validation Experiment was executed from NASA Dryden Research Center, California to greatly increase validation possibilities. The high-altitude NASA ER-2 aircraft and onboard instrumentation of Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL), MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS), and/or MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) under-flew seven orbit tracks of GLAS for cirrus, smoke, and urban pollution optical properties inter-comparisons. These highly calibrated suite of instruments are the best data set yet to validate GLAS atmospheric parameters. In this presentation, we will focus on the inter-comparison with GLAS and CPL and draw preliminary conclusions about the accuracies of the GLAS 532nm retrievals of optical depth, extinction, backscatter cross section, and calculated extinction-to-backscatter ratio. Comparisons to an AERONET/MPL ground-based site at Monterey, California will be attempted. Examples of GLAS operational optical data products will be shown.

The child as a projectile.

PubMed

Tibbs, R E; Haines, D E; Parent, A D

1998-12-01

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children under the age of fourteen. The majority of these injuries/deaths occur when the child becomes airborne during an accident. The most common mechanisms by which children become airborne are motor vehicle collisions, bicycling accidents, and falls. A head injury is seen in a significant number of children in this setting. This includes injury to the scalp, skull, coverings of the brain, or the brain itself. These injuries are the most common cause of death in children resulting from unintentional injury. Other typical injuries include external bruises and abrasions, extremity fractures, and bruising or bleeding of internal organs. We propose to name this constellation of injuries the projectile child syndrome. This refers to those injuries occurring in infants and children as a result of becoming airborne during the events of an accident. The pattern of injuries seen as related to the anatomy of the child is stressed. A review of the impact to society and guidelines for prevention are presented.

Nitrous oxide as a dynamical tracer in the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenstein, M.; Podolske, J. R.; Chan, K. R.; Strahan, S. E.

1989-01-01

In situ N2O measurements were made using an airborne tunable laser absorption spectrometer (ATLAS) on 12 flights into the Antarctic vortex, as well as on five transit flights outside the vortex region in August and September 1987, as part of the Airborne Antartic Ozone Experiment. Vertical profiles of N2O were obtained within the vortex on most of these flights and were obtained outside the vortex on several occasions. Flights into the vortex region show N2O decreasing southward between 53 and 72 S latitude on constant potential temperature surfaces in the lower stratosphere. The data lead to two important conclusions about the vortex region: (1) the lower stratosphere in August/September 1987 was occupied by 'old' air, which had subsided several kilometers during polar winter; (2) the N2O profile in the vortex was in an approximately steady state in August/September 1987, which indicates that the spring upwelling, suggested by several theories, did not occur.

Soil carbon pools and fluxes in urban ecosystems

Treesearch

R. Pouyat; P. Groffman; I Yesilonis; L. Hernandez

2002-01-01

The transformation of landscapes from non-urban to urban land use has the potential to greatly modify soil carbon (C) pools and fluxes. For urban ecosystems, very little data exists to assess whether urbanization leads to an increase or decrease in soil C pools. We analyzed three data sets to assess the potential for urbanization to affect soil organic C. These...

Climate warming and the decline of Taxus airborne pollen in urban pollen rain (Emilia Romagna, northern Italy).

PubMed

Mercuri, A M; Torri, P; Casini, E; Olmi, L

2013-01-01

Woody plant performance in a changing global environment has always been at the centre of palaeoenvironmental and long-term climate reconstructions carried out by means of pollen analysis. In Mediterranean regions, Taxus constitutes the highest percentage in past pollen diagrams from cold or cool periods, and therefore it is generally considered a good index to infer climate features from past records. However, a comparison of these inferences with the true current trends in pollen production has not been attemped until now. This study reports the decline of airborne pollen of Taxus observed in Emilia Romagna, a region of northern Italy, during the period 1990-2007. Phenological observations on four male specimens and microscopic examination of fresh pollen were made in order to check Taxus flowering time and pollen morphology. Airborne pollen was monitored through continuous sampling with a Hirst volumetric sampler. In the 18-year long period of investigation, Taxus pollen production has decreased, while total woody pollen abundance in air has increased. The trend of the Taxus pollen season shows a delay at the beginning, a shortening of the pollen period, and an advance of the end of the pollen season. This was interpreted as a response to climate warming. In particular, Taxus follows the behaviour of winter-flowering plants, and therefore earlier pollination is favoured at low autumn temperatures, while late pollination occurs more often, most likely after warm autumn temperatures. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Particulate air pollution from bushfires: human exposure and possible health effects.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, Sathrugnan; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar; Iouri, Kostetski

2006-11-01

Toxicological studies have implicated trace metals adsorbed onto airborne particles as possible contributors to respiratory and/or cardiovascular inflammation. In particular, the water-soluble metal content is considered to be a harmful component of airborne particulate matter. In this work, the trace metal characteristics of airborne particulate matter, PM2.5, collected in Singapore from February to March 2005 were investigated with specific reference to their bioavailability. PM2.5 mass concentrations varied between 20.9 mug/m3 and 46.3 microg/m3 with an average mass of 32.8 microg/m3. During the sampling period, there were several bushfires in Singapore that contributed to sporadic increases in the particulate air pollution, accompanied by an acrid smell and asthma-related allergies. The aerosol samples were subjected to analysis of trace elements for determining their total concentrations as well as their water soluble fractions. Our results showed an increase in concentration of several water-soluble trace metals during bushfires compared to their urban background levels in Singapore. In order to measure the human exposure to particulate air pollution, the daily respiratory uptake (DRU) of several trace metals was calculated and compared between haze and nonhaze periods. The DRU values were significantly higher for several metals, including Zn, Cu, and Fe, during bushfires. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements showed that the particulate samples collected during bush fires generate more toxic hydroxyl radicals (OH.) than those in the background air, due to the presence of more soluble iron ions.

Temporal modelling and forecasting of the airborne pollen of Cupressaceae on the southwestern Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Silva-Palacios, Inmaculada; Fernández-Rodríguez, Santiago; Durán-Barroso, Pablo; Tormo-Molina, Rafael; Maya-Manzano, José María; Gonzalo-Garijo, Ángela

2016-02-01

Cupressaceae includes species cultivated as ornamentals in the urban environment. This study aims to investigate airborne pollen data for Cupressaceae on the southwestern Iberian Peninsula over a 21-year period and to analyse the trends in these data and their relationship with meteorological parameters using time series analysis. Aerobiological sampling was conducted from 1993 to 2013 in Badajoz (SW Spain). The main pollen season for Cupressaceae lasted, on average, 58 days, ranging from 55 to 112 days, from 24 January to 22 March. Furthermore, a short-term forecasting model has been developed for daily pollen concentrations. The model proposed to forecast the airborne pollen concentration is described by one equation. This expression is composed of two terms: the first term represents the pollen concentration trend in the air according to the average concentration of the previous 10 days; the second term is obtained from considering the actual pollen concentration value, which is calculated based on the most representative meteorological parameters multiplied by a fitting coefficient. Temperature was the main meteorological factor by its influence over daily pollen forecast, being the rain the second most important factor. This model represents a good approach to a continuous balance model of Cupressaceae pollen concentration and is supported by a close agreement between the observed and predicted mean concentrations. The novelty of the proposed model is the analysis of meteorological parameters that are not frequently used in Aerobiology.

75 FR 21660 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... Housing and Urban Development (``HUD'') under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, 42 U... examined at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of General Counsel, 451 7th St. NW... paint free. In addition, Defendant will abate lead-based paint hazards on friction and impact surfaces...