Investigation of means for PM2.5 mitigation through atmospheric modeling

Motivation: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed the previous 24 hour standard of 65 µg/m3 to 35 µg/m3. The annual PM2.5 standard of 15 µg/m3 remained. Data collected by the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) and faculty at the Geophysical Institute (GI) indicate that in the past years PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the new standard frequently.

Research goal: Our research examines various options how the borough could get into compliance.

Method: The research is carried out by means of the WRF/Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting chemistry) modeling system

Personnel: Nicole Mölders, Huy N.Q. Tran

Summer intern: Todd Fortun (2009)

Sponsor: Fairbanks North Star Borough

Preliminary results:

For quarterly reports email molders "at" gi.alaska.edu

Fortun, T., Mölders, N., 2009: Investigations on the sensitivity of predicted air quality to the uncertainty in anthropogenic emissions.

Mölders, N., Tran, H.N.Q., 2009: Contribution of point emissions on the PM2.5 concentrations at breathing level.