SGER: Measurements of particle emissions from The World Trade Center site in New York City

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

0211625 Parlange The purpose of the research is to address questions on the particle transport from the World Trade Center (WTC) Site through the deployment of state-of-the-art instrumentation to measure the emission and resuspension of particles into the atmosphere It is planned to conduct the study over a ten-day intensive field observation period at the WTC site and the surrounding region of the greater New York City area to measure the flux of particles from the site and the vertical and horizontal extent of the aerosol plume. At the site, a combination of turbulence sensors, including Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Holographic PIV and sonic anemometers mounted on a telescopic profiling tower to continually measure the shear stress and the concentration and flux profiles of p[articles from the surface up to 10 m. above the site. A scanning elastic lidar system will be deployed to measure at high resolution (1.5 m.) the relative concentration of particles in the lower atmosphere (range up to 7 km.). The lidar will be deployed both near the site and at sites to be identified in the greater NYC area. The lidar system will be calibrated using the concentration measurements obtained from the PIV systems. An analysis of the field data collected will be conducted to identify relationships between weather conditions (e.g., wind shear stress, sensible heat flux) and the magnitude of the surface flux of particles and the extent of the transport into the atmosphere. ***