Modelling photochemical air pollution from industrial and biogenic emissions in the Terrace-Kitimat valley : a constrained coastal airshed with complex terrain
department or school: Science, Faculty of
department or school: Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Weinstein, Benjamin Ralph
issued: 2015-12-17T03:06:18
issued: 2015
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: This study investigates the worst-case ambient concentrations of O₃ and its precursors (NOx and VOCs) that may occur from the construction of large industrial facilities in the Terrace-Kitimat valley airshed. This research is important as the Terrace-Kitimat valley naturally emits high levels of biogenic VOCs in the summer and many of the proposed facilities will, if constructed, emit high quantities of NOX. To date, literature concerning O₃ production form industrial development in coastal airsheds with complex terrain is sparse. The Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) was used as the photochemical model for this research. Spring and summer periods were selected from 2010. Control and Test Case emission inventories were developed, the former for model evaluation and the latter to assess pollutant change. Model evaluation showed that CAMx was able to emulate daytime O₃ peaks in an adjacent valley for both periods though overnight titration by NO was less adequately replicated. Sensitivity tests revealed that this was due in part to inade- quate Control Case emissions quantification; results improved with the addition of small scale area-based NOx emissions to account for missing sources in the original emissions inventory. Results from the spring period suggest that increased industrial emissions, in general, would not contribute to valley-wide O₃ increases greater than 5 ppb, as biogenic VOC emissions are minimal throughout the airshed during this season. On the other hand, results from the summer period suggest that increased industrial emissions would, at times, contribute to a greater than 55% increase in O₃ concentrations, particularly downwind of Kitimat on days with high temperatures, low planetary boundary layer heights, differential heating of the land and ocean surface temperatures and consecutive days of horizontally recirculating wind. This research also used the modelled O₃ - reactive nitrogen ratio during hours conducive to photochem…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/55886
note: MODELLING PHOTOCHEMICAL AIR POLLUTANTS FROM INDUSTRIAL ANDBIOGENIC EMISSIONS IN THE TERRACE - KITIMAT VALLEY:A CONSTRAINED COASTAL AIRSHED WITH COMPLEX TERRAINbyBenjamin Ralph WeinsteinB.Sc, The University of British Columbia, 2003A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OFTHE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OFMASTER OF SCIENCEinThe Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies(Atmospheric Science)THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA(Vancouver)December 2015© Benjamin Ralph Weinstein, 2015AbstractThis study investigates the worst-case ambient concentrations of O3 and its precursors (NOXand VOCs) that may occur from the construction of large industrial facilities in the Terrace-Kitimat valley airshed. This research is important as the Terrace-Kitimat valley naturallyemits high levels of biogenic VOCs in the summer and many of the proposed facilities will, ifconstructed, emit high quantities of NOX . To date, literature concerning O3 production formindustrial development in coastal airsheds with complex terrain is sparse.The Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) was used as the photochem-ical model for this research. Spring and summer periods were selected from 2010. Controland Test Case emission inventories were developed, the former for model evaluation and thelatter to assess pollutant change. Model evaluation showed that CAMx was able to emulatedaytime O3 peaks in an adjacent valley for both periods though overnight titration by NOwas less adequately replicated. Sensitivity tests revealed that this was due in part to inade-quate Control Case emissions quantification; results improved with the addition of small scalearea-based NOX emissions to account for missing sources in the original emissions inventory.Results from the spring period suggest that increased industrial emissions, in general, wouldnot contribute to valley-wide O3 increases greater than 5 ppb, as biogenic VOC emissionsare minimal throughout the airshed during this season. On the other hand…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2016-02
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0221381
language: eng
degree discipline: Atmospheric Science
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/55886