Study of Air Quality Impacts Resulting from Prescribed Burning on Military Facilities

Karsten Baumann,

Mei Zheng,

Michael Chang, and

Ted Russell

Clean Air Act

EndangeredSpecies Act

The Conflict

Issues on Local to Global ScalesIn the continental U.S. prescribed burns and forest fires contribute ~37 % to the

total direct fine PM emissions of ~1 Mio t per year*

* Nizich et al., EPA Report 454/R-00-002 (NTIS PB2000-108054), RTP, NC, 2000

Effects on• Health

• Visibility• Air Quality

• Climate

Do prescribed burns reduce the risk

of wild fires?

FAQS Observations: Regional Problem of PM2.5

34.4

34.2

34.0

33.8

33.6

33.4

33.2

33.0

32.8

32.6

32.4

32.2

32.0

-85.5 -85.0 -84.5 -84.0 -83.5 -83.0 -82.5 -82.0

Atlanta

FAQS measurement sites GA-EPD monitoring sites coal burning power plants point sources w/ CO:NOx > 1

20x20 km

Period 2001+ 02MAY-OCT NOV-APR

N

E

S

W9 18

µg m-316.7

15.5Macon SBP

N

E

S

W9 18

µg m-3

Columbus OLC 16.6 19.3

N

E

S

W9 18

µg m-3

15.8 13.4 Griffin

N

E

S

W9 18

µg m-315.0

14.2Augusta RP

N

E

S

W10 20 µg m

-3

PM2.5 Eceedance at Columbus-OLC near Fort Benning for SE winds in Winter 2001/02

Despite regional character of PM2.5, local PM sources on military installations dominant in winter half.

Seasonal Differences in Diurnal Cycles: O3 & PM2.5

00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 00:00

Time (EST)

WINTER HALF NOV-APRMac '01/'02 '00/'01Col '01/'02 '00/'01Aug '01/'02 '00/'01

WINTER HALF NOV-APRGrif '01 Tift '01Mac '01 '00Col '01 '00Aug '01 '00

25

20

15

10

5

0

PM

2.5

(

g m

-3)

00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 00:00

Time (EST)

SUMMER HALF MAY-OCTGrif '02Mac '02 '01 '00Col '02 '01 '00Aug '02 '01 '00

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

O3

(pp

bv)

SUMMER HALF MAY-OCTTift '02 '01Grif '02 '01Mac '02 '01

'00Col '02 '01

'00Aug '02 '01

'00

PM2.5 Sources Near Columbus Driving Nighttime Averages in Winter 2001/02

PM2.5 Eceedance Event at Columbus-OLC in Oct-Nov 2001

0.00

Win

d B

arb

40

30

20

10

0WS

(m

/s)

Tm

ax-T

min

(C) 80

60

40

20

0

8h

max O

3 (pp

bv)

ColumbusGIT OLCEPD AirptEPD Crlab

4

6

810

2

4

6

8100

2

4

24h

- P

M2.

5

(µg

m-3

)

10/21/01 10/31/01 11/10/01 11/20/01 11/30/01 12/10/01Time (EST)

1000

800

600

400

200

0

Ft B

enn

ing

(acr bu

rnt)

Griffin MaconAugusta Columbus

wild firesprescribed

Objectives and Outlook

• In this initial pilot study, establish understanding of the direct and indirect impact of current burn practices on sub-regional Air Quality.

• Lay foundation for more comprehensive and better focused Phase II Study to optimize burn practices toward minimum AQ impact.

• Create results of general applicability for the benefit of LMBs on other military installations in the SE-US and beyond.

• Learn lessons that help create and implement new revised land management strategies for the benefit of other agencies and institutions that face often times devastating wild fires in other parts of the Nation.

PreliminaryResults

March’03

25%

5%

3%

3%

33%

18%

3%

10%

SO4=

NO3-

NH4+

EC

OC

OOE

LOA

Others

Average mass = 15.6 +-2.7 g m-3

OM/OC = 1.6 +-0.1

Period 10-11 March

50

40

30

20

10

0

PM

2.5

(µg/

m3)

NO

NO

y O

3 (

ppbv

)

00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00

Time (EST)

3-9

00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00

Time (EST)

10-162671acres

00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00

Time (EST)

17-23

00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00 00:00

Time (EST)

600

500

400

300

200

100

CO

(ppbv)

24-303770acres

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

RH

(%

) P

AR

(W

/m2)

WD

(de

gN)

3-9 10-16 17-23

20

15

10

5

0

air T (C

) WS

(m/s)

24-30

18%

2%

7%

2%

43%

23%

4% 1%

Average mass = 23.6 +-4.8 g m-3

OM/OC = 1.5 +-0.2

Period 24-27 March

Progressively increasing fine PM mass and increasing organics fraction.

Increased fine PM mass and organics fraction correlate with increased temperature, solar radiation, and O3, indicating increased oxidizing potential, hence formation of SOA.

Still To Do

• Collect more samples as progressing into summer• Analyze VOC samples• Analyze POC High-Volume samples• QA/QC all met, gas and PM data• Do source apportionment for select samples• Integrate ECMI met data from Ft Benning• Merge all AQ data with fuel data• Evaluate fuel-type – AQ relationship• Prepare data for model integration• Develop strategy for phase II

For more information

• Dr. Karsten Baumann (PI) kb@eas.gatech.edu

• Dr. Mei Zheng mzheng@eas.gatech.edu

• Dr. Michael Chang chang@eas.gatech.edu

• Dr. Ted Russell trussell@ce.gatech.edu

Find this presentation as 030507 FAQS Mac briefg in ppt-format at

http://arec.gatech.edu/Presentations