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Wei Y, Shrestha R, Pal S, Gerken T, Feng S, McNelis J, Singh D, Thornton MM, Boyer AG, Shook MA, Chen G, Baier BC, Barkley ZR, Barrick JD, Bennett JR, Browell EV, Campbell JF, Campbell LJ, Choi Y, Collins J, Dobler J, Eckl M, Fiehn A, Fried A, Digangi JP, Barton‐Grimley R, Halliday H, Klausner T, Kooi S, Kostinek J, Lauvaux T, Lin B, McGill MJ, Meadows B, Miles NL, Nehrir AR, Nowak JB, Obland M, O’Dell C, Fao RMP, Richardson SJ, Richter D, Roiger A, Sweeney C, Walega J, Weibring P, Williams CA, Yang MM, Zhou Y, Davis KJ. Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Data Sets: Description, Management, and Delivery. Earth Space Sci 2021; 8:e2020EA001634. [PMID: 34435081 PMCID: PMC8365738 DOI: 10.1029/2020ea001634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ACT-America project is a NASA Earth Venture Suborbital-2 mission designed to study the transport and fluxes of greenhouse gases. The open and freely available ACT-America data sets provide airborne in situ measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, trace gases, aerosols, clouds, and meteorological properties, airborne remote sensing measurements of aerosol backscatter, atmospheric boundary layer height and columnar content of atmospheric carbon dioxide, tower-based measurements, and modeled atmospheric mole fractions and regional carbon fluxes of greenhouse gases over the Central and Eastern United States. We conducted 121 research flights during five campaigns in four seasons during 2016-2019 over three regions of the US (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and South) using two NASA research aircraft (B-200 and C-130). We performed three flight patterns (fair weather, frontal crossings, and OCO-2 underflights) and collected more than 1,140 h of airborne measurements via level-leg flights in the atmospheric boundary layer, lower, and upper free troposphere and vertical profiles spanning these altitudes. We also merged various airborne in situ measurements onto a common standard sampling interval, which brings coherence to the data, creates geolocated data products, and makes it much easier for the users to perform holistic analysis of the ACT-America data products. Here, we report on detailed information of data sets collected, the workflow for data sets including storage and processing of the quality controlled and quality assured harmonized observations, and their archival and formatting for users. Finally, we provide some important information on the dissemination of data products including metadata and highlights of applications of ACT-America data sets.
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Tzompa-Sosa ZA, Henderson BH, Keller CA, Travis K, Mahieu E, Franco B, Estes M, Helmig D, Fried A, Richter D, Weibring P, Walega J, Blake DR, Hannigan JW, Ortega I, Conway S, Strong K, Fischer EV. Atmospheric implications of large C 2-C 5 alkane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas industry. J Geophys Res Atmos 2019; 124:1148-1169. [PMID: 32832312 PMCID: PMC7433792 DOI: 10.1029/2018jd028955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Emissions of C2-C5 alkanes from the U.S. oil and gas sector have changed rapidly over the last decade. We use a nested GEOS-Chem simulation driven by updated 2011NEI emissions with aircraft, surface and column observations to 1) examine spatial patterns in the emissions and observed atmospheric abundances of C2-C5 alkanes over the U.S., and 2) estimate the contribution of emissions from the U.S. oil and gas industry to these patterns. The oil and gas sector in the updated 2011NEI contributes over 80% of the total U.S. emissions of ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8), and emissions of these species are largest in the central U.S. Observed mixing ratios of C2-C5 alkanes show enhancements over the central U.S. below 2 km. A nested GEOS-Chem simulation underpredicts observed C3H8 mixing ratios in the boundary layer over several U.S. regions and the relative underprediction is not consistent, suggesting C3H8 emissions should receive more attention moving forward. Our decision to consider only C4-C5 alkane emissions as a single lumped species produces a geographic distribution similar to observations. Due to the increasing importance of oil and gas emissions in the U.S., we recommend continued support of existing long-term measurements of C2-C5 alkanes. We suggest additional monitoring of C2-C5 alkanes downwind of northeastern Colorado, Wyoming and western North Dakota to capture changes in these regions. The atmospheric chemistry modeling community should also evaluate whether chemical mechanisms that lump larger alkanes are sufficient to understand air quality issues in regions with large emissions of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z A Tzompa-Sosa
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Colorado, USA
| | - B H Henderson
- Air Quality Modeling Group, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, USA
| | - C A Keller
- Universities Space Research Association / GESTAR, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Maryland, USA
- Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - K Travis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - E Mahieu
- Institut d'Astrophysique et de Géophysique, Université de Liège, Quartier Agora, Liège, Belgium
| | - B Franco
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Atmospheric Spectroscopy, Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - M Estes
- Air Modeling and Data Analysis Section, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas, USA
| | - D Helmig
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - A Fried
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - D Richter
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - P Weibring
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - J Walega
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - D R Blake
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - J W Hannigan
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - I Ortega
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - S Conway
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - K Strong
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - E V Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Colorado, USA
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Liao J, Huey LG, Tanner DJ, Flocke FM, Orlando JJ, Neuman JA, Nowak JB, Weinheimer AJ, Hall SR, Smith JN, Fried A, Staebler RM, Wang Y, Koo JH, Cantrell CA, Weibring P, Walega J, Knapp DJ, Shepson PB, Stephens CR. Observations of inorganic bromine (HOBr, BrO, and Br2) speciation at Barrow, Alaska, in spring 2009. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011jd016641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Villena G, Wiesen P, Cantrell CA, Flocke F, Fried A, Hall SR, Hornbrook RS, Knapp D, Kosciuch E, Mauldin RL, McGrath JA, Montzka D, Richter D, Ullmann K, Walega J, Weibring P, Weinheimer A, Staebler RM, Liao J, Huey LG, Kleffmann J. Nitrous acid (HONO) during polar spring in Barrow, Alaska: A net source of OH radicals? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2011jd016643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Washenfelder RA, Trainer M, Frost GJ, Ryerson TB, Atlas EL, de Gouw JA, Flocke FM, Fried A, Holloway JS, Parrish DD, Peischl J, Richter D, Schauffler SM, Walega JG, Warneke C, Weibring P, Zheng W. Characterization of NOx, SO2, ethene, and propene from industrial emission sources in Houston, Texas. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009jd013645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Bahreini R, Ervens B, Middlebrook AM, Warneke C, de Gouw JA, DeCarlo PF, Jimenez JL, Brock CA, Neuman JA, Ryerson TB, Stark H, Atlas E, Brioude J, Fried A, Holloway JS, Peischl J, Richter D, Walega J, Weibring P, Wollny AG, Fehsenfeld FC. Organic aerosol formation in urban and industrial plumes near Houston and Dallas, Texas. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008jd011493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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De Gouw JA, te Lintel Hekkert S, Mellqvist J, Warneke C, Atlas EL, Fehsenfeld FC, Fried A, Frost GJ, Harren FJM, Holloway JS, Lefer B, Lueb R, Meagher JF, Parrish DD, Patel M, Pope L, Richter D, Rivera C, Ryerson TB, Samuelsson J, Walega J, Washenfelder RA, Weibring P, Zhu X. Airborne measurements of ethene from industrial sources using laser photo-acoustic spectroscopy. Environ Sci Technol 2009; 43:2437-42. [PMID: 19452898 DOI: 10.1021/es802701a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) instrument was developed and used for aircraft measurements of ethene from industrial sources near Houston, Texas. The instrument provided 20 s measurements with a detection limit of less than 0.7 ppbv. Data from this instrument and from the GC-FID analysis of air samples collected in flight agreed within 15% on average. Ethene fluxes from the Mt. Belvieu chemical complex to the northeast of Houston were quantified during 10 different flights. The average flux was 520 +/- 140 kg h(-1) in agreement with independent results from solar occultation flux (SOF) measurements, and roughly an order of magnitude higher than regulatory emission inventories indicate. This study shows that ethene emissions are routinely at levels that qualify as emission upsets, which need to be reported to regional air quality managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A De Gouw
- NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, CIRES, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
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Weibring P, Johansson T, Edner H, Svanberg S, Sundnér B, Raimondi V, Cecchi G, Pantani L. Fluorescence lidar imaging of historical monuments. Appl Opt 2001; 40:6111-6120. [PMID: 18364910 DOI: 10.1364/ao.40.006111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
What is believed to be the first fluorescence imaging of the facades of a historical building, which was accomplished with a scanning fluorescence lidar system, is reported. The mobile system was placed at a distance of ~60 m from the medieval Lund Cathedral (Sweden), and a 355-nm pulsed laser beam was swept over the stone facades row by row while spectrally resolved fluorescence signals of each measurement point were recorded. By multispectral image processing, either by formation of simple spectral-band ratios or by use of multivariate techniques, areas with different spectral signatures were classified. In particular, biological growth was observed and different stone types were distinguished. The technique can yield data for use in facade status assessment and restoration planning.
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Saito Y, Weibring P, Edner H, Svanberg S. Possibility of Hard-Target Lidar Detection of a Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound, nu-Pinene Gas, Over Forest Areas. Appl Opt 2001; 40:3572-3574. [PMID: 18360386 DOI: 10.1364/ao.40.003572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The absorption spectrum of alpha-pinene gas, a biogenic volatile organic compound, was directly measured with a pulsed mid-infrared laser. The maximum absorption wavelength was found to be ~3.42 mum, and an absorption cross section of 4.8 x 10(-23) m(2) molec(-1) was obtained. A simple theoretical calculation with the measured spectral data showed that several hundreds of parts in 10(12) (ppt) of alpha-pinene gas in forest-mountain areas over a range of ~10 km were detectable by a long-path-averaged hard-target absorption lidar. Requirements for system development were also discussed.
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Sandsten J, Weibring P, Edner H, Svanberg S. Real-time gas-correlation imaging employing thermal background radiation. Opt Express 2000; 6:92-103. [PMID: 19401749 DOI: 10.1364/oe.6.000092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Real-time imaging of gas leaks was demonstrated using an IR camera employing outdoor thermal background radiation. Ammonia, ethylene and methane detection was demonstrated in the spectral region 7-13 microm. Imaging was accomplished using an optical filter and a gas-correlation cell matching the absorption band of the gas. When two gases, such as ammonia and ethylene, are absorbing in the same wavelength region it is possible to isolate one for display by using gas-correlation multispectral imaging. Results from a field test on a leaking gas tanker are presented as QuickTime movies. A detection limit of 200 ppm x meter for ammonia was accomplished in this setup when the temperature difference between the background and the gas was 18 K and the frame rate was 15 Hz.
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