1. Trace detection of C2H2 in ambient air using continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy combined with sample pre-concentrationOrr-Ewing Andrew, Damien Martin, Iain White, Roberto Grilli, Ruth Lindley, Manik Pradhan, 2008, original scientific article Abstract: Continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) coupled with sample pre-concentration has been used to measure acetylene (C2H2) mixing ratios in ambient air. Measurements were made in the near-infrared region (λ∼1535.393 nm), using the P(17) rotational line of the (ν1+ν3) vibrational combination band, a region free from interference by overlapping spectral absorption features of other air constituents. The spectrometer is shown to be capable of fast, quantitative and precise C2H2 mixing ratio determinations without the need for gas chromatographic (GC) separation. The current detection limit of the spectrometer following sample pre-concentration is estimated to be 35 parts per trillion by volume (pptv), which is sufficient for direct atmospheric detection of C2H2 at concentrations typical of both urban and rural environments. The CRDS apparatus performance was compared with an instrument using GC separation and flame ionization detection (GC-FID); both techniques were used to analyze air samples collected within and outside the laboratory. These measurements were shown to be in quantitative agreement. The indoor air sample was found to contain C2H2 at a mixing ratio of 3.87±0.22 ppbv (3.90±0.23 ppbv by GC-FID), and the C2H2 fractions in the outside air samples collected on two separate days from urban locations were 1.83±0.20 and 0.69±0.14 ppbv (1.18±0.09 and 0.60±0.04 ppbv by GC-FID). The discrepancy in the first outdoor air sample is attributed to degradation over a 2-month interval between the cw-CRDS and GC-FID analyses.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: Rotational Line, Cavity Enhance Absorption Spectroscopy, Adsorbent Trap, Trace Atmospheric Constituent, CRDS Instrument
Published: 15.07.2019; Views: 2477; Downloads: 0
 Fulltext (363,50 KB) |
2. A study of pollutant concentration variability in an urban street under low wind speedsAdrian Dobre, Graham Nickless, Iain R White, Catheryn S Price, Damien Martin, Dudley E Shallcross, 2008, original scientific article Abstract: The short time‐scale variability in pollutant concentrations in an urban street under very low wind speed conditions and short source–receptor distance has been investigated using the inert tracer sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as a continuous point‐source (release times ≥ 5 min), and fast detection using separation by gas chromatography coupled with a μ‐electron capture detector (ECD). The results are complex but can be broadly interpreted in terms of horizontal wind speed and direction coherence. Comparisons with a simple dispersion model suggest that observed time‐averaged maximum concentrations approach predicted values, whilst instantaneous maximum concentrations vary greatly and would therefore be difficult to predict.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: dispersion, tracer, intermittency
Published: 17.07.2019; Views: 2339; Downloads: 104
Fulltext (289,67 KB) |
3. Year-long measurements of C1-C3 halocarbons at an urban site and their relationship with meteorological parametersDudley E Shallcross, Brian G R Greally, Alison C Rivett, Damien Martin, Alan Knights, Graham Nickless, Ben Golledge, Iain R White, M Iqbal Mead, M Anwar K Khan, 2009, original scientific article Abstract: The mixing ratios of 11 C1–C3 halocarbons have been measured using a GC–twin‐linked ECD system over the period from October 2004 to December 2005 at an urban site in Bristol, UK. Time series and seasonal variations of the halocarbons were analysed over the period to determine biogenic and anthropogenic sources and sinks. Correlations between the target halocarbons were also observed, suggesting common sources within the area. Wind rose plots for all halocarbons have been used to assist in the determination of halocarbons sources. Halocarbon concentrations are highest at low‐wind speeds and decrease as wind speed increases, a few species (CCl4 and CH3Cl most notably) rise at very high‐wind speeds suggesting release from the Bristol Channel.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: adsorption–desorption system, anthropogenic halocarbons, biogenic halocarbons, electron capture detector, gas chromatography, methyl bromide
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2167; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (897,06 KB) |
4. Dispersion experiments in central London: The 2007 DAPPLE projectCurtis R Wood, Samantha J Arnold, Ahmed A Balogun, Janet F Barlow, Stephen E Belcher, Rex E Britter, Hong Cheng, Adrian Dobre, Justin J N Lingard, Damien Martin, Marina K Neophytou, Fredrik K Petersson, Alan G Robins, Dudley E. Shallcross, Robert J Smalley, James E Tate, Alison S Tomlin, Iain R White, 2009, original scientific article Abstract: In the event of a release of toxic gas in the center of London, emergency services personnel would need to determine quickly the extent of the area contaminated. The transport of pollutants by turbulent flow within the complex streets and building architecture of London, United Kingdom, is not straightforward, and we might wonder whether it is at all possible to make a scientifically reasoned decision. Here, we describe recent progress from a major U.K. project, Dispersion of Air Pollution and its Penetration into the Local Environment (DAPPLE; information online at www.dapple.org.uk). In DAPPLE, we focus on the movement of airborne pollutants in cities by developing a greater understanding of atmospheric flow and dispersion within urban street networks. In particular, we carried out full-scale dispersion experiments in central London from 2003 through 2008 to address the extent of the dispersion of tracers following their release at street level. These measurements complemented previous studies because 1) our focus was on dispersion within the first kilometer from the source, when most of the material was expected to remain within the street network rather than being mixed into the boundary layer aloft; 2) measurements were made under a wide variety of meteorological conditions; and 3) central London represents a European, rather than North American, city geometry. Interpretation of the results from the full-scale experiments was supported by extensive numerical and wind tunnel modeling, which allowed more detailed analysis under idealized and controlled conditions. In this article, we review the full-scale DAPPLE methodologies and show early results from the analysis of the 2007 field campaign data.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: Air quality, Atmospheric thermodynamics, Dispersions, Experiments
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 3159; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (17,86 MB) |
5. CityFlux perfluorocarbon tracer experimentsFredrik K Petersson, Damien Martin, Iain R White, Stephen J Henshaw, Graham Nickless, Ian Longley, Carl J Percival, Martin Gallagher, Dudley E. Shallcross, 2010, original scientific article Abstract: In June 2006, two perfluorocarbon tracer experiments were conducted in central Manchester UK as part of the CityFlux campaign. The main aim was to investigate vertical dispersion in an urban area during convective conditions, but dispersion mechanisms within the street network were also studied. Paired receptors were used in most cases where one receptor was located at ground level and one at roof level. One receptor was located on the roof of Portland Tower which is an 80m high building in central Manchester. Source receptor distances in the two experiments varied between 120 and 600 m. The results reveal that maximum concentration was sometimes found at roof level rather than at ground level implying the effectiveness of convective forces on dispersion. The degree of vertical dispersion was found to be dependent on source receptor distance as well as on building height in proximity to the release site. Evidence of flow channelling in a street canyon was also found. Both a Gaussian profile and a street network model were applied and the results show that the urban topography may lead to highly effective flow channelling which therefore may be a very important dispersion mechanism should the right meteorological conditions prevail. The experimental results from this campaign have also been compared with a simple urban dispersion model that was developed during the DAPPLE framework and show good agreement with this. The results presented here are some of the first published regarding vertical dispersion. More tracer experiments are needed in order to further characterise vertical concentration profiles and their dependence on, for instance, atmospheric stability. The impact of urban topography on pollutant dispersion is important to focus on in future tracer experiments in order to improve performance of models as well as for our understanding of the relationship between air quality and public health.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: air quality, atmospheric chemistry, concentration (composition), convective system, dispersion, public health, street canyon, tracer, urban area
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2237; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (1,07 MB) |
6. Urban tracer dispersion experiments during the second DAPPLE field campaign in London 2004Damien Martin, Catheryn S Price, Iain R White, Graham Nickless, K Fredrik Petersson, Rex E Britter, Alan G Robins, Stephen E Belcher, Janet F Barlow, Marie Neophytou, Samantha J Arnold, Alan S Tomlin, Robert J Smalley, Dudley E. Shallcross, 2010, original scientific article Abstract: As part of the DAPPLE programme two large scale urban tracer experiments using multiple simultaneous releases of cyclic perfluoroalkanes from fixed location point sources was performed. The receptor concentrations along with relevant meteorological parameters measured are compared with a three screening dispersion models in order to best predict the decay of pollution sources with respect to distance. It is shown here that the simple dispersion models tested here can provide a reasonable upper bound estimate of the maximum concentrations measured with an empirical model derived from field observations and wind tunnel studies providing the best estimate. An indoor receptor was also used to assess indoor concentrations and their pertinence to commonly used evacuation procedures.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: Dapple, dispersion
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2094; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (1,69 MB) |
7. Use of reactive tracers to determine ambient OH radical concentrations: Application within the indoor environmentDudley E. Shallcross, Keven C Clemitshaw, Guy C Lloyd-Jones, Graham Nickless, Stephen J Henshaw, Fredrik K Petersson, Maria Paz Muñoz, Damien Martin, Iain R White, 2010, original scientific article Abstract: The hydroxyl radical (OH) plays a key role in determining indoor air quality. However, its highly reactive nature and low concentration indoors impede direct analysis. This paper describes the techniques used to indirectly quantify indoor OH, including the development of a new method based on the instantaneous release of chemical tracers into the air. This method was used to detect ambient OH in two indoor seminar rooms following tracer detection by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GCMS). The results from these tests add to the small number of experiments that have measured indoor OH which are discussed with regard to future directions within air quality research.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: Ozone, Indoor air pollution, Indoor ozone, chemical tracers
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2206; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (153,74 KB) |
8. A feasibility study of the use of reactive tracers to determine outdoor daytime OH radical concentrations within the urban environmentIain R White, Damien Martin, K Fredrik Petersson, Stephen J Henshaw, Graham Nickless, Guy C Lloyd-Jones, Kevin C Clemitshaw, Dudley E Shallcross, 2014, original scientific article Abstract: Using a specifically designed chemical tracer to indirectly measure local atmospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations is a very appealing concept. Such a tracer will provide information on the amount of OH a tracer encounters, as it moves through the urban environment and provide a stringent test of models. However, to date an outdoor experiment such as this has not been conducted. This article discusses the reasons why this is so and examines the feasibility of using tracers to measure integrated urban OH levels over short (≤1km) distances.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: reactive tracers, OH radicals, NO3 radicals, oxidising rate, dispersion, urban
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2207; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (748,36 KB) |
9. Tracer concentration profiles measured in central London as part of the REPARTEE campaignDamien Martin, K Fredrik Petersson, Iain R White, Stephen H Henshaw, Graham Nickless, Amy Lovelock, Janet F Barlow, Tyrone Dunbar, Curtis R Wood, Dudley E. Shallcross, 2011, original scientific article Abstract: There have been relatively few tracer experiments carried out that have looked at vertical plume spread in urban areas. In this paper we present results from two tracer (cyclic perfluorocarbon) experiments carried out in 2006 and 2007 in central London centred on the BT Tower as part of the REPARTEE (Regent's Park and Tower Environmental Experiment) campaign. The height of the tower gives a unique opportunity to study vertical dispersion profiles and transport times in central London. Vertical gradients are contrasted with the relevant Pasquill stability classes. Estimation of lateral advection and vertical mixing times are made and compared with previous measurements. Data are then compared with a simple operational dispersion model and contrasted with data taken in central London as part of the DAPPLE campaign. This correlates dosage with non-dimensionalised distance from source. Such analyses illustrate the feasibility of the use of these empirical correlations over these prescribed distances in central London.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: advection, concentration (composition), dispersion, tracer, urban atmosphere, vertical mixing, vertical profile
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2332; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (1,49 MB) |
10. Atmospheric chemistry and physics in the atmosphere of a developed megacity (London): An overview of the REPARTEE experiment and its conclusionsGavin J Phillips, Carole Helfter, Chiara F Di Marco, Eiko Nemitz, Fay Davies, Janet F Barlow, Tyrone Dunbar, Iain R White, Dudley E Shallcross, Stephen J Henshaw, K Fredrik Peterson, Brian Davison, Damien Martin, Ben Langford, C Nicholas Hewitt, Stephen M Ball, Justin M Langridge, A K Benton, Roderick L Jones, Paul I Williams, John Whitehead, Martin W Gallagher, Claire Martin, James R Dorsey, Hugh Coe, James D Allan, William J Bloss, Alistair J Thorpe, David C S Beddows, Manuel DallOsto, Roy M Harrison, Steven Smith, 2012, review article Abstract: The Regents Park and Tower Environmental Experiment (REPARTEE) comprised two campaigns in London in October 2006 and October/November 2007. The experiment design involved measurements at a heavily trafficked roadside site, two urban background sites and an elevated site at 160-190 m above ground on the BT Tower, supplemented in the second campaign by Doppler lidar measurements of atmospheric vertical structure. A wide range of measurements of airborne particle physical metrics and chemical composition were made as well as measurements of a considerable range of gas phase species and the fluxes of both particulate and gas phase substances. Significant findings include (a) demonstration of the evaporation of traffic-generated nanoparticles during both horizontal and vertical atmospheric transport; (b) generation of a large base of information on the fluxes of nanoparticles, accumulation mode particles and specific chemical components of the aerosol and a range of gas phase species, as well as the elucidation of key processes and comparison with emissions inventories; (c) quantification of vertical gradients in selected aerosol and trace gas species which has demonstrated the important role of regional transport in influencing concentrations of sulphate, nitrate and secondary organic compounds within the atmosphere of London; (d) generation of new data on the atmospheric structure and turbulence above London, including the estimation of mixed layer depths; (e) provision of new data on trace gas dispersion in the urban atmosphere through the release of purposeful tracers; (f) the determination of spatial differences in aerosol particle size distributions and their interpretation in terms of sources and physico-chemical transformations; (g) studies of the nocturnal oxidation of nitrogen oxides and of the diurnal behaviour of nitrate aerosol in the urban atmosphere, and (h) new information on the chemical composition and source apportionment of particulate matter size fractions in the atmosphere of London derived both from bulk chemical analysis and aerosol mass spectrometry with two instrument types.
Found in: osebi
Keywords: megacity, trace gas, urban atmosphere, atmospheric transport, chemical composition, aerosol
Published: 18.07.2019; Views: 2475; Downloads: 0
Fulltext (4,66 MB) |
