Estimation of surface nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) using TEMPO satellite data and machine learning

Aircraft are often used to measure emissions from industry and other sources by flying downwind of the source and measuring the pollutant winds and concentration. This study uses model simulation to help choose the best flight configuration and parameters for a given source type (e.g. smokestacks, mine faces, or surface emissions). The results provide uncertainty estimates based on downwind flight distances, which helps to plan aircraft-based measurements campaigns.

The is a study of the plumes that rise from smokestacks. Knowing how these plume behave helps predict downwind pollutant concentrations. We use photos over a 2-year period to investigate how these plumes rise under different conditions and compare this to a commonly used model parameterization. It is found that the equations used to model plume rise in current models do well for some condition, but these equations can over-predict the plume rise, typically during the day when it is hot.

Our study explores the influence of water phase changes in plumes from industrial sources on atmospheric dispersion of emitted pollutants and air quality. Employing PRISM (Plume-Rise-Iterative-Stratified-Moist), a new method, we found that considering these effects significantly improves predictions of pollutant dispersion. This insight enhances our understanding of environmental impacts, enabling more accurate air quality modelling and fostering more effective pollution management strategies.

This study offers the first known evaluation of water-soluble brown carbon aerosols in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), Canada. Fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of aerosol samples from five regional sites (collected during the summer of 2021) identified oil sands operations as a measurable brown carbon source. Industrial aerosol emissions were unlikely to impact regional radiative forcing. These findings show that fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to monitor brown carbon in the AOSR.

Measurements of ozone in the atmosphere were made in a forest downwind of oil sands mining and production facilities in northern Alberta. These measurements show that the emissions of other pollutants from oil sands production and processing reduce the amount of ozone in the forest. By using an atmospheric model combined with measurements, we find that the rate at which ozone is absorbed by the forest is lower than typical rates from similar measurements in other forests.