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

Measurement Sites 2000-200235.0

34.5

34.0

33.5

33.0

32.5

32.0

31.5

-85.5 -85.0 -84.5 -84.0 -83.5 -83.0 -82.5 -82.0 -81.5 -81.0

Atlanta

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

20x20 km

Augusta RP

Ft. Gordon

Macon SBP

Columbus OLC

Water Works

Griffin

Tifton

Ft Mountain

Waleska

S-DekalbConfed Ave

Fayetteville

Kennesaw

Crime Lab

Macon SE

Airport

Leslie

LHS

Bayvale ES

Correlations with Wind Direction: Occurrence34.4

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

W6 12

%28 31Macon SBP

N

E

S

W6 12

%

Columbus OLC 29 31

N

E

S

W6 12

%5 12Griffin

N

E

S

W6 12

%41 42Augusta RP

Correlations with Wind Direction: Wind Speed34.4

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

W1.5 3

m/s

27.7%30.8%Macon SBP

N

E

S

W

1.5 3m/s

Columbus OLC 29.4% 30.6%

N

E

S

W1.5 3

m/s

4.9%11.5%Griffin

N

E

S

W1.5 3

m/s

40.9%42.0%Augusta RP

Correlations with Wind Direction: O3

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-APRDaytime only

N

E

S

W30 60

ppb38.228.5Macon SBP

N

E

S

W30 60

ppb

Columbus OLC 30.7 19.8

N

E

S

W30 60

ppb30.222.2Augusta RP

N

E

S

W30 60

ppb44.236.1Griffin

Correlations with Wind Direction: 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

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

PM2.

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

(ppb

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

'00Col '02 '01

'00Aug '02 '01

'00

N

E

S

W10 20 µg m-3

PM2.5 Eceedance for SE winds in Winter 2001

Causes for PM2.5 Eceedance in Winter 2001

0.00

Win

d B

arb

40

30

20

10

0WS

(m/s

) T m

ax-T

min

(C) 80

60

40

20

0

8hm

ax O3 (ppbv)

Columbus GIT OLCEPD AirptEPD Crlab

4

68

10

2

4

68

100

2

4

24h

- PM

2.5

(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 Benning (acr burnt)

Griffin MaconAugusta Columbus

wild firesprescribed

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

Objectives and Outlook

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

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

• Create results for the benefit of LMBs on other mil 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.

Impacts 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

• ClimateDo prescribed burns reduce the risk of wild fires?

OLC site upgradeResearch site at

Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center

upgraded for PM source apportionment and in situ

gas phase sampling

3’

4’

a/c

11’

8’

Stair step

4’ 14’

Guy wired8m Towertilt down

10’ Gate

45’ x 40’ Fence

N

10’ x 12’ Shelter

4 additional 20 A circuit breakers

33’ x 7’ level Platform~ 1’ above ground

4 quadruple outlets on individual breakers

PM2.5 Sampling at OLCTable 1: PM2.5 sampler operation at OLC during prescribed burn events at Fort Benning.

sample day sample type start time duration Hi-Vol PCM

    EST h sample sample

day before background 0:00 12 E1 A1+D1

day before background 12:00 12 F1 A1+D1

operator exchanges sample media in Hi-Vol samplers (E&F) and PCMs (A&D)

burn day flaming stage 12:00 5 E2 B1+D2

burn day flaming stage 17:00 5 F2 C1+D2

operator exchanges sample media in Hi-Vol samplers (E&F) and PCMs (B&C&D)

burn day smoldering stage 22:00 5 E3 A2+D3

post burn day smoldering stage 3:00 5 F3 B2+D3

operator exchanges sample media in hi-vol sampler (E)

day after plume impact 8:00 >5 E4 C2+D3

TOTAL     >49 7 10

Table 2: Time series schematic of Hi-Vol and PCM PM2.5 sampler operation from Table 1.

PCM A                  

PCM B                  

PCM C              

PCM D                  

HV E                

HV F                

Time (h)   0 12 24 12 17 22 3 8 13

Activity   pre-burn burn day post-burn

stage   background flaming smoldering

VOC sampling at OLC, Fts. Benning & GordonTable 3: VOC sampling schedule for Fort Benning (top), and Fort Gordon (bottom), period Jan-Jun 2003.

Approx Burn Stage Sampling Location Total

Time upwind burn unit downwind OLC sampled analyzed

1100 pre-ignition   1   1 2 2

1400 mostly flaming 1 1 1 1 4 3

1700 mostly smoldering 1 1 1 1 4 3

2200 mostly smoldering 1 1 1

800 residual impact       1 1 1

  Total sampled 2 3 2 5 12  

  Total analyzed 2 3 1 4   10

Approx Burn Stage Sampling Location Total

Time upwind burn unit downwind RP sampled analyzed

1000 pre-ignition   1   1 2 2

1400 mostly flaming 1 1 1 3 3

1700 mostly smoldering 1 1 1 3 2

  Total sampled 3 2 3 8  

  Total analyzed 3 1 2   6

Difficulties

• Are at the mercy of met conditions and (therefore) have to be prepared (flexible).

• Sample media collection and delivery time consuming.

Collaborators and Contributors

CSU-OLC: Jill Whiting, Jim Trostle, site operatorsBecky Champion, director, “courier”

Ft Benning: Polly Gustafson, EMD, reporting to J BrentJack Greenlee, LMB, reporting to R LarimoreHugh Westbury, SERDP, contractor,

reporting to D Price, US Army, Vicksburg, MSFt Gordon: Allen Braswell, ENRMO, reporting to S WillardAugusta RP: Shari Mendrick, Col.Cty.Eng.Dept., Evans, GA

Preliminary PCM Results

TEOM Mass

PM2.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1/20/0

3 0:00

1/21/0

3 17:00

1/22/0

3 3:00

2/5/03

12:00

2/5/03

22:00

2/6/03

8:00

AVG

3/10/0

3 17:00

3/11/0

3 8:00AVG

3/24/0

3 12:00

3/25/0

3 22:00

3/27/0

3 22:00

AVG

Start Time (EST)

(g

m-3

)

[K+] [Na+] [NH4+] [Cl-] [NO3-] [SO4-2] Acetate Formate Oxalate OC EC OOE UnID

Background937 acres 1256 acres

3770 acres

Preliminary PCM Results, cont’ed

28%

9%

8%2%

27%

18%

5% 3% SO4=

NO3-

NH4+

EC

OC

OOE

LOA

Others

Average mass = 11.4 +-2.5 g m-3

OM/OC = 1.6 +-0.3

Period 20-22 January

23%

10%

11%

2%31%

13%

7%3%

Average mass = 14.2 +-2.5 g m-3OM/OC = 1.4 +-0.1

Period 2-6 February

25%

5%

3%

3%

33%

18%

3%

10%

Average mass = 15.6 +-2.7 g m-3

OM/OC = 1.6 +-0.1

Period 10-11 March

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

MorePreliminary

Results: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

PM2.

5 (µ

g/m

3 ) N

O N

Oy

O3

(ppb

v)

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

(%)

PAR

(W/m

2 ) W

D (d

egN

)

3-9 10-16 17-23

20

15

10

5

0

air T (C) W

S (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

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 030429 FAQS Col briefg in ppt-format at

http://arec.gatech.edu/Presentations