Articles | Volume 23, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4361-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4361-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Apr 2023
Research article |
| 13 Apr 2023
| 13 Apr 2023
Aerosol deposition to the boreal forest in the vicinity of the Alberta Oil Sands
Timothy Jiang
Earth and Space Science, York University, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Canada
now at: School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph,
Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada
Earth and Space Science, York University, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Canada
Paul A. Makar
Air Quality Research Department, Environment and Climate Change
Canada, Toronto, M3H 5T4, Canada
Ralf M. Staebler
Air Quality Research Department, Environment and Climate Change
Canada, Toronto, M3H 5T4, Canada
Michael Wheeler
Air Quality Research Department, Environment and Climate Change
Canada, Toronto, M3H 5T4, Canada
Related authors
Xuanyi Zhang, Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Timothy Jiang, Jonathan Davies, and David Tarasick
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13647–13664, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13647-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13647-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Mark Gordon, Dane Blanchard, Timothy Jiang, Paul A. Makar, Ralf M. Staebler, Julian Aherne, Cris Mihele, and Xuanyi Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7241–7255, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7241-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7241-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of the gas sulfur dioxide (SO2) were made in a forest downwind of oil sands mining and production facilities in northern Alberta. These measurements tell us the rate at which SO2 is absorbed by the forest. The measured rate is much higher than what is currently used by air quality models, which is supported by a previous study in this region. This suggests that SO2 may have a much shorter lifetime in the atmosphere at this location than currently predicted by models.
Wanmin Gong, Stephen R. Beagley, Kenjiro Toyota, Henrik Skov, Jesper Heile Christensen, Alex Lupu, Diane Pendlebury, Junhua Zhang, Ulas Im, Yugo Kanaya, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Roberto Sommariva, Peter Effertz, John W. Halfacre, Nis Jepsen, Rigel Kivi, Theodore K. Koenig, Katrin Müller, Claus Nordstrøm, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Paul B. Shepson, William R. Simpson, Sverre Solberg, Ralf M. Staebler, David W. Tarasick, Roeland Van Malderen, and Mika Vestenius
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8355–8405, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8355-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8355-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study showed that the springtime O3 depletion plays a critical role in driving the surface O3 seasonal cycle in the central Arctic. The O3 depletion events, while occurring most notably within the lowest few hundred metres above the Arctic Ocean, can induce a 5–7 % loss in the pan-Arctic tropospheric O3 burden during springtime. The study also found enhancements in O3 and NOy (mostly peroxyacetyl nitrate) concentrations in the Arctic due to northern boreal wildfires, particularly at higher altitudes.
Chi-Tsan Wang, Patrick C. Campbell, Paul Makar, Siqi Ma, Irena Ivanova, Bok H. Baek, Wei-Ting Hung, Zachary Moon, Youhua Tang, Barry Baker, Rick Saylor, and Daniel Tong
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-485, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-485, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Forests influence air quality by altering ozone levels, but most air pollution models overlook canopy effects. Our study improves ozone predictions by incorporating forest canopy shading and turbulence into a widely used model. We found that tree cover reduces near-surface ozone by decreasing photolysis rates and diffusion inside canopy, resulting in lower ozone concentrations in densely forested areas. These findings enhance ozone surface prediction accuracy and improve air quality modeling.
Ioannis Kioutsioukis, Christian Hogrefe, Paul A. Makar, Ummugulsun Alyuz, Jessy O. Bash, Roberto Bellasio, Roberto Bianconi, Tim Buttler, Olivia E. Clifton, Philippe Cheung, Alma Hodzic, Richard Kranenburg, Aurelia Lupascu, Kester Momoh, Juan Luis Perez-Camaño, John Pleim, Young-Hee Ryu, Robero San Jose, Donna Schwede, Ranjeet Sokhi, and Stefano Galmarini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1091, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1091, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Deposition is a key in air quality modelling. An evaluation of the AQMEII4 models is performed prior to analysing the different deposition schemes in relation to the LULC used. Such analysis is unprecedented. Among the results, LULC masks have to be harmonised and up-to-date information used in place of outdated and too course masks. Alternatively LULC masks should be evaluated and intercom pared when multiple model results are analysed.
Paul A. Makar, Philip Cheung, Christian Hogrefe, Ayodeji Akingunola, Ummugulsum Alyuz, Jesse O. Bash, Michael D. Bell, Roberto Bellasio, Roberto Bianconi, Tim Butler, Hazel Cathcart, Olivia E. Clifton, Alma Hodzic, Ioannis Kioutsioukis, Richard Kranenburg, Aurelia Lupascu, Jason A. Lynch, Kester Momoh, Juan L. Perez-Camanyo, Jonathan Pleim, Young-Hee Ryu, Roberto San Jose, Donna Schwede, Thomas Scheuschner, Mark W. Shephard, Ranjeet S. Sokhi, and Stefano Galmarini
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3049–3107, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3049-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3049-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The large range of sulfur and nitrogen deposition estimates from air quality models results in a large range of predicted impacts. We used models and deposition diagnostics to identify the processes controlling atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition variability. Controlling factors included the uptake of gases and aerosols by hydrometeors, aerosol inorganic chemistry, particle dry deposition, ammonia bidirectional fluxes, gas deposition via plant cuticles and soil, and land use data.
Sepehr Fathi, Paul Makar, Wanmin Gong, Junhua Zhang, Katherine Hayden, and Mark Gordon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2385–2405, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2385-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2385-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Dane Blanchard, Mark Gordon, Duc Huy Dang, Paul Andrew Makar, and Julian Aherne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2423–2442, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Yugo Kanaya, Roberto Sommariva, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Andrea Mazzeo, Theodore K. Koenig, Kaori Kawana, James E. Johnson, Aurélie Colomb, Pierre Tulet, Suzie Molloy, Ian E. Galbally, Rainer Volkamer, Anoop Mahajan, John W. Halfacre, Paul B. Shepson, Julia Schmale, Hélène Angot, Byron Blomquist, Matthew D. Shupe, Detlev Helmig, Junsu Gil, Meehye Lee, Sean C. Coburn, Ivan Ortega, Gao Chen, James Lee, Kenneth C. Aikin, David D. Parrish, John S. Holloway, Thomas B. Ryerson, Ilana B. Pollack, Eric J. Williams, Brian M. Lerner, Andrew J. Weinheimer, Teresa Campos, Frank M. Flocke, J. Ryan Spackman, Ilann Bourgeois, Jeff Peischl, Chelsea R. Thompson, Ralf M. Staebler, Amir A. Aliabadi, Wanmin Gong, Roeland Van Malderen, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan M. Stauffer, Debra E. Kollonige, Juan Carlos Gómez Martin, Masatomo Fujiwara, Katie Read, Matthew Rowlinson, Keiichi Sato, Junichi Kurokawa, Yoko Iwamoto, Fumikazu Taketani, Hisahiro Takashima, Monica Navarro Comas, Marios Panagi, and Martin G. Schultz
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-566, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-566, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
The first comprehensive dataset of tropospheric ozone over oceans/polar regions is presented, including 77 ship/buoy and 48 aircraft campaign observations (1977–2022, 0–5000 m altitude), supplemented by ozonesonde and surface data. Air masses isolated from land for 72+ hours are systematically selected as essentially oceanic. Among the 11 global regions, they show daytime decreases of 10–16% in the tropics, while near-zero depletions are rare, unlike in the Arctic, implying different mechanisms.
Christian Hogrefe, Stefano Galmarini, Paul A. Makar, Ioannis Kioutsioukis, Olivia E. Clifton, Ummugulsum Alyuz, Jesse O. Bash, Roberto Bellasio, Roberto Bianconi, Tim Butler, Philip Cheung, Alma Hodzic, Richard Kranenburg, Aurelia Lupascu, Kester Momoh, Juan Luis Perez-Camanyo, Jonathan E. Pleim, Young-Hee Ryu, Roberto San Jose, Martijn Schaap, Donna B. Schwede, and Ranjeet Sokhi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-225, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-225, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Performed under the umbrella of the fourth phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII4), this study applies AQMEII4 diagnostic tools to better characterize how dry deposition removes pollutants from the atmosphere in regional-scale models. The results also strongly suggest that improvement and harmonization of the representation of land use in these models would serve the community in their future development efforts.
Hazel Cathcart, Julian Aherne, Michael D. Moran, Verica Savic-Jovcic, Paul A. Makar, and Amanda Cole
Biogeosciences, 22, 535–554, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-535-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-535-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Deposition from sulfur and nitrogen pollution can harm ecosystems, and recovery from this type of pollution can take decades or longer. To identify risk to Canadian soils, we created maps showing sensitivity to sulfur and nitrogen pollution. Results show that some ecosystems are at risk from acid and nutrient nitrogen deposition: 10 % of protected areas are receiving acid deposition beyond their damage threshold, and 70 % may be receiving nitrogen deposition that could cause biodiversity loss.
Xiaoyi Zhao, Vitali Fioletov, Debora Griffin, Chris McLinden, Ralf Staebler, Cristian Mihele, Kevin Strawbridge, Jonathan Davies, Ihab Abboud, Sum Chi Lee, Alexander Cede, Martin Tiefengraber, and Robert Swap
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6889–6912, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6889-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6889-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores differences between remote sensing and in situ instruments in terms of their vertical, horizontal, and temporal sampling differences. Understanding and resolving these differences are critical for future analyses linking satellite, ground-based remote sensing, and in situ observations in air quality monitoring. It shows that the meteorological conditions (wind directions, speed, and boundary layer conditions) will strongly affect the agreement between the two measurements.
Kerry Anderson, Jack Chen, Peter Englefield, Debora Griffin, Paul A. Makar, and Dan Thompson
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 7713–7749, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7713-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7713-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Global Forest Fire Emissions Prediction System (GFFEPS) is a model that predicts smoke and carbon emissions from wildland fires. The model calculates emissions from the ground up based on satellite-detected fires, modelled weather and fire characteristics. Unlike other global models, GFFEPS uses daily weather conditions to capture changing burning conditions on a day-to-day basis. GFFEPS produced lower carbon emissions due to the changing weather not captured by the other models.
Debora Griffin, Jack Chen, Kerry Anderson, Paul Makar, Chris A. McLinden, Enrico Dammers, and Andre Fogal
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10159–10186, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10159-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10159-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite-derived CO emissions provide new insights into the understanding of global CO emission rates from wildfires. We use TROPOMI satellite data to create a global inventory database of wildfire CO emissions. These satellite-derived wildfire emissions are used for the evaluation and improvement of existing fire emission inventories and to examine how the wildfire CO emissions have changed over the past 2 decades.
Stefan J. Miller, Paul A. Makar, and Colin J. Lee
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 2197–2219, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-2197-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-2197-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work outlines a new solver written in Fortran to calculate the partitioning of metastable aerosols at thermodynamic equilibrium based on the forward algorithms of ISORROPIA II. The new code includes numerical improvements that decrease the computational speed (compared to ISORROPIA II) while improving the accuracy of the partitioning solution.
Roya Ghahreman, Wanmin Gong, Paul A. Makar, Alexandru Lupu, Amanda Cole, Kulbir Banwait, Colin Lee, and Ayodeji Akingunola
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 685–707, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-685-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-685-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The article explores the impact of different representations of below-cloud scavenging on model biases. A new scavenging scheme and precipitation-phase partitioning improve the model's performance, with better SO42- scavenging and wet deposition of NO3- and NH4+.
Colin J. Lee, Paul A. Makar, and Joana Soares
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-185, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-185, 2023
Publication in GMD not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
Clustering is an analysis technique for finding similarities within datasets. We present a new implementation of the hierarchical clustering algorithm that is able to process much larger datasets than was previously possible, by spreading the program out over many connected computers in a high-performance computing system. We show airshed maps of a high-resolution regional model output domain, and find related air pollution profiles at monitoring stations separated by thousands of kilometers.
Xuanyi Zhang, Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Timothy Jiang, Jonathan Davies, and David Tarasick
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13647–13664, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13647-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13647-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Olivia E. Clifton, Donna Schwede, Christian Hogrefe, Jesse O. Bash, Sam Bland, Philip Cheung, Mhairi Coyle, Lisa Emberson, Johannes Flemming, Erick Fredj, Stefano Galmarini, Laurens Ganzeveld, Orestis Gazetas, Ignacio Goded, Christopher D. Holmes, László Horváth, Vincent Huijnen, Qian Li, Paul A. Makar, Ivan Mammarella, Giovanni Manca, J. William Munger, Juan L. Pérez-Camanyo, Jonathan Pleim, Limei Ran, Roberto San Jose, Sam J. Silva, Ralf Staebler, Shihan Sun, Amos P. K. Tai, Eran Tas, Timo Vesala, Tamás Weidinger, Zhiyong Wu, and Leiming Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9911–9961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9911-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9911-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A primary sink of air pollutants is dry deposition. Dry deposition estimates differ across the models used to simulate atmospheric chemistry. Here, we introduce an effort to examine dry deposition schemes from atmospheric chemistry models. We provide our approach’s rationale, document the schemes, and describe datasets used to drive and evaluate the schemes. We also launch the analysis of results by evaluating against observations and identifying the processes leading to model–model differences.
Sepehr Fathi, Mark Gordon, and Yongsheng Chen
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 5069–5091, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5069-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5069-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We have combined various capabilities within a WRF model to generate simulations of atmospheric pollutant dispersion at 50 m resolution. The study objective was to resolve transport processes at the scale of measurements to assess and optimize aircraft-based emission rate retrievals. Model performance evaluation resulted in agreement within 5 % of observed meteorological and within 1–2 standard deviations of observed wind fields. Mass was conserved in the model within 5 % of input emissions.
Mark Gordon, Dane Blanchard, Timothy Jiang, Paul A. Makar, Ralf M. Staebler, Julian Aherne, Cris Mihele, and Xuanyi Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7241–7255, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7241-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7241-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of the gas sulfur dioxide (SO2) were made in a forest downwind of oil sands mining and production facilities in northern Alberta. These measurements tell us the rate at which SO2 is absorbed by the forest. The measured rate is much higher than what is currently used by air quality models, which is supported by a previous study in this region. This suggests that SO2 may have a much shorter lifetime in the atmosphere at this location than currently predicted by models.
Stefan J. Miller and Mark Gordon
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6563–6584, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6563-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6563-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This research investigates the measurement of atmospheric turbulence using a low-cost instrumented car that travels at near-highway speeds and is impacted by upwind obstructions and other on-road traffic. We show that our car design can successfully measure the mean flow and atmospheric turbulence near the surface. We outline a technique to isolate and remove the effects of sporadic passing traffic from car-measured velocity variances and discuss potential measurement uncertainties.
Katherine L. Hayden, Shao-Meng Li, John Liggio, Michael J. Wheeler, Jeremy J. B. Wentzell, Amy Leithead, Peter Brickell, Richard L. Mittermeier, Zachary Oldham, Cristian M. Mihele, Ralf M. Staebler, Samar G. Moussa, Andrea Darlington, Mengistu Wolde, Daniel Thompson, Jack Chen, Debora Griffin, Ellen Eckert, Jenna C. Ditto, Megan He, and Drew R. Gentner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12493–12523, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12493-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12493-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, airborne measurements provided the most detailed characterization, to date, of boreal forest wildfire emissions. Measurements showed a large diversity of air pollutants expanding the volatility range typically reported. A large portion of organic species was unidentified, likely comprised of complex organic compounds. Aircraft-derived emissions improve wildfire chemical speciation and can support reliable model predictions of pollution from boreal forest wildfires.
Mahtab Majdzadeh, Craig A. Stroud, Christopher Sioris, Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Chris McLinden, Xiaoyi Zhao, Michael D. Moran, Ihab Abboud, and Jack Chen
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 219–249, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-219-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-219-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A new lookup table for aerosol optical properties based on a Mie scattering code was calculated and adopted within an improved version of the photolysis module in the GEM-MACH in-line chemical transport model. The modified version of the photolysis module makes use of online interactive aerosol feedback and applies core-shell parameterizations to the black carbon absorption efficiency based on Bond et al. (2006) to the size bins with black carbon mass fraction of less than 40 %.
Debora Griffin, Chris A. McLinden, Enrico Dammers, Cristen Adams, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Carsten Warneke, Ilann Bourgeois, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Kyle J. Zarzana, Jake P. Rowe, Rainer Volkamer, Christoph Knote, Natalie Kille, Theodore K. Koenig, Christopher F. Lee, Drew Rollins, Pamela S. Rickly, Jack Chen, Lukas Fehr, Adam Bourassa, Doug Degenstein, Katherine Hayden, Cristian Mihele, Sumi N. Wren, John Liggio, Ayodeji Akingunola, and Paul Makar
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7929–7957, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7929-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7929-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite-derived NOx emissions from biomass burning are estimated with TROPOMI observations. Two common emission estimation methods are applied, and sensitivity tests with model output were performed to determine the accuracy of these methods. The effect of smoke aerosols on TROPOMI NO2 columns is estimated and compared to aircraft observations from four different aircraft campaigns measuring biomass burning plumes in 2018 and 2019 in North America.
Stefano Galmarini, Paul Makar, Olivia E. Clifton, Christian Hogrefe, Jesse O. Bash, Roberto Bellasio, Roberto Bianconi, Johannes Bieser, Tim Butler, Jason Ducker, Johannes Flemming, Alma Hodzic, Christopher D. Holmes, Ioannis Kioutsioukis, Richard Kranenburg, Aurelia Lupascu, Juan Luis Perez-Camanyo, Jonathan Pleim, Young-Hee Ryu, Roberto San Jose, Donna Schwede, Sam Silva, and Ralf Wolke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15663–15697, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15663-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15663-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This technical note presents the research protocols for phase 4 of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII4). This initiative has three goals: (i) to define the state of wet and dry deposition in regional models, (ii) to evaluate how dry deposition influences air concentration and flux predictions, and (iii) to identify the causes for prediction differences. The evaluation compares LULC-specific dry deposition and effective conductances and fluxes.
Sepehr Fathi, Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Andrea Darlington, John Liggio, Katherine Hayden, and Shao-Meng Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15461–15491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15461-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15461-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We have investigated the accuracy of aircraft-based mass balance methodologies through computer model simulations of the atmosphere and air quality at a regional high-resolution scale. We have defined new quantitative metrics to reduce emission retrieval uncertainty by evaluating top-down mass balance estimates against the known simulated meteorology and input emissions. We also recommend methodologies and flight strategies for improved retrievals in future aircraft-based studies.
Xinxin Ye, Pargoal Arab, Ravan Ahmadov, Eric James, Georg A. Grell, Bradley Pierce, Aditya Kumar, Paul Makar, Jack Chen, Didier Davignon, Greg R. Carmichael, Gonzalo Ferrada, Jeff McQueen, Jianping Huang, Rajesh Kumar, Louisa Emmons, Farren L. Herron-Thorpe, Mark Parrington, Richard Engelen, Vincent-Henri Peuch, Arlindo da Silva, Amber Soja, Emily Gargulinski, Elizabeth Wiggins, Johnathan W. Hair, Marta Fenn, Taylor Shingler, Shobha Kondragunta, Alexei Lyapustin, Yujie Wang, Brent Holben, David M. Giles, and Pablo E. Saide
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14427–14469, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14427-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14427-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Wildfire smoke has crucial impacts on air quality, while uncertainties in the numerical forecasts remain significant. We present an evaluation of 12 real-time forecasting systems. Comparison of predicted smoke emissions suggests a large spread in magnitudes, with temporal patterns deviating from satellite detections. The performance for AOD and surface PM2.5 and their discrepancies highlighted the role of accurately represented spatiotemporal emission profiles in improving smoke forecasts.
Paul A. Makar, Craig Stroud, Ayodeji Akingunola, Junhua Zhang, Shuzhan Ren, Philip Cheung, and Qiong Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12291–12316, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12291-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12291-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Vehicle pollutant emissions occur in an environment where upward transport can be enhanced due to the turbulence created by the vehicles as they move through the atmosphere. An approach for including these turbulence effects in regional air pollution forecast models has been derived from theoretical, observation, and higher-resolution modeling. The enhanced mixing, which occurs in the immediate vicinity of roadways, changes pollutant concentrations on the regional to continental scale.
Zhiyong Wu, Leiming Zhang, John T. Walker, Paul A. Makar, Judith A. Perlinger, and Xuemei Wang
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 5093–5105, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5093-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5093-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A community dry deposition algorithm for modeling the gaseous dry deposition process in chemistry transport models was extended to include an additional 12 oxidized volatile organic compounds and hydrogen cyanide based on their physicochemical properties and was then evaluated using field flux measurements over a mixed forest. This study provides a useful tool that is needed in chemistry transport models with increasing complexity for simulating an important atmospheric process.
Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Jack Chen, Balbir Pabla, Wanmin Gong, Craig Stroud, Christopher Sioris, Kerry Anderson, Philip Cheung, Junhua Zhang, and Jason Milbrandt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10557–10587, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10557-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10557-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We have examined the effects of airborne particles on absorption and scattering of incoming sunlight by the particles themselves via cloud formation. We used an advanced, combined high-resolution weather forecast and chemical transport computer model, for western North America, and simulations with and without the connections between particles and weather enabled. Feedbacks improved weather and air pollution forecasts and changed cloud behaviour and forest-fire pollutant amount and height.
Katherine Hayden, Shao-Meng Li, Paul Makar, John Liggio, Samar G. Moussa, Ayodeji Akingunola, Robert McLaren, Ralf M. Staebler, Andrea Darlington, Jason O'Brien, Junhua Zhang, Mengistu Wolde, and Leiming Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8377–8392, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8377-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8377-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a method using aircraft measurements to determine lifetimes with respect to dry deposition for oxidized sulfur and nitrogen compounds over the boreal forest in Alberta, Canada. Atmospheric lifetimes were significantly shorter than derived from chemical transport models with differences related to modelled dry deposition velocities. The shorter lifetimes suggest models need to reassess dry deposition treatment and predictions of sulfur and nitrogen in the atmosphere and ecosystems.
Yuan You, Ralf M. Staebler, Samar G. Moussa, James Beck, and Richard L. Mittermeier
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1879–1892, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1879-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1879-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Tailings ponds in the Alberta oil sands can be significant sources of methane, an important greenhouse gas. This paper describes a 1-month study conducted in 2017 to measure methane emissions from a pond using a variety of micrometeorological flux methods and demonstrates some advantages of these methods over flux chambers.
Yuan You, Samar G. Moussa, Lucas Zhang, Long Fu, James Beck, and Ralf M. Staebler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 945–959, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-945-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-945-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Tailings ponds in the Alberta oil sands represent an insufficiently characterized source of fugitive emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere. In this study, a novel approach of using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer along with measurements of atmospheric turbulence is shown to present a practical, non-intrusive method of quantifying emission rates for ammonia, alkanes, and methane. Results from a 1-month field study are presented and discussed.
Cited articles
Adams, E. E.: World Forest Area Still on the Decline, Earth Policy Institute,
http://www.earth-policy.org/mobile/releases/forests_2012 (last access: 6 April 2023), 2012
Baibakov, K., LeBlanc, S., Ranjbar, K., O'Neill, N. T., Wolde, M., Redemann, J., Pistone, K., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., Hayden, K., Chan, T. W., Wheeler, M. J., Nichman, L., Flynn, C., and Johnson, R.: Airborne and ground-based measurements of aerosol optical depth of freshly emitted anthropogenic plumes in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10671–10687, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10671-2021, 2021.
Boucher, O., Randall, D., Artaxo, P., Bretherton, C., Feingold, G., Forster,
P., Kerminen, V.-M., Kondo, Y., Liao, H., Lohmann, U., Rasch, P., Satheesh,
S. K., Sherwood, S., Stevens, B., and Zhang, X. Y.: Clouds and Aerosols, in:
Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working
Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor,
M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley,
P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York,
NY, USA, 571–658, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.016, 2013.
Cai, Y., Montague, D. C., Mooiweer-Bryan, W., and Deshler, T.: Performance
characteristics of the ultra high sensitivity aerosol spectrometer for
particles between 55 and 800 nm: Laboratory and field studies, J.
Aerosol Sci., 39, 759–769, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2008.04.007, 2008.
Davidson, C. and Spink, D.: Alternate approaches for assessing impacts of oil
sands development on air quality: A case study using the First Nation
Community of Fort McKay, J. Air Waste Manage., 68, 308–328, https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2017.1377648, 2018.
Emerson, E. W., Hodshire, A. L., DeBolt, H. M., Bilsback, K. R., Pierce, J. R.,
McMeeking, G. R., and Farmer, D. K.: Revisiting particle dry deposition and its
role in radiative effect estimates, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 117,
26076–26082, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014761117, 2020.
Farmer, D. K., Boedicker, E. K., and DeBolt, H. M.: Dry Deposition of Atmospheric
Aerosols: Approaches, Observations, and Mechanisms, Annu. Rev.
Phys. Chem., 72, 375–97, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physchem-090519-034936,
2021.
Foken, T.: Micrometeorology, Springer, Berlin, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74666-9, 2008.
Frazer, G. W., Canham, C. D., and Lertzman, K. P.: Gap Light Analyzer
(GLA), Version 2.0: Imaging software to extract canopy structure and gap
light transmission indices from true-colour fisheye photographs, users
manual and program documentation, Copyright © 1999: Simon Fraser
University, Burnaby, British Columbia, and the Institute of Ecosystem
Studies, Millbrook, New York, 1999.
Garratt, J. R.: The Atmospheric Boundary Layer, edited by: Houghton, J. T., Rycroft, M. J., and Dessler, A. J., Cambridge University Press,
ISBN-10 0521467454, ISBN-13 978-0521467452, 1994.
Gordon, M.: Aerosol measurements in the boreal forest in the vicinity of the Alberta Oil Sands, V1, Borealis [data set], https://doi.org/10.5683/SP3/CT4WFO, 2023
Gordon, M., Staebler, R. M., Liggio, J., Vlasenko, A., Li, S.-M., and Hayden, K.: Aerosol flux measurements above a mixed forest at Borden, Ontario, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 6773–6786, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-6773-2011, 2011.
Gordon, M., Blanchard, D., Jiang, T., Makar, P. A., Staebler, R. M., Aherne, J., Mihele, C., and Zhang, X.: High sulphur dioxide deposition velocities measured with the flux/gradient technique in a boreal forest in the Alberta oil sands region, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-668, in review, 2022.
Hicks, B. B., Saylor, R. D., and Baker, B. D.: Dry deposition of particles to
canopies – A look back and the road forward. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.,
121, 14691–14707, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD024742, 2016.
Horst, T. W.: A simple formula for attenuation of eddy fluxes measured with
first-order-response scalar sensors, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 82, 219–233,
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1000229130034, 1997.
Howell, S. G., Clarke, A. D., Freitag, S., McNaughton, C. S., Kapustin, V., Brekovskikh, V., Jimenez, J.-L., and Cubison, M. J.: An airborne assessment of atmospheric particulate emissions from the processing of Athabasca oil sands, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 5073–5087, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-5073-2014, 2014.
Kaimal, J. C. and Finnigan, J. J.: Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flows: Their
Structure and Measurement, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780195062397, 1994.
Kappos, A. D., Bruckmann, P., Eikmann, T., Englert, N., Heinrich, U., Höppe, P., Koch, E., Krause, G. H. M., Kreyling, W. G.,
Rauchfuss, K., Rombout, P., Schulz-Klemp, V., Thiel, W. R., and Wichmann, H.-E.:
Health Effects of Particles in Ambient Air, Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health,
207, 399–407, https://doi.org/10.1078/1438-4639-00306, 2004.
Liggio, J., Li, S.-M., Hayden, K., Taha, Y. M., Stroud, C., Darlington, A.,
Drollette, B. D., Gordon, M., Lee, P., Liu, P., Leithead, A., Moussa, S. G.,
Wang, D., O'Brien, J., Mittermeier, R. L., Brook, J. R., Lu, G., Staebler,
R. M., Han, Y., Tokarek, T. W., Osthoff, H. D., Makar, P. A., Zhang, J.,
Plata, D. L., and Gentner, D. R.: Oil sands operations as a large source of secondary
organic aerosols, Nature, 534, 91–94, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17646, 2016.
Makar, P. A., Staebler, R. M., Akingunola, A., Zhang, J., Mclinden, C.,
Kharol, S. K., Pabla, B., Cheung, P., and Zheng, Q.: The effects of forest
canopy shading and turbulence on boundary layer ozone, Nat.
Commun., 8, 15243, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15243, 2017.
Mammarella, I., Rannik, U., Aalto, P., Keronen, P., Vesala, T., and Kulmala, M.:
Long-term aerosol particle flux observations. Part II: Particle size
statistics and deposition velocities, Atmos. Environ., 45, 3794–3805,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.04.022, 2011.
Matsuda, K.: Dry deposition of aerosols onto forest, in: Air Pollution
Impacts on Plants in East Asia, edited by: Izuta, T., Springer, Tokyo, 309–322, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56438-6,
2017.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): The state of Canada's forests, annual
report 2021, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa,
Canada, ISSN 1196-1589, 2021.
Petroff, A., Murphy, J. G., Thomas, S. C., and Geddes, J. A.: Size-resolved aerosol fluxes above a temperate broadleaf forest, Atmos. Environ., 190, 359–375, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.07.012, 2018.
Pryor, S. C., Barthelmie, R. J., Sørensen, L. L., Larsen, S. E., Sempreviva,
A. M., Grönholm, T., Rannik, U., Kulmala, M., and Vesala,
T.: Upward fluxes of particles over forests: when, where, why?, Tellus B, 60, 372–380,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0889.2008.00341.x, 2008.
Rannik, Ü., Vesala, T., and Keskinen, R.: On the dampening of temperature
fluctuations in a circular tube relevant to eddy covariance measurement
technique, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 12789–12794, https://doi.org/10.1029/97JD00362,
1997.
Raupach, M. R.: Turbulent transfer in plant canopies, in Plant
Canopies – Their Growth, Form and Function, edited by: Russell, G.,
Marshall, B., and Jarvis, P. G., Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, ISBN 9780521395632, 41–61,
1988.
Saylor, R. D., Baker, B. D., Lee, P., Tong, D., Pan, L., and Hicks, B. H.: The
particle dry deposition component of total deposition from air quality
models: right, wrong or uncertain?, Tellus B, 71, 1550324, https://doi.org/10.1080/16000889.2018.1550324, 2019.
Schilperoort, B., Coenders-Gerrits, M., Jiménez Rodríguez, C., van der Tol, C., van de Wiel, B., and Savenije, H.: Decoupling of a Douglas fir canopy: a look into the subcanopy with continuous vertical temperature profiles, Biogeosciences, 17, 6423–6439, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-6423-2020, 2020.
Thomas, C. and Foken, T.: Flux contribution of coherent structures and its
implications for the exchange of energy and matter in a tall spruce canopy,
Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 123, 317–337, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-006-9144-7, 2007.
You, Y., Staebler, R. M., Moussa, S. G., Beck, J., and Mittermeier, R. L.: Methane emissions from an oil sands tailings pond: a quantitative comparison of fluxes derived by different methods, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1879–1892, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1879-2021, 2021.
Webb, E. K., Pearman, G., and Leuning, R.: Correction of the flux measurements
for density effects due to heat and water vapour transfer, Q. J.
Roy. Meteor. Soc., 106, 85–100, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49710644707,
1980.
Whitehead, J. D., Gallagher, M. W., Dorsey, J. R., Robinson, N., Gabey, A. M., Coe, H., McFiggans, G., Flynn, M. J., Ryder, J., Nemitz, E., and Davies, F.: Aerosol fluxes and dynamics within and above a tropical rainforest in South-East Asia, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 9369–9382, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-9369-2010, 2010.
Wilczak, J. M., Oncley, S. P., and Stage, S. A.: Sonic anemometer tilt
correction algorithms, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 99, 127–150,
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018966204465, 2001.
Yousif, M., Brook, J. R., Evans, G. J., Jeong, C.-H., Jiang, Z., Mihele, C.,
Lu, G., and Staebler, R. M.: Source Apportionment of Volatile Organic Compounds
in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4181135, 2022.
Yun, D. M., Kim, M. B., Lee, J. B., Kim, B. K., Lee, D. J., Lee, S. Y., Yu, S., and
Kim, S. R.: Correction factors for outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 measured
with portable real-time monitors compared with gravimetric methods: Results
from South Korea, Journal of Environmental Science International, 24,
1559–1567, https://doi.org/10.5322/JESI.2015.24.12.1559, 2015.
Zhang, J., Moran, M. D., Zheng, Q., Makar, P. A., Baratzadeh, P., Marson, G., Liu, P., and Li, S.-M.: Emissions preparation and analysis for multiscale air quality modeling over the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of Alberta, Canada, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 10459–10481, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10459-2018, 2018.
Zhang, L. M., Gong, S. L., Padro, J., and Barrie, L.: A size-segregated particle
dry deposition scheme for an atmospheric aerosol module, Atmos. Environ., 35, 549–560, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(00)00326-5, 2001.
Zhang, X., Gordon, M., Makar, P. A., Jiang, T., Davies, J., and Tarasick, D.: Ozone in the boreal forest in the Alberta oil sands region, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2023-26, in review, 2023.
Short summary
Measurements of submicron aerosols (particles smaller than 1 / 1000 of a millimeter) were made in a forest downwind of oil sands mining and production facilities in northern Alberta. These measurements tell us how quickly aerosols are absorbed by the forest (known as deposition rate) and how the deposition rate depends on the size of the aerosol. The measurements show good agreement with a parameterization developed from a recent study for deposition of aerosols to a similar pine forest.
Measurements of submicron aerosols (particles smaller than 1 / 1000 of a millimeter) were made...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint