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Urban Airshed Monitoring: New Tools for Aerosol Characterization at Meso-Scale Spatial Resolution
Start Date 08/01/2006
End Date 07/31/2007
Primary Partner: Clarkson University
Primary Contact: Dhaniyala, Suresh - Professor
Other Project Contacts: Marzocca, Piergiovanni - Co-Principal Investigator
Project Type: CARTI I
Technical Description:
The design and development of next generation of "Smart Cities" and "Green Buildings" must be made in conjunction with the knowledge of the interaction of air pollution with the personal environment. In urban areas, the broad range of sources with varying emission profiles combined with the local meteorology results in a complex, heterogeneous distribution of pollutants. The existing discrete ground-based monitoring sites do not capture the temporal and spatial variations in pollutant concentrations. Advanced numerical modeling tools can provide the capability to predict and track the fate and transport of particles in an urban airshed. However, these simulations are complicated as they require the solution of integrated fluid and chemical processes. Wide-spread use of these models is only possible after thorough validation with data from full-scale experiments and real-world meteorological conditions. Such data can only be obtained from measurements in a real urban environment.
Expected Outcomes:
Here, we propose to develop a compact, instrumented aerosol-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (aUAV) for real-time air quality characterization in urban airsheds. This innovative system will enable unprecedented real-time monitoring that will help in future development and implementation of i-EQS for urban buildings.
Accomplishments:
The required instruments were calibrated and installed on the UAV. Ground and flight tests were made, followed by experimental first deployments (10 flights) over a forest canopy. The flight was made via radio control as FAA regulations and permission for an autonomous flight are unclear and require further investigation. Data was successfully collected and is being analyzed. New instrumentation will be designed to better capture low atmospheric particle concentrations.
Benefits:
This technology will someday enable rapid assessment of air quality over relatively large areas, including variations in pollution concentrations and atmospheric conditions, to better understand the relationship of air pollution with the personal environment.
For more information: http://www.clarkson.edu/mae/pdf/Clarkson University participate to the Nucleation In ForesTs-text _2_.pdf
Publications:
Meilu He, Pier Marzocca and Suresh Dhaniyala. “A New High Performance Battery-Operated Electrometer.” Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 78, 105103, October 2007.
The VectorP aerosol-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Photo Credit: "Urban Airshed Monitoring: New Tools for Aerosol Characterization at Meso-Scale Spatial Resolution." Suresh Dhaniyala and Pier Marzocca, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University.
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