Monitoring
Air pollution monitoring is a key component of the Western Air Quality Study. Surface and aloft observations of atmospheric chemical conditions are used to assess air quality, validate chemistry transport models, identify sources of air pollution, and investigate trends related to the introduction of new sources and/or mitigation strategies.
The WAQS compiled a list of the monitoring networks and special studies that we're using to evaluate the 2011 modeling platform. The CMAQ and CAMx modeling results are compared to the observations to determine the skill of the models in reproducing the observed local to regional atmospheric conditions. The observational data are also important diagnostic parameters that are used to identify model improvements. The tables and graphics below summarize that observations that we've collected for the WAQS.
2011 Air Quality Observations
Standard Monitoring Networks
| Network | Temporal Resolution | Pollutants | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQS | Hourly, Daily | O3, NO2, NOx, CO | EPA |
| FRM | 24-hour total every 3 days | PM2.5 | EPA |
| CSN | 24-hour average every 3 or 6 days | SO4,NO3,NH4,EC,OC | EPA |
| IMPROVE | 24-hour average every 3 days | PM2.5,PM10,SO4,NO3,EC,OC | Various |
| CASTNet | Hourly | O3 | EPA |
| CASTNet | Weekly | PM2.5,SO4,NO3,NH4,SO2,HNO3 | EPA |
| NADP | Weekly,Daily | SO4,NO3,NH4 wet deposition,Hg | EPA |
| AMON | Weekly,2-weeks | NH3 | EPA |
| Ozonesondes | Daily | O3 | NOAA |
Special Studies and Databases
| Study | Temporal Resolution | Time Period | Vertical | Pollutants | Data Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Green River Winter Ozone Study (UGWOS) | Hourly,Daily | Dec 2010 - Mar 2011 | Surface, tower, and sondes | O3,NO,NOx,NMHC,THC,VOC species,CH4 | WY DEQ | |
| Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS) | Hourly | Dec 28, 2010 - Mar 15, 2011 | Surface | O3 | UT DEQ | |
| CDPHE 2011-2012 O3 Precursor Study | Weekly 3-hr morning samples | Dec 2011 | Surface | NMOC and Carbonyl species | CDPHE | Denver Camp and Platteville sites |
| CDPHE Garfield County O3 Precursors | Weekly 24-hour totals | 2011 | Surface | NMOC and Carbonyl species | CDPHE | Bell-Melton, Parachute, Rifle, Brock, Rulison, Battlement Mesa, Roaring Fork/Carbondale sites |
| CDPHE Grand Junction O3 Precursors | Weekly 24-hour totals | 2011 | Surface | NMOC and Carbonyl species | CDPHE | Grand Junction Pitkin (GPCO) site |
| WY DEQ O3 Precursors | Hourly Averages, Time-stamp at the beginning of the hour | 2011 | Surface | CH4,NMHC,THC | WY DEQ | Big Piney, Boulder, Gillette, Pavillion, Wamsutter sites |
| BOA Tower VOCs | Hourly | Feb - Mar -2011 | 20 m | VOC species | NOAA NACHTT | |
| BAO Tower O3 | 5-min and 1-hour average | 2011 | Surface and 300 m | O3 | NOAA | |
| Rural NV O3 | 1-hour average | Jul - Dec 2011 | Surface | O3 | UNR | |
| BAO Tower O3 | 5-min and 1-hour average | 2011 | Surface and 300 m | O3 | NOAA | |
| Front Range NH3 | Weekly average | May-Aug, 2010-2013 | Surface | NH3 | Li & Collett, CSU | 14 suburban/rural sites along the CO front range |
