Report: 1981-04-10 (Volume 3) Winter Field Study; The ... · S02 concentrations were highest near...
Transcript of Report: 1981-04-10 (Volume 3) Winter Field Study; The ... · S02 concentrations were highest near...
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THE ORIGIN AND FATE OF AIRBORNE POLLUTANTS
WITHIN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
VOLUME 3 - WINTER FIELD STUDY
by
Meteorology Research, Inc. California Institute of Technology Division of Chemistry and Chemical
T. B. Smith Engineering D. E. Lehrman
D. D. Reible F. H. Shair
Prepared for California Air Resources Board
Apri 1 10, 1981
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The statements and conclusions in this report are those of the Cnntractors and not necessarily those of the State Air Resources Board. The mention of commercial products, their source or their use in connection with material reported herein is not to be construed as either an actual or implied endorsement of such products.
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Characteristic wind flow in the valley during stable periods is
toward the center of the valley and northward at night. By late forenoon,
the flow in the southern end of the valley usually becomes northwesterly fnr r.oml"HJ.:ti l n.fwith upslope components. The latter provides a mechanism I,._,, I '-111VYUI I VI
low level air from the valley during the daytime.
Tracer releases from Fresno and Chowchilla during the November
December program showed similar characteristics. A slow drift toward the
north was observed during the late afternoon and evening. A slow drift
toward the south occurred during the following morning. Most of the tracer
appeared to be within a 70 mile radius of the release site after 24 hours.
During the afternoon of the day following release the tracer diluted rapidly by vertical mixing.
Releases in the southern end of the valley (Bakersfield, Valley Acres
and Lost Hills) showed the influence of afternoon upslope winds. Tracer
material was carried upslope during the afternoon but much of it returned to
the valley during the evening in drainage flow. During the night the drainage
winds carried the material across the valley. On occasion, the material
appeared on the opposite side of the valley by early forenoon. By late fore
noon the tracer material spread throughout the southern end of the valley and was carried upslope by the characteristic afternoon wind pattern.
Two tracer releases were carried out in February and March 1979 but without meteorological and air quality support. More pronounced
stability resulted in longer residence times in the valley than observed in the November-December period. It was estimated that 1/2 of the tracer material
remained in the valley after 60 hours.
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ABSTRACT
An extensive observational program was started in 1978 to investigate the origin and transport of pollutants in the San Joaquin Valley. Three
field programs were carried out. The present volume (Volume 3) describes the
results of the 15 November to 10 December intensive field study. Volumes 4
and 5 describe the summer (July 1979) and fall (September 1979) programs, respectively. Participants in the study were Meteorology Research, Inc.,
California Institute of Technology, Rockwell International (EMSC) and
Environmental Research and Technology (ERT).
Five tracer releases provided the core of the November-December field
program. These releases were supported by supplementary meteorological ob
servations and airborne air quality sampling. Three Rockwell International
vans operated continuously in the valley to provide additional air quality
data. Filter samples obtained at each of the vans were analyzed by ERT to
evaluate the particulate chemistry in the area.
Overall air pollution conditions in the valley during the November-
December field program were analyzed and compared to historical periods from
previous years. Temperatures at 850 mb (reflecting the potential for air
pollution accumulation) averaged below normal for the field study period but
with occasional periods of above normal temperatures. Maximum pollutant con
centrations observed during the program were slightly less than those recorded
in the valley during November-December 1977 or 1979. It is concluded that
the tracer studies were conducted under representative but not extreme pollu
tion conditions for that time of year.
Ozone concentrations observed during the field program were low
(maximum .08 ppm) and relatively uniform throughout the valley. CO and NOx
concentrations reflected strong urban sources and were closely related to
peak traffic periods. S02 concentrations were highest near Oildale. Timing
of the S02 peaks suggested transport from nearby source areas.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT List of Tables List of Figures 1. Introduction 2. Overview of Meteorology and Air Quality 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Meteorology 2.3 Air Quality 2.4 Particulates 3. Tracer Summaries 3.1 Test 1 15-16 November 1978 - Chowchilla Release
(1100-1600 PST) 3.2 Test 2 18-19 November 1978 - Fresno Release
(1200-1700 PST) 3.3 Test 3 25-26 November 1978 - Bakersfield Release
(1200-1700 PST) 3.4 Test 4 29-30 November 1978 - Elk Hills Release
(1200-1700 PST) 3.5 Test 5 8-9 December 1978 - Lost Hills Release
(1400-2030 PST) 3.6 Tracer Test 6 6-7 February 1979 - Lost Hills Release 3.7 Tracer Test 7 6-7 March 1979 - Lost Hills Release 4. Summary of Individual Tracer Tests 5. Conclusions
Page
i i i vi vi ii 1-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-9 2-15 3-1
3-1
3-24
3-52
3-80
3-115 3-144 3-150 4-1 5-1
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List of Tables (Continued)
Table No. Page
3.5.1 Surface Winds at Lost Hills, December 8-9, 1978 3-117 3.5.2 1000-foot Winds, December 8-9, 1978 3-117 3.5.3 Aircraft Mixing Heights 3-118 3.5.4 Maximum Pollutant Concentrations, December 8, 1978 3-123 3.5.5 1300 PST Visibilities 3-123 3.5.6 Air Quality Measurements CARB San Joaquin Va 11 ey Project
December 8, 1978 3-126 3.5.7 Air Quality Measurements CARB San Joaquin Valley Project
December 9, 1978 3-134
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LIST OF TABLES
Table No.
2.2.1 2.2.2 2.3.i 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.3.5 2.4.1
2.4.2
3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4 3.1.5 3.1.6
3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5 3.2.6
3.2.7
3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 3.3.4 3.3.5 3.3.6
3.3.7
3.4.1
3.4.2 3.4.3 3.4.4 3.4.5 3.4.6
3.4.7
3.4.8
Page
Stagnation Periods 2-3 Climatological Stagnation Episodes 2-4 Maximum Hourly Concentrations (November-December) 2-10 Maximum Hourly Concentrations (November-December) 2-11 Daily CO Maximum - December 7-15, 1978 2-12 Maximum Nitrogen Oxides Concentrations (ppm) Nov-Dec 78 2-13 Time of Maximum Concentration (PST) November-December 78 2-14 Average Total Particle (diameter
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List of Figures (Continued)
3. 3.11 Aircraft Sounding - November 26, 1978 3. 3. 12 Aircraft Sounding - November 26, 1978 3.3.13 Aircraft Sounding - November 26, 1978 'J 'J , /I ..., • ..,I. J. "T Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3.3.15 Sampler Locations 3.3.16 Sampler Transport Paths 3.4.1 Surface Weather Map - November 29, 1978 3.4.2 Surface Streamlines - 29 November 1978 (13 PST) 3.4.3 Surface Streamlines - 29 November 1978 (22 PST) 3.4.4 Surface Streamlines - 30 November 1978 (10 PST) 3.4.5 Maximum Hourly Ozone Concentrations (ppm) -
November 29, 1978 3.4.6 Sampling Routes - 28 November 1978 3.4.7 Aircraft Sounding - November 28, 1978 3.4.8 Aircraft Sounding - November 28, 1978 3.4.9 Aircraft Sounding - November 28, 1978 3. 4. 10 Sampling Routes - 29 November 1978 3.4.11 Aircraft Sounding - November 29, 1978 3.4.12 Aircraft Sounding - November 29, 1978 3. 4. 13 Aircraft Sounding - November 29, 1978 3.4.14 Sampling Routes - 30 November 1978 3.4.15 Aircraft Sounding - November 30, 1978
Aircraft Sounding - November Ju, 1978 3. 4. 17 Aircraft Sounding - November 30, 1978 3. 4. 18 Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3. 4. 19 Sampler Locations 3.4.20 Sampler Transport Paths 3. 5. 1 Surface Weather Map - December 8, 1978 3.4.2 Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (16 PST) 3. 5. 3 Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (01 PST) 3.5.4 Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (13 PST) 3. 5. 5 Maximum Hourly Ozone Concentrations (ppm) -
December 8, 1978 3.5.6 Sampling Routes - 8 December 1978 3.5.7 Aircraft Sounding - December 8, 1978 3.5.8 Aircraft Sounding - December 8, 1978 3.5.9 Aircraft Sounding - December 8, 1978 3.5.10 Aircraft Sounding - December 8, 1978 3.5.11 Sampling Routes - 9 December 1978 3.5.12 Aircraft Sounding - December 9, 1978 3.5.13 Aircraft Sounding - December 9, 1978 ') t::. , /I Hourl_y Tracer Concentrations.J • .J. J,. "1' 3. 5. 15 Sampler Locations 3.5.16 Sampler Transport Paths 3.6.1 Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3.6.2 Sampler Locations 3.6.3 Sampler Transport Paths 3. 7. 1 Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3.7.2 Sampler Locations 3.7.3 Sampler Transport Paths 3.7.4 SF5 Concentration - Wasco - Test 73.7.5 SF5 Concentration - Old River - Test 7
Page
3-71 3- 72 3- 73 3- 75 3-76 3- 79 3-81 3-83 3-84 3-85
3-89 3-91 3-93 3-94 3-95 3-97 3-99 3-100 3-101 3-103 3-105 3-106 3-107 3-109 3-110 3-114 3-116 3-119 3-120 3-121
3-122 3-125 3-127 3-128 3-129 3-130 3-133 3-135 3-136 3-139 3-140 3-142 3-145 3-146 3-149 3-151 3-152 3-155 3-157 3-158
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Figure No.
2. 2. 1
2.2.3 2.2.4
3.1. 1 3.1. 2 3.1. 3 3. 1.4 3.1. 5
3.1. 6 3.1. 7 3.1. 8 3.1. 9 3. 1. 10 3. 1. 11 3. 1.12 3.1.13 3.1.14 ., ') 1 .;. '-• .L
3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5
3.2.6 3.2.7 3. 2. 8 3.2.9 3.2.10 3.2.11 3.2.12 3.2.13 3.2.14 3. 2. 15 3. 2. 16 3.3.1 3. 3. 2
3.3.4 3.3.5
3.3.6 3. 3. 7 3.3.8 3.3.9 3.3.10
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
850 mb Temperatures and Visibilities, November-December 1978 2-2
') CSurface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (22 PST} c.- J Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (13 PST) 2-6 Resultant Surface Winds - Low Visibility Conditions
November-December 1978 2-8 Surface Weather Map - November 15, 1978 3-2 Surface Streamlines - 15 November 1978 (13 PST) 3-3 Surface Streamlines - 15 November 1978 (19 PST) 3-4 Surface Streamlines - 16 November 1978 (19 PST) 3-5 Maximum Hourly Ozone Concentrations (ppm) -
November 15, 1978 3-9 Sampling Routes - 15 November 1978 3-11 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 3-13 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 3-14 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 3-15 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 3-16 Aircraft Sounding - Nover:iber 15, 1978 3-17 Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3-19 Sampler Locations 3-20 Sampler Transport Paths 3-22 Surface Weather Map - November 18, 1978 3-25 Surface Streamlines - 18 November 1978 (16 PST) 3-26 Surface Streamlines - 19 November 1978 (01 PST) 3-27 Surface Streamlines - 19 November 1978 (07 PST) 3-28 Maximum Hourly Ozone Concentrations (ppm) -
November 18, 1978 3-31 Samplinq Routes - 17 November 1978 3-34 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978 3-36 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978 3-37 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978 3-38 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978 3-40 Sampling Routes - 18 November 1978 3-41 Aircraft Sounding - November 18, 1978 3-43 Aircraft Sounding - November 18, 1978 3-45 Hourly Tracer Concentrations 3-48 Sampler Locations 3-49 Sampler Transport Paths 3-51 Surface Weather Map - November 25, 1978 3-53 Surface Streamlines - 25 November 1978 (13 PST) 3-54 Surface Streamlines - 25 November 1978 (19 PST) 3-55 Surface Streamlines - 26 November 1978 (07 PST) 3-56 Maximum Hourly Ozone Concentrations (ppm) -
November 25, 1978 3-61 Sampling Routes - 25 November 1978 3-63 Aircraft Sounding - November 25, 1978 3-65 Aircraft Sounding - November 25, 1978 3-66 Aircraft Sounding - November 25, 1978 3-67 Sampling Routes - 26 November 1978 3-69
viii
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Two additional tracer tests were carried out by Cal Tech as follows:
Release Location Date Release Time {1979) {PST}
Lost Hi 11 s February 6-7 2000-0800
Lost Hi 11 s March 6-7 2030-0800
These tests were conducted outside of the scope of the original contracts
and were not supported by meteorology and air quality measurements. They are in
cluded in the present report since they provide additional information of value
in developing a year-round understanding of dispersion in the valley.
The present volume (Volume 3) discusses the details of the winter field program including all pertinent tracer and aircraft sampling data. Surface and
pibal wind data have been furnished to GARB on magnetic tape. Separate reports
(Volumes 6 and 7) give the details of the Rockwell International and ERT work,
respectively. Portions of these reports have been used in the present volume,
where appropriate.
Volumes 4 and 5 of the report series include the details of the summer
and fall intensive programs, respectively. Volume 2 provides an extended summary of the entire program and a discussion of a number of special analysis
topics which resulted from the field measurement programs. Volume 1 is an Executive Summary of the program.
1-2
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1. Introduction
Winter months in the San Joaquin Valley are characterized meteorolo
qically by stable periods with light winds interrupted by occasional cold
frontal passages with moderate to strong winds. These frontal passages scour
out the valley and effectively remove most of the pollutants. The effective
ness of the stabilizinq process after a frontal passage is evidenced by the
rapid decrease in visibility throughout the valley. These restricted visi
bility periods continue until the next trough passage.
The stable, light wind periods between trough passages offer the
potential for air pollution build-up. The restricted visibilities provide
some evidence of the potential problem. A winter intensive field program was
carried out in November-December 1978 to evaluate the extent of this problem.
The objectives of the winter field program were:
1. To investigate the transport and dispersion character
istics in the valley.
2. To evaluate the ventilation budget of the valley.
3. To characterize the air quality and the particulate
chemistry during the winter periods.
In view of the difficulties in carrying out a field program covering the
entire valley, the winter program was concentrated in the southern half where
the greatest potential for pollutant huild-up seemed to exist.
The winter field program consisted of five tracer releases as listed
below. Each release was supported by pibal wind soundings and aircraft measure
ments which provided air quality and temperature structure information. Three
Rockwell International air quality vans were positioned at Reedley, the Rockwell Radome facility south of Bakersfield and at Lost Hills. Environmental Research
and Technology (ERT) provided filter samplers which were operated at each van.
Analyses and interpretation of the filter samples were carried out by ERT.
The followinq tracer releases were carried out during the winter program:
Release Location Date Release Time
(1978) (PST) Chowchilla November 15 1100-1600
Fresno November 18 1200-1700
Bakersfield November 25 1200-17 00
Valley Acres November 29 1200-1700 Lost Hills December 8 1400-2030
1-1
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N I
N
.," e;
,~ +'
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2. Overview of Meteoroloqy and Air Quality
2. 1 Introduction
The followinq sections describe the general conditions which
during the winter intensive field period in November-December 1978.
occ
The
urred
over
all meteorological conditions are summarized and compared to climatological
records to determine the representativeness of the test period. Descriptions
of air quality and particulate concentrations for the intensive period are
summarized from the more extensive reports by Rockwell International and ERT
which appear as Volumes 6 and 7 of this report.
2.2 Meteorology
850 mb Temperatures
Late fall and early winter in the San Joaquin Valley are characterized
by stable periods punctuated by occasional cold frontal passages. Durinq these
intrusions of cold air, instability and strong winds tend to scour out the
valley, removinq most of the pollution which accumulates during the stable
oeriods.
Fiqure 2.2.1 shows the distribution of 850 mb temperatures at Vandenberq
AFB for the period of November-December 1978. Such temperatures have been used
frequently (e.g., Smith, Giroux and Knuth, 1977) to characterize regional air
pollution potential. Warm temperatures aloft lead to stable temperature lapse
rates and qreater potential for trapping of pollutants in the surface layers.
November and December mean 850 mb temperatures are included in Figure 2.2.1 for
a comparison with climatoloqy. The data indicate that the November-December 1978
period had lower averaqe 850 mb temperatures than normal but showed some periods
of above averaqe temperatures.
Tracer test periods are shown in block form in Figure 2.2.1. All tests
were conducted in relatively stable periods with the exception of Test 5 which
was carried out in a rapidly stabilizing situation where the first two days of
the test period differed considerably in their stability characteristics.
2-1
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From Table 2.2.1 it can be seen that the stagnation tends to be a valley-wide
phenomenon with some tendency for the southern part of the valley to be
affected to a greater degree.
In comparison with the data in Table 2.2.1, the following table shows
the climatological occurrence of such stagnation episodes.
Table 2.2.2
CLIMATOLOGICAL STAGNATION EPISODES (196 7- 77)
Mean No. Days Maximum Du rat ion Per Month in 11-Year Period
Stockton
November 14.4 days 10 days
December 19.3 16
Fresno
November 20.6 19 nn.,...omhnrvc::'--..;:;111uc:;1
?n n c...v.v 19
Bakersfield
November 16.6 14
December 18.9 18
Comparison of the stagnation episode data in the two tables indicates
near normal but not extreme conditions during the November-December 1978 field
period.
Surface Winds
Under conditions where synoptic pressure gradients do not influence the
valley (conditions of restricted visibility) diurnal patterns in the surface
wind patterns were apparent in the November-December intensive period. These
patterns are illustrated in typical fashion for the southern part of the valley
in Figures 2.2.2 and 2.2.3.
During the night (Figure 2.2.2) drainage winds occur on both sides of the
valley creating an apparent zone of convergence near the center (indicated by
dashed line). The nature and structure of the zone are unclear. Essentially,
2-4
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Visibilities
Figure 2.2.1 includes a plot of the 1300 PST visibility at Bakersfield
for the November-December 1978 period. Durinq the winter, restricted visi
bility in the valley is a simple indicator of the extent of the pollutant
trappinq which exists on any given day. It is to be noted in the fiqure that
the visibility plot during the two-month period has a very strong neqative
correlation with respect to the 850 mb curve. Warm temperatures aloft corre
late extremely well with restricted visibilities. It is apparent from the
figure that the result of the cold air trough passages is to flush out the
valley from a pollutant standpoint. Major cases of flushing (November 22,
December 2 and December 6-8) are associated with the lowest 850 mb temperatures at Vandenberg. The rapidity of the stabilizing influence following a
trough passage is apparent in the rapid return to low visibilities following
the cold air intrusion.
The visibility trends during the winter can therefore be used as an
indicator of the degree and frequency of flushing of the valley. For this
puroose, a criterion was established which defined the existence of flushing
as a day on which the visibility achieved a level of 10 miles or more at any
time during the day. This arbitrary definition then permits the length of
stagnation (pollutant-accumulation) periods to be tabulated.
According to this definition, stagnation periods occurred during the
field intensive period as follows:
Table 2.2.1
STAGNATION PERIODS
Stockton Fresno Bakersfield
November 13-20 (8 days) November 14-18 (5 days) November 12-17 6 days) November 25-30 (6 days) November 24-30 (7 days) November 20-30 (11 days)
December 4 (1 day) December 4 (1 day) December 5-8 ( 4 days) December 10 ( 1 day)
Total 15 days 14 days 21 days
2-3
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! I 0 5
SCAL[ 10 ·~ 20
MILES
Figure 2.2.3 Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (13 PST)
2-6
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•
•
•
~
•
0
~ '\ \
i_~ , -\ I ,\ . _,...
-, '"" ----- "
SCALE 0 !I 10 l!I 20
MiLES
Figure 2.2.2 Surface Streamlines - 8 December 1978 (22 PST)
2-5
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P.M.(PST)A.M. ( PST)
I I 1 C
STOCE TO!\
FRESJ\C
22 1' 1'
I JC
BAKERSFIELD
Jc
0 2 m/•
Figure 2.2.4 Resultant Surface Winds - Low Visibility Conditions November-December 1978
2-8
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two dense layers of air flow down the slopes toward the center of the valley.
The nature of the interaction between the two fluid streams depends on the
relative densities of the streams as well as their velocity fields. These
may vary somewhat from night to night.
During the forenoon the drainage flow is eliminated and is replaced
by an upslope flow (Figure 2.2.3). As indicated, the flow is upslope in all
direct ions and suggests that some air (and pollutant material) can be trans
ported out of the valley during a part of the day.
If the low visibility days (visibility
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Table 2.3.1
MAXIMUM HOURLY CONCENTRATIONS
(NOVEMBER-DECEMBER)
03(ppm) CO (ppm)
Location Field Field 1977 1978 1979 1977 1978 1979
Bakersfield •06 ,07 18 16 17
Coalinga .07 .06 .08 4 4 5
Five Points .08 .06 •06 2 5 2 Fountain Springs .08 Squaw Valley .10 .06
FNO-Butler .07
FNO-CSU •05 13
FNO-Downtown .06
FN0-01 i ve .08 .05 .05 23 18 28
Hanford .05 •09
Lindsay .08 .06
Los Banos .07 .06 .08 McKittrick .08
Merced •07 .06 11 7
Modesto .04 .03 .06 22 13 18
Oil dale .05 .08 7
Shaver Lake .09 .05
Stockton 21 10 18
Taft .03 •07
Turlock .07 .06 .05
Visalia .08 .07 .10 15 11 12
Reedley .07 3.6
Radome .07
Lost Hi 11 s • 07
2-10
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2. 3 Ai r Qua l ity
Tables 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 give the maximum hourly concentrations of various
parameters as observed during the winter intensive field program (November 15 -
December 10, 1978). Concentrations observed at Reedley, Radome and Lost Hills
are also included as determined by the Rockwell International vans. For com
parison the maximum concentrations for November-December 1977 and 1979 are shown
where available. Comparison of the data obtained during the field period with 1977 and
1979 data indicates that, in almost every case, peak concentrations during the
field program were slightly less than occurred in 1977 and 1979. This conclusion
corresponds with that reached in the previous section, i.e. , the meteoro 1 ogi cal conditions were slightly less conducive than average to high pollutant potential
although a number of relatively high pollutant days were experienced.
Ozone
Maximum hourly concentrations shown in Table 2.3.1 indicate a narrow range
of values throughout the valley. In keeping with the lateness of the season,
photochemistry effects are small compared to summer and fall periods. Even the
major urban downwind areas do not show the effects of significant ozone increases.
Similar results are shown for 1977 and 1979 although there are some indications
that downwind areas (Shaver Lake, Squaw Valley) experienced slightly enhanced
ozone values.
The re \•le re ::a n11mh.o.,... n
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in this case the small quantities of nitrogen oxides do not indicate
a reactive depletion of the ozone. Si~ilar occurrences are observed in some
of the rural areas where CARB stations are located. For example, at Squaw
Valley most of the ozone concentrations recorded between midnight and 04 in November and December were O or 1 ophrn. The data appear to indicate that the
background levels of ozone in the valley during winter may be somewhat below
the values of .03 to .04 ppm usually quoted or that another depletion mech
anism fTlaY exist.
co
In contrast to the ozone concentrations, the CO values in Table 2.3.1
show the marked influence of urban areas. All of the large values reported are associated with metropolitan areas. On the other hand, values at Coalinga
and Five Points are much lower. The peak concentration of 3.6 ppm at Reedley
(often downwind of Fresno) indicates the rapid dilution of the urban plume
upon moving into the rural areas.
The urban-rural differences are also shown in Table 2.3.3 which gives
the daily CO maximum at several stations during a low-visibility episode which
began on December 7, 1978. CO maxima at Fresno-Olive increased to a peak of
22 ppm whereas the rural areas showed much lower increases. The increases in
CO during the episode do not reflect accumulation of CO in the valley. The
850 mb temperature at Vandenberg AFB peaked on December 12 so that variations
in stability and pollution potential accounted for most of the changes shown
in Table 2. 3. 3. Table 2.3.3
DAILY CO MAXIMUM - DECEMBER 7-15, 1978 (ppm)
Reedley Fresno-Olive Five Points
December 7 2.1 9 1
8 2.4 18 1
9 2.7 i3 2
10 3.6 13 1
11 3.5 14 2
12 1.8 22 2 , ., 17i., ...'> .,A .. ' 2 14 2.7 16 1
15 2.5 13 1
2-12
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Tab1e 2.3.2
MAXIMUM HOURLY CONCENTRATIONS
(NOVEM8ER-DECEMBER)
NOx (ppm) S02 (ppm)
Location Fie1d Fie1d 1977 1978 1979 1977 1978 1979
Bakersfie1d 1.13 .90 1.05 .07 .05 . 09
Coa1inga .11 ,09 . 17
Five Points .03
FNO-Downtown .67
FN0-01ive 1. 03 .88 1.46 .04 .12
McKittrick •08
Merced .50 .40
Modesto .94 .62 .86 .03 .03
Oi1 da1e • 17 • 15 • 16
Stockton .87 .73
Visa1ia .62 .55 .56 .04
Reed1ey .31 .02
Radome .13 •01
Lost Hi11s .18 .005
2-11
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Time of Peak Hourly Concentrations
Table 2.3.5 gives the principal period of the day when peak concen
trations were observed at the three van sites and for selected CARB monitoring sites.
For ozone, the peak ozone concentrations occurred during the late fore
noon to early afternoon, indicating the local nature of the sources involved.
In the case of CO and NDx, peak concentrations were observed at times of morning
or evening traffic periods. The similarity between CO and NOx peaks suggests
roobile emissions as the primary source of these two pollutants.
As indicated in Table 2.3.5, the timing of the S02 peaks varies con
siderably from location to location. At Modesto and Fresno, the peaks occur
toward the end of the evening traffic period and are relatively small (.04 ppm
or less). At other locations, the timing appears to be related to the diurnal
wind patterns and the relation of the receptor area with respect to nearby source
areas. Table 2.3.5
TIME OF MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION (PST)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1978
03 co NO so Reedley
Radome Lost Hills
Bakers field
Fresno-Olive Dilda le
McKittrick
Modesto
Stockton
Visalia
10-16
11-16 10-16
12-15
12-15
12-15
14-15
12-15
07-09
17-21
18-22
18-21
17-20
18-21
16-21
04-09 06-12
17-23
17-23
17-22
18-22
18-21
18-21
11-15
12-17
05-11
10-19
06-11 09-12
19-21 19-21
2-14
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Nitrogen Oxides
Observed maximum hourly concentrations of NOx during the winter inten
sive program are given in Table 2.3.2 and are compared to November-December
maxima recorded in 1977 and 1979. As before, maximum values found during the
1978 winter program are somewhat helow those recorded in 1977 and 1979. The
urban-rural differences are clearly shown. The Radome and Lost Hills sites
appear to be representative of rural areas as far as NOx is concerned.
Table 2.3.4 shows the maximum values of NO, N02 and NOx observed at the
three Rockwel 1 International sites. The data indicate that peak concentrations
of NO exceeded N02 at all sites and served as the main contribution to NOx during
maximum NOx concentration periods. Table 2.3.4
MAXIMUM NITROGEN OXIDES CONCENTRATIONS (ppm)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1978
Reedley Radome Lost R1 11 s
NO .31 1 1....... 1 ,t.... .,. N02 .08 .05 .05
NOx .31 .13 .18
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur dioxide maximum hourly concentrations are also shown in Table
2.3.2. The strong source area near Oildale is immediately apparent. Considerable dilution occurs, however, by the time the Bakersfield and Radome sites
experience the Oildale plume.
PAN
Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) was measured only at Reedley. It was con
tinuously monitored over the period 12 November through 20 December. The
highest concentration recorded was 14.1 ppb. The highest levels reached for
more than one-half hour were 5 to 6 ppb. The most common temporal behavior was a low concentration (below 3 ppb) all day. On some days a single peak occurred
from 14 to 18 PST while a double peak {12-14 PST and 15-21 PST) was occasionally
observed. These values are bGlow those found in such urban areas as Los Angeles
and St. Louis but somewhat above those measured in rural areas of Ohio and the
Netherlands.
2-13
-
Direct emissions of particles from motor vehicle exhaust contributed
a small amount to the total particle samples at all three sites. The con
tribution was largest at Fresno, as expected from the lead concentrations
discussed in Table 2.4.1.
Contributions of direct emissions of particles from oil combustion
were also small at all sites, comprising 1 percent or less of the mass.
The contributions were larger at Bakersfield and Lost Hills than at Fresno,
as expected from the nearby presence of oil field operations. Ammonium
sulfate formed from atmospheric transformation of S02 emissions accounted
for about 10 percent of the mass at all three sites. Ammonium nitrate, a
secondary product of atmospheric reactions, accounted for 14-36 percent of the mass at the three sites. Concentrations of ammonium nitrate, which is
formed from emissions of nitrogen oxides, were about equal at Fresno and
Lost Hills. As a result of the lower average mass concentration at Lost
Hills, ammonium nitrate comprised a larger fraction of the mass than at
Fresno. The average ammonium nitrate concentration at Bakersfield was 43
percent of the concentrations at the other sites.
Carbon from sources other than those included in the calculations
accounted for about 7 percent of the mass at Bakersfield and Lost Hills
and 19 percent of the mass at Fresno. Possible sources of this carbon
include:
Inaccuracies in the emission composition used for
tertiary oil recovery boilers using fuel oil
Organic compounds formed by atmospheric reactions
Emissions from vegetative burning
Emissions from diesel engines if the ratio of
diesel vehicle emission to automobile emissions affecting the samples was larger than the ratio
on which the motor vehicle source composition is
based
Excluding this excess carbon, sources not included in the calculations accounted for 16 to 23 percent of the average measured mass concentrations in
the samples.
2-16
-
2.4.2
2.4 Particulates
2.4.1 Total Particle Composition
Average concentrations measured during the November-December inten
sive are listed by sampling location in Table 2.4.1.
The major components at all three sites include nitrate, sulfate,
ammonium, carbon and silicon. Of these commponents, nitrate, carbon and
silicon show the largest differences between sites. Substantially lower
nitrate concentrations were observed at Bakersfield. Carbon was signifi
cantly higher at Fresno than at the other two sites, with the averages at
Bakersfield and Lost Hills being about the same. The highest average silicon
concentration occurred at Bakersfield. The average at Fresno was 54 percent
of the value at Bakersfield, and the average at Lost Hills was 32 percent of
the Bakersfield average. A similar pattern is present in the site-to-site
differences in the other crustal-like elements.
The largest average concentrations of vanadium and nickel were observed
at the Bakersfield site. Significantly lower concentrations were measured at
Fresno and Lost Hills. This result for Bakersfield is consistent with the
relatively nearby location of major oil fields. The similarity between Lost
Hills and Fresno is somewhat surprising, since the Lost Hills site was expected
to be affected by operations at the westside oil fields.
Lead and bromine concentrations were highest at Fresno. This result
suggests motor vehicles affected that site substantially more than the other
sites.
Source Contributions to Total Particle Concentration
Averages of the estimated contributions of the source types to total
particle samples from the November-December intensive sampling period are shown
in Table 2.4.2. The mass concentration and the fraction of the measured mass from each emission type are listed.
Fugitive emissions of crustal-like materials accounted for substantial
fractions of the mass at all three sites. The largest contributions in terms
of mass fractions and concentrations were at Bakersfield. Contributions of
emissions from cultivated land were somewhat larger than contributions from
uncultivated land at Fresno and Bakersfield.
emissions was the opposite at Lost Hills.
2-15
-
Table 2.4.2
ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOURCE TYPES TO
AVERAGE TOTAL PARTICLE MASS DURING NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1978
Location Source Type Fresno Bakersfield Lost Hi 11 s
(23 Sameles) (16 Samples) (11 Samples)
(l:!:g/m3) (%) (I:!: g/m3) (%) (1,1:g/m3) (%) Cultivated land 16.0 11.0 37.0 31.D 6.0 6.0
Uncultivated land 12.0 8.0 25.0 21.0 15.0 15.0
Motor vehicles (primary)* 4.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Oil combustion (primary)** 0.8 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
(NH4)2 S04 15.0 10.0 12.0 10.0 13.0 13.0
NH4 N03 37. 0 25.0 16.0 14.0 37.0 36.0
Unidentified C 28.0 19.0 7.0 6.0 8.0 ~o Sum 113.0 77 .o 99.0 84.0 81.0 79.0 Measured Mass 146.D 118.0 102.0
* Includes only motor vehicle exhaust. Resuspended road dust is not distinguish-
able from cultivated and uncultivated land. Conversion of NOx emissions to
nitrate is included with NH4N03.
** Sulfate formed from S02 emissions and nitrate formed from NOx emissions is
2-18
-
Table 2.4.1
AVERAGE TOTAL PARTICLE (diameter
-
!
co ..... a,.... . u:,.... '-Q.J
i Q.J > 0 z
C..., :E
'-Q.J
.s::....,., Q.J
2
Al u lu .... '-::, V)
....
..... M
Ill
...-'-::, C7>
3-2
-
3. Tracer Summaries
3. 1 Test 1 15-16 November 1978 - Chowchilla Release (1100-1600 PST)
3. 1.1 Meteorology
General
This test was conducted at the beqinninq of a stabilizing period
which followed a storm passaqe through the area on 13 November. On the
morninq of the 15th, a closed low aloft at 500 mh was located in northern
Arizona and was moving rapidly to the northeast. As can be noted in Section
2, the 850 mb temperature, althouqh reflecting the cold temperatures
associated with the earlier trough passage, was on the increase; warming
4°C by the morning of the 16th. Temperatures at 850 mb, however, remained
below the 5~year average for November. On the surface (Fiqure 3.1.1), weak
regional pressure gradients were present resulting in weak synoptic scale
flow. Locally induced forces thus dominated the wind regir:ie in the valley.
At the airport in Fresno, the sky was obscured in the morning by dense fog
which burned off by release time and mostly clear or scattered cloud con
ditions prevailed the remainder of the day. Visibilities ranged from 1/16
of a mile in fog to 5 miles restricted by haze in the afternoon. The high
surface temperature measured at Fresno was 58°F as compared to a November
average of 67°F. The following morning visibilities were restricted to
2-1/2 miles by fog but increased in the afternoon to 5 miles in haze. The
sky was overcast in the afternoon due to the passage of the remnants of a
weak weather system.
Transport Winds
Figures 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 show several surface streamline maps for the
northern portion of the valley during and after the tracer release period.
During the early part of the release, winds at the Chowchilla release site
were southerly (Figure 3.1.2). Near the end of the release period the sur
face wind velocities at Chowchilla decreased substantially. Figure 3.1.3
(1900 PST) is typical of the conditions in the valley during the early
evening. Winds at Chowchilla remained light (1.0 m/s or less) throughout
the night until 0900 PST on November 16. Beginning about 1200 PST surface
winds at Chowchilla increased in velocity from southwesterly to northwesterly
directions. These are shown in Table 3.1.1:
3-1
-
0::
-..... °' L. (1J
L:: E (1J > 0 z
-U") "'(1J ;::.... e ftl (1J L. ..... V)
(1J u ~ "' ...-vi ,..,.-(1J L. ::, er....
LL
3-4
-
(,.,1 fl ~ TOCKTON \.«\. ..-.,....,,\ \{>~··· {4')--z_f
,.,~ \,oo~ , L C"j \ ,, 1, ' '
\ ,,,, l \'0o 11-') c,_,./
~,?. ] \ / \ i 1\. / r\ r_1C:,
C;~/1 ',
c-->1 ~ ~ '\ '-\ ~ I' l
\~ (\> 'f'~-r \l J1 I '.-'f,1 c;.: l I '1 --0 "'-,'~.' \I ";)o
' 'h k,5') ) w w
\Jlrt v•\~>,_~ f ~ ,,,, C
I
7_
- \ 1~~~ ) \~
(
~ ,/''-v- 1/j__,,--N
I SCALE
,o O 10 20 rrrrrrrm.r- -- _-- - , _- -- ·1
M1Lf s
Fiqure 3.1.2 Surface Streamlines - 15 Novemher 1978 {13 PST)
-
Tabie 3.i.1
SURFACE WINDS AT CHOWCHILLA NOVEMBER 16, 1978
Time Wind Ti me Wind 'PST' IPST\
1200 336° /1. 1 m/s 1700 300°/0.8 m/s 1300 207 /1. 7 1800 307 /1. 1
1400 304 I 1. 3 1900 339 /2.2 1500 277 /1. 2 2000 341 /2.4
1600 235 /1. 1 2100 322 /2.0
As shown in the table the northwesterly flow gradually became
better established during the afternoon resulting in the transport of
tracer material toward the southeast. Figure 3.1.4 shows the streamline
pattern at 1900 PST on November 16 with the northwesterly flow well
established.
Available winds at 1000 ft are shown in Table 3.1.2 for Fresno
and Chowchilla for the period of the release until early morning on
November 16.
Table 3.1.2
1000-FOOT WI NOS
Fresno Chowchilla Date Time Wind Wind
PST
11-15 11 227°/1.7 m/s 64°/1.2 m/s 12 103 /2.8 13 89 /0.8 168 /1. 9 14 186 /1. 7 15 74 /0.5 217 /1. 5 16 345 /0. 5
17 305 /1. 9 351 /1.4 18 45 /1.4 19 338 /1.7 326 /0. 4
11-16 05 260 /1. 0
3-6
-
w I u,
OCKTON
('l
\ ~l, f"--/~?\j
"o°",, . ~ \\ 7 \,"" ro; r ~ \,_'3\ ,·~( (\*Jr _',(' \ <
(4J~-
'-~ I
i (,~/) I
11I' _,JJ , i ( \1, \ 1
'l(J '-~, -I \_,
,;: 1"' ·~
_> ~ n) :\,,a,~,, ~•;~~~?
) I
(_ ~ '''oo r L
\ ¼~'--,
~ N
I 'SCALE
,o O 10 trrnnmT-:::-::- ------- 1 --=-=---
MILES
20 ·1
Fiqure 3.1.4 Surface Streamlines - 16 November 1978 (19 PST)
-
Air Quality
Surface Air Quality Summary
Pollutant concentrations throughout the valley were quite low on
November 15, 1978. Figure 3.1.5 shows a map of maximum ozone concentrations
at all stations in the valley for the day. Highest reading anywhere in the
valley was 0.07 ppm at McKittrick.
Maximum hourly concentrations of CO, SOz, and NOx anywhere in the
valley are shown in Table 3.1.4 together with maximum values measured at
Reedley by the Rockwel 1 International van.
Table 3.1.4
MAXIMUM HOURLY CONCENTRATIONS NOVEMBER 15, 1978
Parameter Location
0.07S02 McKittrick
co Fresno (Olive) 18 .,,,
n "'"nux Fresno (Olive) u.,"3
NDx Reedley 0.58
Particulate concentrations are indicated in a semi-qualitative
manner by visibility observations. Table 3.i.5 shows the i300 PST reported
visibility at various airports in the valley for November
of restricted visbility are given as H (Haze), F (Fog) or 15, 1978.
K (smoke). Causes
Table 3.1.5
1300 PST VISIBILITIES (MILES)
Location
Sacramento
Stockton
Modesto
Crow's Landing
Merced
Fresno
Lemoore
Bakersfield
Vi si bil ity
3 HK
2 FK 3 FH
7
3 F
4 H
3 H
4 H
3-8
-
Early in the release period, 1000-ft winds at Chowchilla were
southerly but turned to northerly (northwest to northeast) after 1500 PST. The northwesterly winds also appear at Fresno for the same period. Since
this change occurred during the release period it is suggested that a portion of the tracer may have been transported to the north while some of
the tracer released toward the end of the period could have been caught in
the northerly flow and transported to the south. As indicated above the
surface wind velocities at Chowchilla decreased substantially near the end
of the release period and the bulk of the tracer would have experienced
very low transport velocities during the night.
Mixing Heiqhts
Mixing heights were determined from aircraft soundings by noting
the top of the pollutant layer (usually determined from bscat measurements). Table 3.1.3 gives the mixing heights for all soundings made on November 15.
The sounding at Athlone (41 NNW of Fresno) shows a multiple structure
with one layer top at 510 m while the other top is at about 1100 m. The
latter corresponds to the rema1n1ng soundings which did not show the more com-
plex structure.
Table 3.1.3
AIRCRAFT MIXING HEIGHTS NOVEMBER 15, 1978
Time PST
Location* Mixing Height ( a g l ) (m
1451 lOE Fresno Airport 840
1558 Fresno Airport 960 1611 Near I-5 990
(53 WFN0 AP) 1644 Athlone 510
(41 NNW FN0 AP) 1722 Hidden Valley Airport 1020
(25 NNt4 FN0 AP)
*(distances in miles)
3-7
-
From this table it can be seen that visibilities throughout the
valley were restricted, generally, to 2 to 4 miles, primarily due to haze
and liqht fog.
Aircraft Sampling
The MRI airplane sampled in a pattern which traversed the valley
between Chowchilla and Fresno. Spirals from near ground level to 5000 ft
msl were flown at or near the traverse end points. All traverses were
flown at 1500 ft msl within the surface mixing layer.
Figure 3.1.6 shows a map of the traverse paths and sounding loca
tions for November 15. Table 3.1.6 gives a summary of the air quality data
obtained by the aircraft during each traverse and spiral. Detailed vertical
soundings of each parameter measured are shown in Figures 3.1.7 to 3.1.11.
Some spacial variability in the mixing layer was observed with no
obvious pattern. Mixing was observed to 2700, 3500, 1900 and 3700 ft msl
over Points 2, 5, 7 and 8, respectively. With the exception of the Fresno
urban area, ozone was uniform throughout the sampling. Over Fresno (Points
3-4), a slight ozone deficit was observed. Moderate {in excess of 100 ppb)
concentrations of NOx were observed within the Fresno urban plume and near the surface on all spirals except over Point 8 (20 nm north of Fresno) where
only low background concentrations were observed.
Maximum bscat levels were observed in the Fresno vicinity with an otherwise relatively uniform horizontal distribution. Only light con
centrations of S02 were observed. Elevated S02 layers were observed between Point 5 and I-5 (540 m msl) at Point 7 (390-480 m msl) and at Point 6
(990 m). The S02 layer at Point 7 showed high CN values, suggesting a fresh
plume. The layer at Point 6 did not appear in the CN data and a well-aged
plume is indicated. During the Point 7 sounding winds at the elevation of
the S02 layer were from the northwest. The layer observed at Point 6 appeared
to be imbedded in a flow from the southeast.
3-10
-
' l..,j 7 ... 11.iGf --- -
.... ~. ''t-· '-""
,I ,
\- I -~-j-1/ _,, __ , I -"•
-- . .,, r , ;: ---~-
- Jf-''{ ' . . .~ ', ,_/- ~- ?~~- ~''
. ~._ - . -~- -:-:~~ ] -,~
-
Table 3.1.6
AIR QUALITY MEASUREMENITS CARB SAN JOAQUIN NOVEMBER 15, 1978
VALLEY PROJECT
Start Time (PST)
Location (Point)
03 Mean (ppb)
Max (ppb)
bscat Mean Max (xIO-firr,-1)
502* Mean Max (ppb) (ppb)
fiJflx
Mean Max (ppb) (ppb)
NO Mean (pph)
Max (ppbJ
1451 2 41 45 168 402 - - 5 119 8 14 1510 3-4 40 46 307 602 17 46 13 132 5 [9
1553 I 5-15 42 46 182 296 15 32 8 114 4 LO
1622 6-7 40 47 240 344 12 21 9 18 8 [8
1644 7 36 40 151 340 8 21 10 125 4 18
w I.....
N
1705
1722
1734
7-8
8
8-1
36
37
38
40
43
49
289
222 343
362
380
538
5
0
-
25
6
-
11
9
17
20
15
46
5
5
5
[4
10
ll
*S02 instrument subject to lonq term baseline drift resultinq in a possible backqround Prror as qreat
as 20 ppb.
-
.;'..-'_J·--.,=.-.r~~-.--.~\' ·rl·;~' J( \. I-··~'~",..,. :.·
~~1.,;.., ...., . __ . t..•.. ·•r..~~·•··-- .... ,.,,,..,: ,-- ....r-·· ··-~ V,:,,N( r:.;r;:,~V
154- ' 1.. .., -.:-,r-.J't.,. .... :· • ~r-t,ul. ·RAN(~
£::·{' ,X.@'7 v-.L:,_•'•_·-_
w I ..... .....
iuo r , .l..·',. - . ~1·l;Hi ...."!7 ... bt\ft~'t . . I : J ,....~:i ~. 1/!t:
Scale~( 10 nm
'):. ...... ~ ~-'
-, ·t"".,w.......
\ .?" -
h!~-.-(_ ·. ~,.
I~--\.. ~--
S)!LUL,,. •
•,....t
., •"aJ""~ .. i"'"''"•ll,\ '+·--·II
Jff..,.n
.l,lj~·-•1.1111 - •• -.--•, --1----~--.l .,
SAMPLING RO UT ES 15 November 1978
Figure 3.1.6
-
(IJ~PLT wER 1)1 '4lJ0 IJ3' IH-SPk-HO 33:•t :~ J •T 0 0 j
w u -,Jo 0 1, XT HC. s d,,I u '100 I) 1 l 0 s e.... ~ E ~ 71) a TC F s b
rl4C D T r. f! ti ll 10 u Tl fl. ) ti
l"I 1 ➔ ll C .. I, Tl lH ~ ,~u I) • Tl Cf: s ~ 720 0 " "' • T • C E s 6 LEGEND" t,qus 0 Tl C E s
l I) " • Tl (.f s " I\N ·• FULL oJO X 0 ""'' IHI •o r SYMBl,2hSCALEPARAM.ET.Ellb01 D N l1 (. t ti s 570 I) N
•X lT C f ti s (Turb) 10 cm '/3 sec "l E
540 o,,, IT E (.11 s• 0, 5 ppm z(Oa)0 0 C E ti s 4~\) (lN X lT E (. II~ 0. Z ppm N,X ~•o •
(NO, NO1),.,;o n ,. X LT F l s 0 .. 1u 0 " . lT FC SH (500 ) 0, I ppm s
1.1'10 0 'IX C LT t s ti 10 X 10-• m- B(b,... )_11,0 il l TC F s '\
.130 " "'. l T H. 5-1 (Temp) 0' - 100' C T{1 .IOU ~ N l( (l T : \~ D0' - 100' CUC r; ... ( l F 5 •J (Dew Pt) 1,0 T ~s 'I (." 100 x IOa cm ·s C" ,,, • ' (CN)llU 0 Al T 0 0 l ~\JI l) '- Kl T 0 F C Figure 3.1.8 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978l" l.11 I 2\J,
4U l
-10---------o--------10--------10--------1~--------,q--------~n--------hC--------10--------dO--------~n-------lOC µr~(!NT ~• FULL ~(Al>
-
I
L1)Fµ1 T VfP Ul ~u1) O.i I H-APW->i,l 11:.1:s9 (l .:11;t-
tl o 1 c : I 1 / Io I 7 rl 1-l Cl; l 1 • v, " Pc 1" r c A1-1 r Q 1 1_· c t- 1 •1 .I\ >c:_. : 1o o1 ]IMC: 14:ol:l! TU 15: l: o ~l~. Gk(u~c tltV.: 41 ~,~,Ll
-10---------o--------1a--------ln--------10--------40--------,o--------t;,0--------10--------d~--------~n-------100 I sqo I I 'iOJ l I s l•l ID t- )( ~ 1 I ~n-.1 IC A I' 8 T l 1470 IC o ol l l 4 4 ll 1 C t X ~ T ' I
A 1oqo D L )t l'l 1 l 10~0 D " ttll r lOlll l, q
w I 9qo ~ X ,, I I ...... T '-,bQ 0 Tl" w ,U ~3,; cl X t Tl " r, ~0() I) X "' ti
E hlu LJ X Tl ,, tl4 t)
~LU l,
~
A
A r
" " t
"' 780 l) • ,.~ R 7~u Q X E " ➔ M ~
12·J ti qv
t) X I) X
* t,. e t ~
LEGEND
L obU [J " "' FULL b]U ,; X TL F PARAMETER SCALE llM!!.!2.h t:>{)0
"7tJ cl
tl
I\X
" " or
f
t b (Turb) LO cm "/3 ,ec -, E ~ 41)
~lu 410 ~ "lt)
4 J ,)
D .. I) XN ex~ I) ,, 0 NX
1
* :~
LT
"
" r
ti
8 R
" e
(0,)
(NO, NOx)
(SO,)
0. 5
0. 2
0. I
ppm
ppm
ppm
z N,X
s jQ1J
J6tJ
>30 JQU 210
lJ XII, {;~)t
:,;. I( ,. "1J I(
LT l l T
l T
c t
E
~
tt
E ~ tl
b
(b,c.1)
(Temp)
(Dew Pt)
JOxlO-•m- 1
0'-l00'C
0 • - JOO' C
B
T
D
L4O I.J') l T ll ;[lJ ., l T lj lilU ., X l T t d J,J l ? ll
iJ * l T F R Figure 3.1.7 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 qu
-1u---------u--------10--------20--------1u--------40------~-~11--------b~--------1n--------no--------qo-------100 PE~ CF NT :,r- FUll \f,Al~
-
CUFPLT YE~ 01 "UO 03 1q-APM-HO 10:~8:44 PAf;t 7
llAT•': I l ll~/7~ ~ Cu TI 11\,,,, Pc1•~T ~ tA~TNIDGf/PA~~: !DC/ ~ Tl"c: 17:2/:J9 TU 17:3U:l4 "IN. GR(UNO rlfV.: 'II "I "SL I
-10---------o--------10--------l0--------30--------40--------,o--------oo--------1~--------so--------qo-------1001590 I l~bO I IHO 1~00 1470 l 44(ll 1410 IJ~~' I 13~() I 1 •7n I I 2 ~01 IC S JI r HT l 10,01 I 0 s Xt IIT l 12\U 10 S PIX E bTl IZOOI I 0 _; t!Tl 1170 I D "'" Tltls ·~ 1 140 ') s •u~ Tl t\ I II U I 0 s 0( T l d., lA 10~0 OS NE B
l 1 u~o OS IU~ T 1 R T 10l•J 0 10': T l II I qqu so,, • T l tl..,.T "~u E Tl fl
w u •no N X f o tl• ..... I 0 900 .. N X F Tl II O'I E H70 OS XN oz ti
840 0 N O Tl II 610 0 NX Tl I; 6,. ld0 OS N X ll E ti Ho X Tl t d LEGEND0"
'4 720 0 r,x 0 E II s b'IO 0 N X 0 t 6 FULL L l>bU so 'I XfO 0 SCALE SYMBOi.,PARAMETER
blU S(JN F X o 'I 1)1)0 s • XUT (Turb) 10 cm
2/a ■■ c "l EII
)711 s • xc O ti (Oa) o. 5 ppm, z !it,0 !,OX F ,, ~10 0 OE ZT B (NO, NO1)
lT O. Z ppm, N,X
4~0 01,(t l T ti 4~U Ol B !SOa)
0.1 ppm s• 420 OFX l T ll 10 l< 10°• m"l B(bNOI)3"0 no Xl T ti 31>0 1,nox l fl (Temp) o·. 1oo·c T }l(J NO• l T H D(Dew Pt) o• • lOO"CJOu 01,j •z T ~ ~~o S, e
-
COFPLT V~R 01 ~uo OJ 19-APN-dO IC!Ob:44 PA(.;t: •
cATf: 11/h//~ PCUTI ·.,,, PCl"-f I I c 1·;1 T I~ L':· LI LAeTelllGU>'~,S: lbCI t, TIM,:: lo:44!J', re 10:'>3:5~ MIN. GHCU~U EltV.: l>O ~( ~~LI
-I0---------0--------10--------20--------JU--------40--------~(J--------bO--------IO--------•o--------90-------JCO I 5b1J I I l ~ 10 I I I 50,J I I l 4 7U I 14 4 () I 0 sr; X *U l l•lo I 0 s x... cT l IJqo I iJ ,,q KT l I 3 '> ,l I 0 C* *' l IJ2u jf) X* *T l I 2 ~ 0 ID N* L* l l l bll ll30
I 0 I 0
*• C* N** bT
l l
F
!LOCI IC ** l* l l 70 IC :~S*Ctlf l I 14(., ,J .. C~e * 11 I Cl l UAO
fl D
~** *CS '* T*
A 10~0 f) X i:::T o L
T 1020
yqo 0
D CT,,* ... ** I 'lbO D J( l r, *·I s
T 9 jlJ 0 X:: *~C u 900 I) N ,. s,. *
w I .....
0 f
810 840 lJ
N X*
* ,. 6*
* 8 u,
M
flO 780 ,~u
I)
[)
D
(Z::;)* .. /·- ~., x,._,~ S l'" C LEGEND
7lC D ~' f: S l* C M b'IO I) * E *TB C FULL s obO u NXF l* 6 C PARAMETER SCALE SYMBOL l b3U
oOU 570 540 510
0 * t 0 N t
D Nf 0 "' ll ~
l "- d l X lT o C,., s fl"- s 0 T ( s
R
" ii l
C C
(Turb)
(Oal
(NO, NOa)
10 cm "Is oec: ·t
0. S ppm
0. Z ppm
E
z N,X
41l0 • ~
fl
ti C C C (
C (SO2 )
Cbseal)
(Temp)
O. I ppm 01
10 X 10·• m
o'-l00'C
s
B
T
330 300
IJN 0
XT"' •U T s
~
l R C
11 (Dew Pt) O'-l00'C
D
l70 240
C
ON
f- Xl fl K
T
" s
(
C rl ;l
(CN) 100 x 10a ctn ·a C
no CN ".( " (, II !BU 0 X,o T l ~ J 'iO Jlu
C ND
1F l ~x '
r TS
r l
ti H
Figure 3.1.9 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 qc, * "l l·' '1 l,Q ll~ KU TL> h
-10---------o--------10--------20--------10--------~,1--------~o--------bc--------ro--------dn--------qo-------100 PbH,.,T OF fUll ~f.Alf
-
3. 1. 3 Tracer Test 1
Release Location: Chowchilla, Madera County
Time and Date: 1100-1600 PST, 11/15/78
Amount: 98 pounds of SF6 per hour
Release conducted during light southerly winds
Initial transport northward
SF6 was first detected around 1800 PST during Automobile Traverse 1-2.
SF6 levels of about 80-85 ppt were detected near Planada, about 15 miles north
of the release point during this traverse. About 2200 PST, SF6 levels as high
as 250 ppt (375 ppt/lb-mole of SF6 released/hr) were detected along Highway 99, north of the release site. For a short period of time near the end of the
release, the winds at the surface and aloft were from the north. This was reflected in the detection of SF6 just south of Chowchilla. Most of the SF6 was
thus apparently transported north of the release site but the generally light
and somewhat variable winds also led to dispersal of the SF6 with little net
transport. None of the tracer was detected farther than about 15 miles from
the release site on the day of the release.
Net transport southward during night and following morning
On the morning following the SF6 release some of the tracer was detected
during Traverse 4-i near Merced, north of the release site. A maximum SF6 level
of 22 ppt was detected during this traverse. The bulk of the tracer however, was
apparently south of the release site. Between 1100 and 1200 PST on 11/16/78,
65 ppt of SF6 was detected at the Fresno hourly-averaged sampler. All of the
hourly-averaged data is presented in Figure 3.1.12 and a map of the locations is
presented in Figure 3,1.13. Prior to this time essentially no SF6 was detected at Fresno. The Fresno measurement was verified, however, by the simultaneous
measurements of 21 and 45 ppt SF6 at the neighboring sampling sites of Clovis
and Easton, respectively. The detection of SF6 at these sites apparently re
flected the development of a northwesterly flow (as measured at the surface at
Chowchilla). The arrival time of SF6 at Fresno corresponded to a net
3-18
-
CIJFPL T vfs lll Mufl 0> lc-4PS-H•l J\'41:; ,-'A(; J,-
,;AT llll~/7~ t< Cl, TI .,v,a >Ct,r ~ LAR r~ JLJ(t/PAS\! JoO/ 4 Tl~e: 16:Ll:t8 TO 16:21: l'I"-• •;P(LJNG fltV.: H w 0 401] iJ" C T E I E c7u 0"' C T E s " .\..... ...... d4U ... (. T E s d
HIL O*N (, H s tl M mu u .. C E T s n LEGEND
7~0 O* (, T E s ll M 720 UY TC h FULL s o'lO DXl C a PARAMETER SCALE SYMBOL L t>60 (. T E ii*
¢ (Turb) 10 cm •ta 1ec • 1 Et, 30 CT f tl t>OO X¢ ,\T C t (Oa) 0. 5 ppm z ~70 1¢ Tl E ;.,o ¢1 " a (NO, N01) 0. Z ppm N,X** 510 t [,* 0. l ppm s 4 .i,i " ,. T l, t 1so.1 ,.5u .. .. " 10xlO·•m·1tl Chae•• ) B 4lU
(Temp} 0'-l00'C T3~U H>I) D(Dew Pt) 0'-l00'C 3 ·10
3 1 )0 100 x 10,. cm ·a C(CN),1u l40 llO l i!U Figure 3.1.11 Aircraft Sounding - November 15, 1978 l~O 120
Q() I
-10---------n--------10--------20--------•o--------~~--------~n------•-bij-••-----1~--------do--------~o-------100 Pl ~Ct"'T CF FULL ~(Alt
-
SJV
1
... 1...::;. ' 0 fr:}- ~ --=~-·-.,,.. '.::=.c . . - -.... ..
0 INDICATES SAMPLER LOCATIONS @1s THE RELEASE SITE
Figure 3.1.13
3-20
-
SJV-1 11/15/78 - 11/16/78
I O' NEALS5:~_....,..........--.............-...~................--........._._.........____.................._._..................___...................____,1.L..J +II ' I I MILLERTONs:~,·~,_.___........_.___.......__._......__._......_.......J......._.......J~ ............... --...........I ~.........~--.................~1.1 ' + I CLOVIS5:f.1--1-~-'--............l,...J.....l....l--...l,...J.....I....J~~....l....l__._.-...........,__._ ................. __._.................._,w h£l'
10~ r I FRESNO--~ i♦ !+I•' l+L !.. , L L j q I EASTON50
0~ r
I b, L I I ,.I q 50 r- I CARUTHERS1.,0 ~*!*'*' bd II '*' +
I WOODLAKE50 [ t::1+1.,.,.1.,.,.1.,.,.1.,-+ I0 ✓ +l50 1a.. a.. I IVANHOE
0 i , + I L I t 91~ co
I '*' l.J.. (/) I I GOSHEN ..... I ' +
I HANFORD .l T
I LEMOORE +I
I NAS LEMOOREl J CJ I J ' +
I CORCORAN
I PORTERVILLE
I CELANO
I WASCO!dlbd1t!+1! 6 9 12 15 18 21 24
• INDICATES MISSING CATA ARROWS INDICATE BOUNDS OF SAMPLING PERICO
riyure3.l.12
3-19
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME
RELEASE LOCATION1 491 LBS SF6 AT CHOWCHILLA RELEASE TIME1 1100-1600 PST, 11/15/78
https://riyure3.l.12
-
t:"
I RELEASE SITE - CHOWCHILLA
• • . . - - . -....-
........~a,
--.... -~-,~.!
~
i !
ARROW POINT INDICATES OBSERVED TRACER LOCATIONS NUMBERS REFER TO HOURS AFTER RELEASE START (1100 PST, 11/15/78) UNCEPTAIN TRANSPORT PATH
Figure 3.1.14
3-22
-
transport speed of about 1.5 mph from the Chowchilla release site. SF6
concentrations as high as 90 ppt were rletected by automobile traverses near
Fresno between 1800 and 2300 PST, 11/16/78. During Traverse 4-3 an average
SF6 concentration of about 50 ppt was detected between Fresno and Visalia,
35 miles to the south. About 80 percent of the SF6 originally released can he accounted for during this traverse assuming that the SF6 covered a rec
tangular area about 10 miles wide (as suggested by the autorrobile traverse
data) and by assuming that the maximum mixing height on 11/16/78 was about
2000 ft. Though subject to potentially large uncertainties this calculation
suggests that the majority of the tracer released on 11/15/78 remained within
the San Joaquin Valley (and within 70 miles of the release site), by the
following evening (11/16/78).
Although most of the tracer was apparently near Fresno during the day
after the release, hourly-averaged SF6 concentrations as high as 20-25 ppt
were detected in both Delano and Wasco between 0700 and 1600 PST, 11/16/78.
These sites lie approximately 110 miles south of the release point (Chowchilla).
This suggests a mean transport speed in excess of 5 mph for the SF6 detected
at these sites. This transport was apparently due to the winds aloft but this
conclusion could not be verified because of a sparcity of wind data during
the night of 11/15 and early morning of 11/16.
Summary
During this test, SF6 was released from Chowchilla in the northeastern
San Joaquin Valley, under generally light and variable wind conditions. This limited the net transport of the tracer. Figure 3.1.14 displays an overview
of the transport oath of the tracer during this test. The majority of the tracer apparently remained within 70 miles of the release site more than 24
hours after the end of the release. The net transport speed of most of the
tracer was between 1 and 3 mph towards the south over the course of the test
period. It should be noted that the SF6 was transported towards the south by
the end of the day following the release (11/16/78) even though southerly
winds seemed to prevail at the surface at the release site (i.e., a southerly
wind was detected more often than a northerly wind at the release site, at
least between the start of the release on 11/15/78 and noon on 11/16/78).
3-21
-
3.2 Test 2 18-19 November 1978 - Fresno Release (1200-1700 PST)
3.2.1 Meteorology
General
At the onset of this test, Central California was situated in a
region between two weak high pressure areas, one located over Utah and
the other about four hundred miles west of San Francisco (Figure 3.2.1).
Consequently, pressure gradients were weak and only light synoptic scale
flows existed. By the following morning, both high pressure areas were
shifting south in response to a storm system entering the Pacific North
west. Nevertheless, the pressure gradients in the central and southern
portions of California remained weak. The warming trend at 850 mb, which
had begun several days prior, peaked on the 18th at the 5-year average. At Fresno, fog obscured the sky and restricted visibilities to one mile
until noon on the 18th. Clear skies persisted the remainder of the day
although visibilities remained restricted to four miles in haze. Only
light fog occurred on the following day but visibilities, although increasing slightly, were restricted again by haze. Near normal November
maximum surface temperatures were recorded at Fresno during the test
period.
Transport Winds
Figures 3.2.2 to 3.2.4 show surface streamline maps in the
southern half of the valley for several periods during and after the release. During the latter part of the release period, winds at Fresno were
southerly, resulting in transport of the tracer to the north of the city. During the evening an easterly drainage flow dominated the Fresno area as
shown in Figure 3.2.3. This was replaced by a northwesterly flow in the morning as indicated in Figure 3.2.4.
Additional details on surface wind flow in the Fresno area are shown
in Table 3.2.1. The southerly flow at the Fresno airport lasted from 1600-
1800 PST and was replaced by the easterly flow from 1900 PST through 0200 PST
on November 19. Thereafter the winds at the airport were from the northwest.
3-24
-
Some of the SF5 released at Chowchilla was detected at Delano and
Wasco in the southern San Joaquin Valley on the morning of 11/16/78. While
this SF5 was apparently not a large portion of that originally released, it
does suggest that a mechanism exists for rapid transport of air pollutants
toward the southern end of the valley even during generally stagnant
conditions. At the present time, it appears that only the winds aloft could
transport the tracer towards the south at the required speed (in excess of
5 mph).
3-23
-
10 $CAL£
0 10 20
.., .., ..,Figure .;:,.c..c. Suiface Streamlines 18 November 1978 (16 PST)
3-26
-
co.... ...en . ...co
I.. QJ
~ QJ > 0 z
C.
:::E:"' I.. QJ .c .µ
"'QJ 3: QJ u
....."' I.. ::,
Vl
.... N. M
QJ I.. ::, C'>
LI..
3-25
-
Figure 3.2.4 Surface Streamiines - i9 November i978 (07 PST)
3-28
-
,o 0
.........--............ ... ... ....
,o 20
.... .... .... .... ' ' ' ' ' " " " " " " " " "
( ... 0 0 0
Figure 3.2.3 Surface Streamlines - 19 November 1978 (01 PST)
3-27
-
These data suggest a shallow {less than 1000 ft deep) layer moving
in response to an easterly flow during the night and a northwesterly flow
in the early morning but decoupled from the flow at 1000 ft. Much of the
tracer released in the late afternoon (after the low-level air had started
to stabilize) must have been trapped within this shallow layer.
Mixing Heights
Mixing heights were obtained from aircraft soundings made on November
17 and 18. These are shown in Table 3.2.3. Heights ranged between 480 and
600 m {above ground level) on both days, indicating little change in the over
all synoptic conditions during the two-day period. This conforms to the peak
in the 850 mb temperature curve which occurred on November 18.
Table 3.2.3
AIRCRAFT MIXING HEIGHTS
Location* Mixing Height (agl) m
November , .., i I > 1978 0927 over Hwy g9 480
(4 SW FNO AP)
1034 near Hwy 99 480
(9 NW FNO AP)
1229 over Hwy 99 600
(4 SW FNO AP)
November 18, 1978 1424 8 NNW FNO AP 540
* Distances in miles
3.2.2 Air Quality
Surface Air Quality
Maximum ozone concentrations in the valley were somewhat higher than
on November 15, reflecting the influence of the warmer 850 mb temperatures.
Highest-values (0.07 ppm) within the valley were observed at McKittrick and
Lost Hills. A considerable part of the valley experienced maximum concen
trations of 0.05 ppm or more. Figure 3.2.5 shows a map of the maximum ozone
concentrations throughout the valley on November 18.
3-30
-
Table 3.2.1
SURFACE WINOS NOVEMBER
- FRESNO AIRPORT 18-19, 1978
Time (PST
Wind Time PST
Wind
1200 110°/2.1 m/s 2200 090°/2.6 mfr Ill/ J
1300 070 /2.1 2300 060 /3.1
1400 080 /2.1 0000 070 /2.6
1500 110 /1. 5 0100 070 /2.6 1600 210 /1. 5 0200 070 /2.6
1700 180 /1. 5 0300 300 /1. 5 1800 210 /1.5 0400 340 /1. 5 1900 090 /1. 5 0500 350 /1. 5
2000 050 /1. 5 0600 Calm 2100 090 /2.6 0700 310 /2. 6
1000-foot winds for November 18 and early November 19 are shown in
Table 3.2.2 for Fresno, Reedley and Pinedale. Southerly winds prevailed at
all stations beginning at 1400 PST on November 18 although velocities during
the evening we re quite 1ow. It is to be noted that the easter1 y dra i na ge
flow so dominant in the surface winds (Table 3.2.1) does not appear at the
1000-foot level. This indicates the shallow nature of the drainage flow.
In a similar vein, the morning northwesterly flow at the surface is not
reflected in the 0500 PST 1000-foot wind observation at Fresno.
Table 3.2.2
1000-FOOT WINDS
Date Time Fresno
Wind Reedley
Wind Pinedale
Wind PST)
11-18 11 169°/0.8 m/s
12 29°/0.3 m/s
13 320 /0.8 50 /0.3
14 187 /0. 7
15 178 /1.8 184°/0.8 m/s
16 153 /1.0 inn ,n c. J.JJ ,u.v17 224 /0.7
19 221 /0.2
11-19 05 170/2.7
3-29
-
Table 3.2.4 gives the maximum concentrations of other parameters
as observed on November 18:
Table 3. 2. 4
MAXIMUM N
POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS OVEMBER i8, 1978
Location
Fresno-01 i ve
Bakersfield McKittrick
Bakersfield
Reedley
Lost Hi 11 s
co (ppm)
16
16
S02 (ppm)
0.07
0.04
NDx (ppm)
0.90
0.66
0.32
Visibilities throughout the valley at 1300 PST are shown in Table
3. 2. 5.
Table 3.2.5
1300 PST VISIBILITIES NOVEMBER 18, 1978
Station Visibility mi 1es
Sacramento
Stockton
Modesto Merced
Fresno
Lemoore
Visalia Bakersfield
2 FH
3 HK 3 H
2-1/4 H 2-1/2 H 3 H
4 H
1-3/4 HK
These visibilities represent siightly lower values than were ob
served on November 15. Most of the restriction was described as resulting from haze. There was no fog observed except at Sacramento.
3-32
-
Aircraft Sampling - 17 November 1978
This flight was intended to measure the vertical and horizontal
extent and distribution in the undisturbed Fresno urban plume. This ~u.,_,...,..,._.;,..necessitated a morning flight when decoupling with the :,J IIVf-' I,,, flow wasI\..
present and when weak local thermal gradients existed. The flight plan
consisted of the following key elements:
Spirals over the downtown area at the start and end of
sampling to define any temporal changes.
Traverse south within polluted urban air away from
downtown until background air was encountered, then
Traverse northeast, intersecting the urban air until
background levels east of Fresno were encountered, and
Traverse west in a similar manner to a point NW of
Fresno and then a traverse back to the start of the
pattern such that a triangle was formed roughly
defining the horizontal extent of the urban plume.
Repeat the triangular pattern to observe temporal
change.
Figure 3.2.6 shows the flight pattern followed on November 17.
Table 3.2.6 gives the maximum concentrations encountered on each of the segments of the flight pattein.
Visibilities were restricted by haze and fog which resulted in off
scale bscat levels and precluded valid maximum nephelometer data in some areas.
Detailed soundings for November 17 are included as Figures 3.2.7 to
3.2.9. Principal comments on the observations are:
Mixing depths increased from 490 to 600 m - m agl during
the sampling period (0927-1303 PST). A lower level mixed layer about 120 m deep was present at 0927, repre
senting the early morning surface mixing. Carry-over
from the previous day existed to 540 m or more. By
1229 PST the surface mixed layer had reached to approx
imately the top of the carry-over layer.
Maximum NOx level observed within the urban plume was
106 ppb.
3-33
-
I
.' Seal 10 nm
J I
SAMPLING ROUTFS 17 November 1978
Figure 3.2.6
3-34
-
Table 3.2.6
AIR QUALITY MEASUREMENTS CARB SAN JOAQUIN NOVEMBER 17, 1978
VALLEY PROJECT
Start Ti me ( PST)
Location {Point)
3 Mean (ppb)
Max (ppb)
Dscat Mean Max (x10-6m-l)
S02'li
Mean Max (ppb) (ppb)
filOx
Mean Max (ppb) (ppb)
N
Mean (ppb)
Max (ppb)
0927 1 35 46 420 1830 4 15 20 106 15 75
1008 2-3 34 45 1195 1860 7 8 29 54 11 30
1022 3-4 40 51 666 1630 10 13 20 88 12 24
1034 4 40 55 489 1460 4 8 14 38 8 ;!4
1058 4.2 44 51 1106 1510 6 9 25 37 5 11
1107 2-3 37 57 1255 1670 6 7 38 73 12 ?4 w I
w 1153 3-4 45 58 1156 1470 5 8 36 69 14 35 Ol
1209 4-2 50 55 890 1050 0 2 23 37 2 11
1225 2-1 52 59 810 970 0 2 20 31
1229 1 44 51 200 1040 2 10 11 69 3 ~,7
1248 1-2 54 59 746 1020 5 7 19 36 9 17
* S02 instrument subject to long term baseline drift resulting in a possible background ,error as great as 20 ppb.
-
CUFPL f V~11 Ul ~Orl OJ l'-1-AP~-rH) 1c: \•t: ,,) p ll ~; ~
I" 1 ' : I l / I / / H• f. r: lJ T'" : (.~~> Plfl,1 L-11-'T ... l(Gt/l'/\'\\! t,_,l/ I !.~I: ~:27: ~., Tl) q;44:4•') ~I~. G~Cu~C tl~~.: 41 "l~SLI
-10---------1--------1n--------l'l--------10--------4rl--------~o--------b0--------1n--------do--------~n-------1oc l~Qf)
I ,h IJ 1, 1,l
I
I C
I I C'
i ~F1 G
S ~ • T
L
lH l
lj01J 11 ; F X T l a,
I 4 70 ,) s I: '1 l " 1441) 1" 1u
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)
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S 1\/¢ t
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l l ti
LEGENU
I l 'Ill l lb 1J 1210
0 S OS uS
C X
X X
T
"' T
l l l F
M
~
~ PARAMETER
FULL ~ SYMBOL
llOll OS I', X T ~ " (Turb} 10 cm •t• oec ··i E I l 7IJ 114 0
U D
51',X ~" E
l* Tl ·'
L (~) O. 5 ppm z
" I 1 I 0 1060
0 il
,,. Hx
Tl lt
0 ~
(NO, NO1l O. Z ppm N,X
l 10~() C "~ Tl ll (so., 0. I ppm s w I w Cl
T I T I/
l'J?O '140 ~oU ~10
;, »X o:~'> ~
0 " X 0 ES X
Tl Tl Tl Tl
·l
tt 8
II
(b,... )
(Temp}
10 X
o• -
0110-• m
1oo·c
B
T
C,
t ~~ ij]J
D IIJ
S" S»
* ,c,
I! R
(Dew Pt) o• - IOO'C D
840 IUN a> X O ~
" blU ,~o
1L)( "4'; A 0
10E1',S X* I\ " Figure 3.2.7 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978
" 750 1lu
ID 0
"' t,C, .,, ,, " 8
s ~9J 0 X f>OT ti l bW 0 ll l'> !' I\
h}J
o3U C
,, Xt' OT
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fl
420 Ul T )( ~ .I 1qo Lil* E " 3h0 IJO T x, ~ J]U * * I • A j ~\l I ,, T Nie X PI 17IJ I /1,T ~ ... X e I l 4ll I l !J T s ' " X • I d ll I l J T s t ·i " d I I-Ill I l il T s ,: I'< X ~ I I ~,l l>iJ
~l,
I I I
l l
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\
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- Ill---------:)•---- -- -- 1,1---- --- - lo-- --- --- J fl---- --- -'
-
(UFPL T \,l·:R u I 1"Ll 1) ()J l'-1-.J.P:.{-r,() l O; .\.,: C ,, Pt\ r;t
Lr.ft: 1l/l71/rl j{ cu TI I I I ·., I-' L J "· T '• l -' ,-l T l"( I I; C t- / j-l ·\ ) ') : 1 ti I / 4 lf.S": IC:J4:4O fL 1O:4'>:Ll ~Ir,. ,;k(u~L tlt~.: q l "'C ,'I' '..i l I
-10---------0--------11--------2O--------lO--------41)--------~u--------oO--------7~--------8~--------•n-------lOC I, SIU I J l "'I l1U I l'J h; 11·\ t ,◄ xT ! l~Ou X£:l T l 1470 iJ ~ h T i.
1I 441J n SI\ * ... r l LEGEND 1410 I X
I 3 "J lJ c; FX T l ,\ I j ,u u c; I X T l -l FULL SYMBOLPARAMETE_R SCALE1320 I., 90 IJ P\j:)Jl :¢ tl l e,hu tJ.,,tSX T cl
b)O t) SXF T l Cu· (J S X t T l B 570 lJ »x T l 8 ~.o Ds ¢ '* ~10 n ,. s ,, * ll 4~u u X t H" >l 450 LI ST X t d 4l(l 0 ST "' X l· ~ 3-10 D ~ Tl "' t -~•
(I;;, f.3b1J u X R j lll 0
-
CDFPLT VF• IJI ~OD Qj l'I-AP'{-tlJ 10: 1,., 7n t1 I\ r;t [ c.,
u~rs: 11/111/'1 r~1:uT ... : 1V U µ(JP..T tAKTP.l[JU/l'~SS: l61/ IC Tl,.,.: ll :lQ: .. s lu P Ho: 3l ~IN. ~K(U~C fl~V.: 'II ~l~'.ll
-10---------0--------10--------l0--------10--------4,)--------~a--------b0--------10--------do--------~o-------lUO 1 'S
-
Background ozone and NOx concentrations were 45 ppb and 20
ppb respectively.
Large ozone deficits were observed within the urban plume
(Figure 3.2.10).
Insignificant amounts of S02 were observed both in and
outside of the urban air.
The southern leg of the sampling triangle defined a broad
and somewhat diffused urban plume roughly 12 nm wide with
NOx concentrations approximately twice that of the back
ground air.
The first pass along the northern leg of the sampling
encountered only local sources over the north Fresno area. However, 1-1/2 hours later on the second pass along that
route, it appears that the urban plume had moved north
and now extended along the entire traverse east of Highway
99.
The urban plume remained east of Highway 99 throughout the
sampling.
Superimposed on the broad urban plume were more localized
sources which were characterized by a complex ozone and
NOx structure.
Aircraft Sampling - 18 November 1978
In conjunction with the tracer release from downtown Fresno, aircraft
sampling was conducted to determine the transport and diffusion of the urban plume. Traverses were flown approximately 5, 10, and 15 miles downwind, per
pendicular to the plume axis, and at two altitudes within the mixing layer.
An upwind traverse defined the background air quality and a downwind spiral defined the distribution of parameters in the vertical.
Figure 3.2.11 shows the flight pattern utilized on November 18. Table
3.2.7 gives the maximum concentrations of several parameters observed on the
various segments of the pattern.
A detailed sounding at 1436 PST is shown in Figure 3.2.12. The surface
mixed layer extended to about 540 m (agl). Ozone, NOx and bscat values were
aii elevated within the layer and were well-mixed.
3-39
-
CDF?LT YER Dl "OD D3 19-APR-80 1013,126 PAGE 13
OATE: 11117/1'8 ROUTE: POINT 3 TO POINT 4 CARTRIDGE/PASSI lbl/ 7 PASS START TIME I 11:53121 ALTITUDE• 457 ~l~Sll
-10---------o--------10--------20--------10--------40--------50--------60--------10--------eo--------90-------100 0.5 I S l X E •1 I .o I S l X E ~ I 1.~ I S X E ~I 2o0 I S N X E ~I 2.5 I so X E ~ IJ.o I •l X E ~ I 3 • 5 I NO X E ~ I ... o so X E HI 4 .':> so EX HI 5.0 •l X E LEGEND • I 5.5 • l X E ~ I 6. 0 X E• l FULL e 6.5 SN l • PARAMETER !U:M.!LQL . ~ 1.0 S NZ X E A1(Turb) 10 cm 3/3 1ec .. E7.5 Sl'I l X E ~
·o le.o X E (0,) 0, 5 ppm z •8.5 S1'1 l E ~ q. 0 o l X E (NO, N01) 0, 2 ppm N,X 8 Cj .5 • l X E A
w 1so1 , 0. I ppm s I D 10.0 NS Z X E A ~ I 10.5 N S Z X E ·, 0 lb,..,) IOxl0-
4 m B e s 11.0 ti S l E P. T 11.5 E (Temp) o•.1oo•c T R• z A 12.0 Sti Z X E A 1
(Dew Pt) 0"-I00"C D... 12.5 s • X E ~ I C 13.0 s • X E ~ I E 13.5 SIIIZ X E A I
l't.O s • X E p I 14.5 s • X E •ll
~ t!>.o S l N E X Figure 3. 2. 10 Aircraft Sounding - November 17, 1978 A I " I 5.5 S ZN E • I 16.0 S ZN XE A I
16.5 S l N E X ~ I 11.0 S ZN E X ~ I11.s S l N E X A I 111 .O S Z N E X 8 I 111 • 5 S Z N f X PI l'loO S l X E • I19.'> S l X E HI 20.0 S l X E HI 20.5 S l X E A I 21 .o s l X E 'I I ll .5 S l X E A I 22.0 S l X E .. I 22.5 S l X E 8 23.0 S l X E 8 23.5 I S ZN X E tt 14.0 I S lN X E p 2
-
Iii\.·-..~-~~--~~-~ A.'/~~·
Scale 10 nm
-~
;.;:.;
w" src:-:
.-----~.-t'-~]'ITj.]J_-:,~,
,~----f:.
SAMPLING ROUTES 18 November 1978 Figure 3.2.11
3-41
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Table 3.2.7
AIR QUALITY MEASUREMEMTS CARB SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY PROJECT NOVEMBER 18, 1978
----No;-- - - - -NO03 bsca1t S02* Start Time Locat;on Mean Max Mean Max Mean Max Mean Max Mean Max
(PST) (Point) (ppb) (ppb) (xI0-6111-l) (pph} (ppb) (ppb) (ppb) {ppb} (P~ 1424 1 58 88 267 920 3 11 22 44
1456 2-3 76 83 705 860 5 9 24 47 7 12
1524 4-5 75 84 741 890 4 5 28 57 9 l9
1546 6-7 75 87 706 910 2 4 29 54 6 l 1
1616 8-9 77 87 734 930 5 14 29 50 6 l3 1643 5-4 64 79 712 900 6 7 34 58 6 l 1
w I 1701 10-6 70 81 745 910 6 7 30 48 7 12 ~ N 1719 9-10 72 86 731 870 6 15 36 52 7 13
.,_. S02 ;nstru111Eint subject to long term baseline drift resultinq in a possible backqround error
as great as 20 ppb.
-
CUFl'l r ,o· Ul MUI) Qj 14-APk-!lO ll:lu:11-, 1(1 ,1,f,;
UAT, 11/lnll•l 1,1 f ,J Tr rVtk Pr I ~T (.A~ nt(l,fit /l'AJ'l: lL'I TIM~: 14:24:~o Ii: 14:}t,:48 l"'lr"-!. r,~f:u~U Elt "•: l~ I foll ( ~ _) L)
-to---------1--------1a--------i0--------1n--------4D--------~o--------,-,:--------J,1--------d □ --------qa-------1co
1 ~40 I 0 s ti ,:. T r: I• 1 ~fHI I D s tl ~ l 1 X CI l~JO I u s ti I l 1 Cl• LEGEND1500 I 0 U l l 1 ~ Cl' 1 .. 10 I IJ 'i r: I\ l XT C I 1440 I ll 5 ~ LI l .. C FULL I I" I u I (.; s f tl l ¢ C PARAMETER SCALE SYMBOL 1_1qo I ,J 5 l ~ l C* (Turb) 10 cm •t• 1ec ·• El3~U I s I " lXl L IPU I D s .= 11 l X 1 L (Oa) O. S ppm z IL'IU I u s C ~ l X T C llo0 I D s t ,l[ TX C (NO, NO1l 0. Z ppm N,X IL10 I u s F l" "
(. (SOal o. I ppm s1200 I u s E *l l l 110 I I) s ' X BlT ( 10x10-•m· 1 B 11 .. 0 I D s ~.Xti ZTC fb""' I 111 u I 0 5 f ti x Zl C (Temp) o • • 100' C T
A 1080 I 0 s t:"' ZT C l 10~') I D s *B l T l. (Dew Pt) 0' • I 00' C D T 1020 I n S le* l l T ..
100 x 10• cm CI qqu I 0 5 ,. • l T (CN) ':-' T 'lt,0 I I) St bX Cl T .i::,,u q30 I ') S E*C l T wo 'IIJO I D s E ., LC T Figure 3.2.12 Aircraft Sounding - November 18, 197B
i' 810 I I) s "II l T C b4U I u s xe l Tl C.,.HIU I I) s l T l (.
"' 7HO I D s "'II l Tt BO I I) s Xtll l H n·o I u s tlX l .. (."' s t,~10 0 s X Bf l T C
l bti,ll il s "\ l T C t>l•O 0 S C X l/\H t>CllO I) s AT l t L h '> 1'1) 0 S TX l t ti L 'l'i•U IJS T Xl f C" ~10 0 S T XI E L rl 4 loll} () s T lX t C ~ ... -::,u u T Xl f l. 8< J 42'.U 0 ~ T •t E (, ti 3 ,II) 0 s l X l t C ti }60 u s ~ l F C tl 1·;10 D s T f ( R• HIU I u ~ T l L ~" ll'0 I I) s ... l 1, (. ti 2ilt0 I I) s t•l t L II 2110 I I) s C ~" lt UIO I 0 ~ tl C" l " 1 110 I I) $ • Tl f ( ~ llO I I) S X (. t ,;" '10
-1 o---- -----n-- ------Io--- - ---- ictl-. --- --- j ,, _______ --.11-• --- - -- -~()- -- -- - ··b·l------- - /()---- ---- ~o-- --- ---'Ill- - - ---· - 100 Pt"H(tNl LT rt.LL ',L'\ll
-
The urban plume was easily distiguishabie at aii downwind distances
(e.g., Figure 3.2.13) by significant increases in CN, bscat• and oxides of
nitrogen. Background NDx concentrations in excess of 50 ppb were observed
within the urban air. Ozone depletion was observed within the urban plume -" ........... ,;..,.,4 A-ir-+~..,.,-n.rat all The nearby constant levels of NOx observed withinuun11n111u u,.;,..,011\...c.;,.
the urban air and the constant plume width at all distances downwind suggest
slow plume diffusion. The plume was located east of Highway 99 and extended
into the Sierra foothills north of Fresno. The tracer plume coincided exactly
with the urban plume as defined by the air quality further documenting the
pollution source. S02 was not observed in any significant amounts. Visi
bilities were restricted to less than three miles throughout the samplinq.
3-44
-
f.DFPLI vtK 01 l 12.0
I I I
'IN ,, 'IN
l
t t
X J(
* l l
C l
(
Figure 3.2.13 Aircraft Sounding - November 18, 197lll " tl,'> I 'I N t * L C l ->• 0 I 'I N t * L ti I l., I SN t " L b 1 't. u I 1i N l,, t C d ~
1". ') l'>.O
I I
S1' s~ t " l
X X
C (
II II
H 1 'J • ,; I \ ~ F l X l 8 l t. • 0 I ~) ,.. .,;; X L ~ lb • ., I ~~ N ¥ A C ~ 17.J I 7. '>
I I
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fl if
X
X ( C
· 11 ti
ld.U 1b • :>
I I
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Lt l X
X C C d
B
1 '1 • Ll I c~ N I- l J( ( ti I.,•'> l ':• N [ l A C u zo.u I ~...... E l X L " l () • ~ l 1. ll
I I
I, " I,"'
t t
l l
X X C
C cl
ti
l I • •, 2,.u ll., IJ.u l i. ~ t'9.0 '!" • ")
I I I I I I I
s," \," s,"' SN s,. s ,; ~"
I l f
t 'l f l
l' t l I- l
X
~
• X
• ~
A
C
C t
C C
L L
d
d fl
ti
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!':').0 I 'if'. ti A (. tj -1O---------0--------1u--------,o--------10--------4u--------~o--------b,l--------1()--------oo--------~o-------1OO
~!-K(clH L,f fLI.L ~(Alt
-
3.2.3 Tracer Test 2
Release Location: Fresno, Fresno County
Time and Date: 1300-1700 PST, 11/18/78
Amount: 94 pounds of SF6 per hour
Release conducted during light and variable winds
Initial northward transport
SF5 was first detected near Fresno about 1600 PST during Automobile
Traverse 2-1. The highest SF5 concentrations were detected near Clovis,
about 6 miles north of the release site. Because of the uncertainty in wind
direction, it is difficult to accurately estimate the crosswind standard
deviation in concentration of the SF6 plume. The value of this parameter,
used in the Gaussian plume model, was about 1/2 to 3/4 miles at this distance
downwind. Within the context of the Gaussian plume model, the horizontal dis
persion corresponded to unstable atmospheric conditions (approximately between
Pasquill-Gifford stability classes Band C). The initial dispersion of the tracer was presumably enhanced by building induced turbulence and the urban
heat island effect rather than the regional atmospheric stability. An SF6
plume was detected at about the same location during Traverses 1-2 and 2-2.
The SF6 levels detected during Traverse 1-2 were about an order of magnitude
lower than those detected during either of the other traverses. This illus
trates the uncertainties associated with sampling intervals of the same order
as the width of the plume in that a sample may not have been collected near
the location of the maximum concentration. Northward transport of the tracer
was also indicated by airplane traverses. SF6 was detected as far as 15 miles
north of the release site. Where both airplane and automobile traverses were
conducted near the same locations, good agreement was found between the con
centrations detected by the different sampling methods.
3-46
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Transport by drainage winds near end of release
As described above, some of the tracer was transported towards the
north. Large SF5 concentrations were detected near the center of the Fresno
metropolitan area, however, during Traverses 1-5, 2-4, and 3-3. These
traverses, conducted between 2000 and 2300 PST, detected SF5 near the inter
section of Highways 99 and 180. This material apparently represented SF6
released about the time the nighttime drainage winds (easterly flow) began to
develop. The tracer concentrations detected in the vicinity of Freno were