Aaron LiuScience & Technology Co-op Student
Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting AgencyJan 04 – April 29, 2016
Intern with AEMERA
About myself:
2nd year Mechanical Engineering Student at University of Alberta
Passionate about engineering, technology and finance
1st Coop work term: Interned with AEMERA
4 month’s duration: Jan – April, 2016
My objective:
Gain exposure to environmental knowledge
Acquire experience working at government agency
Learn advanced technology in environmental monitoring
Improve communication skill and technical capacity
Core Projects & Responsibilities:
Literature Search & Report Writing
• Autonomous Water Monitoring Buoy Report
• Investigation of year 2011 Forest Fires in Alberta Oil Sands Region
Statistical & Trend Analysis
• Meteorological Parameter Correlation Analysis
• Comparative Analysis between GC-MS, Orbitrap and OSA
Alberta Air Mapping Tool
• Time Series Trend Analysis
• Examination of Data Interpolation Accuracy
Autonomous Water Monitoring Buoy Report
Report(Collectively compiled by me and Diane) featured: History and evolvement of monitoring
buoys Benefits of applying the technology Investigation of monitoring buoy’s
platforms, sensors and telemetry Deployment, Maintenance and
Calibration
Objective: Investigate automation of water monitoring process via use of robot boat or buoy
Very positive feedback from colleagues!
Objective: Investigate the spread of plume activities, its coverage area and PM 2.5 spatial impact due to forest fires
Investigation of year 2011 Forest Fires in Alberta Oil Sands Region
Key findings:
PM 2.5 level elevated and remained highly concentrated near CNRL Horizon monitoring station in many plume episodes, suggesting the source of emission
The PM 2.5 spatially covered a large portion of northern and central Alberta in many plume episodes
PM 2.5 level seemed very volatile due to constantly-changing meteorological factors, such as wind speed and directions
The color variation of plumes suggests PM 2.5 outward spreading direction that often aligns with wind direction
Web-based Application Report
Report covers:
Web Server
Web Hosting Services
Server-side Scripting Language – PHP
Client-Side ScriptingLanguage – JavaScript
Database
User Interface
Objective:
Investigate the working mechanism behind Web-based application Explore the steps needed to build a user-friendly tool that allows user to
query/access environmental data and images online
Biodiversity Management Framework(BMF) Factsheet
Objective: Summarize key information to inform executives on Biodiversity Management Framework under South Saskatchewan Regional Plan
10
First time introduced to the idea of Factsheet
Learnt the purpose of Factsheet:• Great tool to communicate information• Inform/Educate people on certain subjects• Cultivate broader support and better understanding
Refined Internet-search skill
Ability to extract key and relevant information
Improved technical writing, e.g. Reports, Factsheets and Team meeting minutes
Received report revision from team to push for greater improvement
Lesson Learned:
11
Examination of Alberta Air Mapping Tool Data Interpolation Accuracy
Objective: Determine the level of accuracy Alberta Air Mapping Tool interpolates data
Method: Purposely delete data entry in year 2015 for a particular station and use its built-in function, Time Series Data Interpolation, to estimate the missing data value via interpolation
12
Key Findings:
Among all 5 tested parameters (SO2, NO2, PM 2.5, CO, O3), SO2 appears to be the worst performing parameter with the greatest discrepancy between actual and interpolated(estimated) data due its relative low concentration.
CNRL Horizon station in year 2015SO2 vs. PM 2.5
VS.
13
Key Findings:
Among all tested stations in the Oil Sands region, Fort Chipewyan and Wapasu Stations seem to be the worst performing stations due to their relative isolated position and long distance to nearby stations.
VS.
Comparative analysis of different quantification approach for naphthenic acids in water
Naphthenic acids are seen as principal toxicants present in oil sands process-affected waters GC-MS/Orbitrap ≈ Total Organic Acid/Naphthenic Acid
The lower NA concentration, the less proportion it accounts within total organic acid
Meteorological Parameter Correlation Analysis
Key Findings:
CO and PM2.5 have substantial positive correlation
NO2 has notable negative correlation with O3 and Temperature
Data selected from Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2016Station: Fort McMurray-Athabasca Valley
Extension on the findings…
Since both CO and PM2.5 are usually the byproduct of combustion process, the positive correlation should come as no surprise.
The inverse relation between NO2 and O3 can be explained by:
NO+O3 → NO2 + O2
The inverse relation between NO2 and temperature is also the result of a chemical reaction:
2NO + O2 → 2NO2
The reaction is accelerated towards the right when lower temperature causes less repulsion between 2 NO molecules.
Greatly improved Excel proficiency
Better statistical & trend analysis skill
Lifetime goal: Strive to become an Excel wizard!
A slightly tweaked quote from Jim Davis:
“Excel is a powerful tool. It can tint memories of the past, shade perceptions of the present, or paint a future so vivid that it can entice... or terrify, all depending upon how we conduct it today. ”
Lesson Learned:
“An imagination is a powerful tool. It can tint memories of the past, shade perceptions of the present, or paint a future so vivid that it can
entice... or terrify, all depending upon how we conduct ourselves today. ”
Alberta Air Quality Mapping Tool
Great way to visualize concentration variation
Allows dynamic display of concentration change via animation
Facilitated the Investigation of year 2011 Forest Fires in Alberta Oil Sands Region by displaying multiple episodes of plume activities
Standards & Protocols Inventory
Categorization of Standards & Protocols
Work revolves around group’s core responsibilities
Chinese New Year Potluck
Good Times
In summary…
Exposure to a variety of projects and tasks
Excellent learning experience
Friendly colleagues, e.g. nice treats that magically appear in the kitchen
Inclusive work culture, e.g. laughers in the office
Would highly recommend this internship to other students
Next Step…
Back to school for 8 months, May to Dec.
Road trip to Vancouver and Victoria in August
Seek future coop opportunities in manufacturing or energy sector
Graduate in April, 2019!
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