Tracking Sources of Atmospheric Particulate Matters in Regions Dominated by Intensive Human Activities: from Site-Specific Receptor Modeling to Large Scale Satellite Observation
Date
2020-05-15
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Abstract
The aerosol loadings in Alberta are significantly influenced by intensive human activities and long-range transport of Pacific Northwest wildfire smokes. To track the geographical influence of the aerosol emission associated with intensive oil sands mining and processing operations in northern Alberta, contributions from various aerosol sources at three characterized sites were investigated via using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) receptor modeling source apportionment approach. Fine particulate matters (PM2.5) source attributions were obtained at the sites in an industrial area with intensive oil sands mining and processing facilities, an urban area close to the oil sands mining and processing areas, and a remote rural area. The results show that anthropogenic sources were the dominant contributors of ambient aerosol concentrations within the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR). Indicated by the depleted vanadium content in the surface dust factor from near AOSR site to remote site, the influence of petroleum coke dust as the primary source on aerosol emissions is geographically limited. The result also revealed the considerably long-lasting influence of bitumen spill on the local aerosol source contributions. From the ground-based remote sensing observations of aerosol optical properties, petroleum coke could influence the atmospheric aerosol levels over AOSR with highly light-absorbing coarse-mode aerosols under warm and dry weather conditions. The effect of aerosol transport on the populated Edmonton-Calgary Corridor (ECC) was estimated as indicated by aerosol extinction coefficient flux during the period of 2011~2017. The western boundary was revealed as the most important aerosol importing gateway, while limited aerosol-enriched air masses passed through the northern boundary southward as well. Considerable aerosol importing processes were intensively located at the altitude less than 4 km for the western and northern boundary. It was revealed that the air pollutants emissions from intensive oil sands mining and processing operations in Northeast Alberta is unlikely that have an impact on regional air quality over ECC. The trans-boundary aerosol flux through the southern boundary was reversed from southward to northward during June, July, and August, the months that favor the outbreak of wildfires. From a case study in China, the dual carbon isotope-based approach was successfully applied in tracking sources of carbonaceous aerosols.
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Keywords
particulate matter, Edmonton-Calgary Corridor, oil sands, trans-boundary transport, carbonaceous aerosol
Citation
Xing, Z. (2020). Tracking Sources of Atmospheric Particulate Matters in Regions Dominated by Intensive Human Activities: from Site-Specific Receptor Modeling to Large Scale Satellite Observation (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.