What's New at the OTAG for January to March of 1997

Entries between January and March 97

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EVALUATION OF THE UAM-V MODEL PERFORMANCE IN THE NORTHEAST REGION FOR OTAG EPISODES: This report is in DRAFT form. It is the second part of an assessment of regional transport issues in the Northeast and how well the transport and its ...; Submitted by Webmaster on 3/31/97

AQA Conference Call, Wedensday, April 2 at 1:00 pm (EST): The Air Quality Analysis Workgroup will hold a conference call on Wedensday, April 2 a 1:00 pm (EST). To participate, please call (703) 736-7446, refe...; Submitted by Guinnup David on 3/30/97

Re: Rift Opens Between EPA and Scientists Over Particulates: I concur with Michael Smith’s comment that stressing ‘rifts’ is a relapse into the environmental cold war era characterized by a rigid command and con...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 3/28/97

Little Brown Half Truths: What's wrong with the following sentence? "There are no dirty power plants, and Ohio emissions are polluting Boston." This is contradictory of course....; Submitted by WOJICK PE DR.DAVID on 3/27/97

Re: Rift Opens Between EPA and Scientists Over Particulates: http://www.newdimensions.org/ArticlesofInterest/NaturalStep.htm
I suggest you review the underlying concepts of The Natural Step. In this way you ...; Submitted by O'Neill Jack on 3/26/97

Drew Kodjak has registered: Mobile Source Programs; Submitted by Kodjak Drew on 3/25/97

Re: OTAG Cost Flash: About these facts: The old 120ppb, 1hr standard is indeed exceeded only nea...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 3/24/97

OTAG Cost Flash: Much otag to report from Friday. Ozone reduction cost estimates at last! How does $10 million per ppb per year sound? Or $25 billion per year overall,...; Submitted by WOJICK PE DR.DAVID on 3/24/97

Rift Opens Between EPA and Scientists Over Particulates: By David Wojick, from Electricity Daily, February 6, 1996:

A deep rift is opening between the scientific community and both the Environmental P...; Submitted by WOJICK PE DR.DAVID on 3/24/97

OTAG Science: After speaking to a number of you separately, I feel it is important to begin a dialog on OTAG Science. Time is running out.

My concern is that...; Submitted by WOJICK PE DR.DAVID on 3/24/97

Comparison of Modeled versus Observed Isoprene Concentrations: UAM-V model output for the 1995 OTAG episode was compared with field observations from 16 rural and suburban sites operated by N-NE,SOS/Nashville and ...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 3/18/97

PHASE I COMPARISON OF OTAG UAM-V/BEIS2 MODELING RESULTS WITH AMBIENT ISOPRENE AND OTHER RELATED SPECIES CONCENTRATIONS: A preliminary analysis was conducted using readily available ambient air quality data to compare observed isoprene concentrations with concentrations ...; Submitted by Webmaster on 3/18/97

TRANSPORT AND MIXING PHENOMENA RELATED TO OZONE...: This report has been prepared as an informational document for use by the OTAG Air Quality Analysis Workgroup. The report is based on analyses of NARS...; Submitted by Webmaster on 3/11/97

Re: Re: Executive Summary: Sorry for taking so long to respond to these comments. Both Brett and Rich raise some good questions about how generating units are typically operate...; Submitted by Long David on 3/11/97

Peter Mayes has registered: Ozone modeling and analysis (including trends); meteorological modeling.; Submitted by Mayes Peter on 3/5/97

New Web Server Hardware and Software at CAPITA: The OTAG AQA Web server hardware has been upgraded to a Penthium Pro 200 Mhz, 96MB Memory, 9 Gig Hard drive system. Also, we have switched to the Micr...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 3/3/97

DESMOND BAILEY has registered: Meteorological Monitoring, Analysis, and Modeling; Submitted by BAILEY DESMOND on 3/3/97

: In the Transport Analyses section of Volume II: Summary and Integration of Results, a paragraph is devoted to the power plant plume measurements aroun...; Submitted by Miller Paul on 2/27/97

Paul Miller has registered: Submitted by Miller Paul on 2/27/97

Model/Data Comparison: Bullet #2: The north/south bias varies from episode to episode, but can be very substantial. The word "some" understates regional differences in mod...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/25/97

Control Implications: Bullet #1: It's not clear to me that AQA has done any work on this subject. Work done by the emissions and modeling groups, however, indicated there...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/25/97

Control Implications

Bullet #3: Does this suggest that we should stay the course?

Bullet #4: Delete the word "greatest". We can say there is a likely downwind ...

Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/25/97

Episode Characterization: As part of its analysis, AQA should consider two reports by SAI on episode selection. I believe that these reports characterize episodes in the OTAG ...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/25/97

Ozone Transport-Lifetime & Extent: Bullet #1: It's not clear that AQA actually derived ozone lifetimes. The analyses I have seen, have assumed lifetimes of 1 or 2 days and used...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/25/97

Quality of Explanation: Thinking about and using air quality models: Slides from the presentation at the February 26 OTAG meeting. This document is in the Acrobat PDF format and requires the Acrobat reader to view.; Submitted by Jeffries Harvey on 2/25/97

Harvey Jeffries has registered: Atmospheric Chemisty and Modeling; Submitted by Jeffries Harvey on 2/25/97

Re: Pattern of Ozone - another view: The (40, mostly rural, and for the most part uniquely sited) CASTNet ozone sites provide an invaluable compliment to the existing network of roughly 8...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/24/97

Ozone Transport: Bullet #2: This is one scenario for high ozone concentrations; however, we haven't examined the population of episodes to determine its overall impor...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Pattern of Ozone: Bullet #2: From the perspective of rural sites, this statement does not bear out. There may be a step function somewhere around the Mississippi Rive...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Pattern of Ozone: Bullet #6: Has AQA reported any analyses that would support this statement? It seem pretty clear that, on a climatological level, conducive meteorol...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Origins of Ozone: Suggest deleting entire section. AQA has generated some data displays, but hasn't really done any original work in this area.; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Strengths and Weaknesses--Air Quality Strengths: Bullet #1: Delete the word "directly". Most analyses really don't use the data directly, but overlay a statistical or mathematical model.
Bullet...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Strengths and Weaknesses: Bullet #4: I suggest deletion of the last four words. Diversity of analyses is a strength, whether or not results are in agreement. It might also be...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Modeling Strengths: Bullet #1: Suggest rephrasing to state that models represent an integrated understanding of the relevant chemical and physical processes involved in ...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/24/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--UAM-V model use: Second sentence: The order of "overpredict" and "underpredict" is reversed.
Fifth and sixth sentences should read "...while limited by the availa...; Submitted by Koerber Mike on 2/24/97

Historical Perspective on the Climatological Potential for: A necessary precondition for the transport of "high" concentrations of ozone or ozone precursors from a "source area" to a "receptor area" is a degree...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/24/97

subregional (ozone and) emissions trends: At the St. Louis meeting, Till Stokenius showed an interesting plot of historical NOx and VOC emissions trends - disaggregated by EPA region. As I rec...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/24/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Evidence of Precursor: Last sentence nonattainment with respect to Replace with "exceedances of"
Given statiscal form of standard, it is too simple to equate an ex...; Submitted by Koerber Mike on 2/24/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Ozone transport: Second paragraph, second sentence: Upper Midwest I'm not sure this generalization can be applied to all areas in the Midwest. For example, in ...; Submitted by Koerber Mike on 2/24/97

Re: Volume II: Summary and Integration--Otag Model Evaluation: The type of analyses done for the three sites near Nashville, Downtown, Youth and Giles Co., are not of the same nature as is normally done for an ozo...; Submitted by Imhoff Robert on 2/24/97

4 episodes vs all episodes: One area where the climatological AQA analyses can both help validate, and provide important supplemental information to the model results is on the "...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/22/97

: The following statement seems over-stated: " It is therefore implied that urban areas are causing the highest 1-hour daily maximum ozone concentration...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/22/97

Re: Executive Summary: David's comment (From an obviously reliable "source" (: > ) raises an important point, and underscores a key missing element in the body of AQA analys...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/22/97

Re: Executive Summary: Do you know whether or not the variation of the emissions from the point sources follows a diurnal and/or seasonal cycle? and if so how large a variat...; Submitted by Schichtel Bret on 2/21/97

Re: Volume II: Executive Summary: Hey Jeff, You say Heresay, but I say: comments of this nature were posted on the website a while back - as review comments on the original ENVIRON mod...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/21/97

Executive Summary: I disagree with the contention that tall stack point sources have emissions that are invariate with time is not correct (at least with respect to sour...; Submitted by Long David on 2/21/97

Peter Mayes has registered: Ozone modeling and analysis (including trends); meteorological modeling; Submitted by Mayes Peter on 2/21/97

Peter Guttorp has registered: Director of NRCSE. Experience in air quality modeling
(acid rain studies, ozone model assessment) and other
environmental applications.; Submitted by Guttorp Peter on 2/19/97

Seasonal Pattern of Ozone over the OTAG Region: Maps show an 'ozone hole' in the winter and on ozone bulge in the summer stretching over the industrial Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states. The sprin...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Otag Model Evaluation: Ozone, sentence one: runs for a suburban and urban site near Nashville revealed... NOTE: Findings based on comparisons for two sites are n...; Submitted by Koerber Mike on 2/18/97

Mike Koerber has registered: Modeling; Submitted by Koerber Mike on 2/18/97

Weaknesses: AQ Weaknesses
Bullet #1: Strike the word "even". Measurements have bias, as well. Both the uncertainty and bias of data can increase when couple...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Development: Bullet 5: Present NOx trends as in trends report, by source category, i.e. mobile source and stationary source.
Paragraph two, sentence two: Is th...; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Otag Model Evaluation: Note Husar side-by-side movies; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Transport Analyses

Paragraph two, sentence two: For what distance?

Paragraph two, sentence three: Does the NOz continue to contribute to the formation of ozone?

Pa...

Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Transport Analyses: Does the NOz continue to contribute to the formation of ozone?; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Transport Analyses: Second paragraph, third sentence: For what distance?; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Transport Analyses: Second paragraph, third sentence: For what distance?; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Transport Analyses: Paragraph two, sentence one: Include references here; Submitted by Feldman Howard on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Spatial and Temporal: Bullet one comment: Aren't we finding that ozone concentrations tend to be highest in areas of the highest emissions density? Therefore, corner area...; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--AQAWG: Should major policy questions considered by the AQAWG be reviewed in this section?; Submitted by Feldman Howard on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Background: Information should be presented on the current non-attainment problem and contrast to the 1990 CAA non-attainment problem. Certainly fewer areas now.; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration: Information should be presented on the current non-attainment problem and contrast to the 1990 CAA non-attainment problem. Certainly fewer areas now.; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Background: Describe and illustrate current nonattainment problem and role of transport. Discuss CASAC recommendations for an 8-hour standard and EPA’s proposal ...; Submitted by Feldman Howard on 2/18/97

API API has registered: Technical and policy issues; Submitted by API API on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Opening Page: Last paragraph: To the sentence and in many cases they demonstrate independent corroboration of many of the lessons learned from modeling repl...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--Recommendations

Replace conducting with integrating in the first paragraph

Recommendations

Examine the causes of the relatively poor model ...

Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration--OTAG Model Evaluation: In the last paragraph, insert the word regional between evaluating and control in the second to the last sentence.; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume II: Executive Summary--Impact of an 8-hour Standard: Delete For reasons noted above,...analysis, are currently available. from the last paragraph; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume II: Summary and Integration: First paragraph after last bullet--Delete Poirot (personal communications)...warrent further investigation.--HERESAY; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Recommendation to Foster: Sentence 1, replace conducting policy-relevant with integrating scientific and and efforts with and policy making and Add ...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--UAM-V model use: Sentence 1, insert after large-scale regional and insert after future regional. Sentence 4, insert after is that <...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--High-leverage: However, it should be noted that urban non-attainment areas still contribute significantly to Thai own problem and that urban plumes contribute signif...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Evidence of Precursor: Reference the technical studies supporting this.; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Lifetime of Ozone: What is the technical basis for this statement, There is evidence that ozone formation...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Ozone transport: Second Paragraph, add after stagnation with limited transport, and add after followed by large scale
However, it shou...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Exceedances: Need a map showing extrapolations.; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: Executive Summary--Ozone variance in time and space: Add The urban influence can be enhanced when urban areas of influence overlap or result from nighttime transport in front of sentence It is ...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY--Ozone on the Edges: I think a review of rural sites such as Shennandoah or Whiteface will show higher value on a hot summer day due to biogenic activity.; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Volume I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY--Precursor emissions: Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, insert after Anthropogenic and biogenic sentence 1, delete anthropogenic in front of ozone.... se...; Submitted by West Jeffrey on 2/18/97

Re: Weight of Evidence Approach: Good point regarding convergence and divergence. In terms
of "increasing confidence" versus "reducing uncertainty",
you may be right from a str...; Submitted by Guinnup David on 2/18/97

Weight of Evidence Approach: It is important to note that we are looking for lines of convergence and divergence from independent analyses, not merely 'directional corroboration'....; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 2/18/97

Re: Under or Over?: You're right Rich. thanks; Submitted by Guinnup David on 2/14/97

Under or Over?: Is this not backwards: "There appear to be sometendencies for the model to over predict daily maximum ozone levels in the northern portion of the
d...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/13/97

Final Report for the OTAG Air Quality Analysis Workgroup--Volume I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Air Quality Analysis (AQA) workgroup of OTAG has been formed to develop analyses based on air quality data which can be used to independently chec...; Submitted by Stoeckenius Till on 2/13/97

Episode Comparisons: This is a very informative analysis! I wonder if it would be possible to compare the aggregated model vectors and residence times with the upper 10 pe...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 2/11/97

Edward Doty has registered: Review of data output files, including "movies", for staff educational purposes.; Submitted by Doty Edward on 2/11/97

Update on the Characterization of Transport over the Eastern US: This report presents the continuation of the work to characterize the summer time transport over the Eastern US during high and low ozone conditions f...; Submitted by Schichtel Bret on 2/10/97

Air Quality conference call: The Air Quality Analysis Workgroup will hold conference call on Friday, February, 14, 1997, at 1:00 p.m. (EST). To participate, please call (703)...; Submitted by Guinnup David on 2/6/97

Tammie Sparks has registered: Emissions Inventory and Analysis; Submitted by Sparks Tammie on 2/6/97

Deborah Amaral has registered: Analysis of Market Trading; Submitted by Amaral Deborah on 2/4/97

Policy-Relevant Executive Summary of AQAWG Results: The major policy-relevant results, conclusions and recommendations from the AQA workgroup are presented. The conclusions fall into the following maj...; Submitted by Guinnup David on 2/4/97

Technical Summary and Integration of AQAWG Results: A concise summary of the main technical findings derived from the OTAG AQA workgroup analyses and other studies.; Submitted by Stoeckenius Till on 2/4/97

Summaries of Individual AQAWG Analyses: A brief summary and critical review of each of the AQAWG analyses. Each summary describes the purpose, methodology, and major findings, including li...; Submitted by Stoeckenius Till on 2/4/97

Summaries of Individual AQAWG Analyses: A brief summary and critical review of each of the AQAWG analyses. Each summary describes the purpose, methodology, and major findings, including li...; Submitted by Stoeckenius Till on 2/4/97

John Langstaff has registered: Policy and strategy analysis, air quality modeling, analysis of AQ, emissions and met data, obs-based models, uncertainty and variability.; Submitted by Langstaff John on 2/1/97

Something wrong in ONCS90vy.zip data: I tried to download the data set of ONCS90vy.zip, but I couldn't.
The others are fine to be downloaded. What's wrong in the 1990 data set?
Plea...; Submitted by Kim Hag-Yeol on 1/31/97

Status Report to OTAG Air Quality Analysis Workgroup: 12/3/96: This provides an update of a backward air trajectory analysis project conducted for the OTAG Air Quality Analysis Workgroup by VT DEC. Also summarize...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 1/27/97

Mike Walker has registered: Air quality analysis and modeling data; Submitted by Walker Mike on 1/21/97

Mike Walker has registered: Air quality analysis and modeling data; Submitted by Walker Mike on 1/21/97

Criteria Pollutants: "Criteria pollutants" are indicators of air quality and EPA has established a maximum concentration (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) above whi...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 1/18/97

NATIONAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS: Definitions, scope, reference conditions, magnitudes for NAQS.; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 1/18/97

Nonattainment Areas for Criteria Pollutans - EPA OAQPS Green Book: Areas of the country where air pollution levels persistently exceed the national ambient air quality standards are designated "nonattainment." Thise a...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 1/17/97

Hag-Yeol Kim has registered: I am a Ph.D. student in City and Regional Planning at the Ohio State University.
My research is focused on the air quality management.; Submitted by Kim Hag-Yeol on 1/16/97

: Under "Control Implications", change 'episodic' in
item #5 to 'local SIP" as per conference call 1/9.; Submitted by Pietarinen Charles on 1/16/97

DR.DAVID WOJICK PE has registered: Interaction of science and technology with policy issues.
Feasibility of attainment.
Plus I cover OTAG for Electricity Daily.; Submitted by WOJICK PE DR.DAVID on 1/9/97

Ozone and Partiulates debate - NISE: NICE "Why Files" on Ozone and Partiulates and the debate that surrounds the new standards. The National Institute for Science Education, NISE, is a co...; Submitted by Poirot Richard on 1/8/97

OTAG Air Quality Analysis Workgroup - January 16, 1997: Report to Policy Group; Submitted by Guinnup David on 1/8/97

Analysis of Ozone, NOy and Tracer Data from a Site in South-Central Pennsylvania: This report examines the behavior of O3, CO, SO2 and NOy at a rural site in south-central Pennsylvania including the covariation of CO and SO2 with NO...; Submitted by Edgerton Eric on 1/6/97

Re: O3 Lifetime from UAM: Robert, hope I am not disrupting this nice dialog you have with Rich & Paul on the interpretation of trajectories with a side question to about the...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 1/5/97

Re: Re: Re: Back Trajectories Don't Indicate Origin of Emissions Causing High Ozone: As Rich has suggested in his previous response to the comment, we will be presenting summary plots of average "wind speed" implicit in the time trajec...; Submitted by Wishinski Paul on 1/3/97

Re: Re: Back Trajectories Don't Indicate Origin of Emissions Causing High Ozone: Summary.
Short trajectories mean lower wind speeds near the receptor. This increases the potential for ozone accumulation near the receptor. Low ...; Submitted by Imhoff Robert on 1/3/97

Re: 1hr/8hr Exceedence Pattern: The maps (1hr and 8hr avg) show the number of days/year when the DayMax ozone was >120 or >80 ppb respectively. The averages were were obtained for th...; Submitted by Husar Rudolf on 1/2/97

PA DEP: What maximum is being shown for the 8-hour exceedance maps, is it any day over 84 ppb?; Submitted by Miller Jeffrey on 1/2/97