Transboundary Movement Of Airborne Pollutants - UNEP/GRID

72 Pages·2001·1.14 MB·English

Transboundary Movement Of Airborne Pollutants
A Methodology for Integrating Spaceborne Images and Ground Based Data
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ISBN: 92-807-2081-3
For further copies of the report, please contact:
Ashbindu Singh Phone: [phone]
Regional Coordinator Fax: [phone]
UNEP/Division of Early Warning & Assessment - North America Email: [email protected]
USGS EROS Data Center http://www.na.unep.net/
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001 USA
This report was prepared by Jill Engel-Cox, Battelle Memorial Institute, Thomas P. DeFelice, Raytheon Company, USGS EROS
Data Center, and Stefan Falke, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Environmental Fellow.
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the agencies cooperating in this project. The designations
employed and the presentations do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the cooperating agencies
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or of its authorities, or of the delineation of its frontiers or
boundaries. Mention of a commercial company or product in this report does not imply endorsement by the United Nations
Environment Programme or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The use of information from this publication concern-
ing proprietary products for publicity or advertising purposes is not permitted. Trademark names and symbols are used in an
editorial fashion with no intention of infringement on trademark or copyright laws. We regret any errors or omissions that may
have been unwittingly made. Although EPA provided input for the project, this report was not formally reviewed by EPA.
Acknowledgments
We extend our sincere appreciation to all who have helped in the support and preparation of this report. This paper presents the
results of a joint project of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) Global Resource Information Database (GRID) office in Sioux Falls. We particularly want to recognize the financial
and project support from the U.S. EPA’s Office of International Activities. Technical and project support came from the
UNEP/GRID Center Sioux Falls, EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Agency (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation System (EROS) Data Center, National Aeronau-
tics and Space Administration (NASA), and Washington University at St. Louis. Additional resources came from the NOAA
Operational Significant Event Imagery Server project and the Naval Research Laboratory, who are to be commended for posting
their data on-line for research use. The main contact for the pilot project is Russ Bullock, who is a NOAA employee on detail to
EPA ORD. Their team consisted of Matt Landis and other ORD researchers. Finally, special thanks for their support on this
project to Amy Fraenkel of U.S. EPA, Ashbindu Singh of UNEP/GRID Sioux Falls, and Rudolf Husar of Washington University
in St. Louis. Ross Lunetta of U.S. EPA and Gene Fosnight of UNEP/GRID Sioux Falls kindly reviewed the document and
Kimberly Giese of UNEP/GRID Sioux Falls did an excellent job on the publication layout.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The availability of relevant and accurate envi- environmental health, as well as economic
ronmental information is essential for environ- impacts. As a result, it is the focus of many
mental policy-makers. Recent improvements in bilateral, regional, and international policy
satellite remote sensing technologies, ground- efforts. A central question with atmospheric
based monitors, and data access have resulted in pollutant transport is how to monitor pollutant
the ability to observe and assess major atmo- movement and how to merge different monitor-
spheric and ecological events around the world ing datasets into useful information. Highly
on a timely basis. visible regional plumes of dust, smoke, and
urban haze can be seen with satellite sensors,
while ground-based monitoring
of air pollutants such as fine
particulates, SO , and toxics
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occurs at the local level. Integra-
tion of these two kinds of measure-
ments allows the user to remotely
observe large environmental effects in
many areas of the world, while
obtaining more detailed information
from ground-based monitors. Hence,
the combination of satellite-based sensor
data and ground-based monitoring data
promotes greater understanding of the
movement of pollutants than either data
set alone. Combined data sets are impor-
tant for use by both scientists and interna-
tional policy-makers.
A standard methodology did not exist to
Each of these monitoring guide and encourage integrated use of satellite
technologies reveals different and useful images and ground-based data to monitor and
information, yet rarely are the resulting data sets understand major pollution events, such as air
used together in an integrated manner. The pollution. Thus, a small team was assembled to
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) develop a methodology for the integration of
and the United Nations Environment Pro- satellite images and ground-based data. First, we
gramme (UNEP) Global Resource Information conducted a literature and project review
Database (GRID) office in Sioux Falls identified covering past and current integrated remote and
an environmental issue of global interest as a ground-based data projects, a literature search of
test case for applying an integrated approach: published work, and a search of data sets and
the transboundary movement of atmospheric technologies that could be used in a combined
pollutants. form. Second, based on this search and docu-
Transboundary movement of atmospheric mentation, a general methodology was devel-
pollutants has ramifications for human and oped for using integrated spaceborne and
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ground-based data sets, intended as a guide for from multiple agencies in multiple countries. To
general scientists and policy-makers. Third, we achieve this task: 1) the project must be well
found an existing project that was willing to be a defined, articulated and constructed on a sound
pilot for testing the methodology: a U.S. EPA- practical and theoretical foundation; 2) appro-
NOAA project that was using aerial and priate partners who are committed to the project
ground-based sampling to learn more about the must be identified to ensure that critical tech-
airborne sources of mercury deposition in the nologies and policy concerns are addressed; 3)
Florida Everglades. critical data sources must be identified and made
available through cooperating partners; 4) the
This document presents the results of the
knowledge of the partners and the data must be
literature and project review, the complete
shared through common standards and
methodology, and the outcome of the Florida
electronic communication; and 5) the project
Everglades pilot project.
must be implemented to fulfill the needs of
Review Of Prior Work the partners.
A review of the literature, existing projects, and
Pilot Project
existing satellite sensors and ground-based
Although the methodology is applicable to a
monitors was conducted. Several projects
wide range of pollutants, a single pilot project
integrated satellite imagery and ground-based
was needed to test the methodology. The
monitoring data, primarily in the area of trans-
chosen pilot application was an environmental
ocean dust storms, forest fires, and urban haze.
issue of current international concern:
All of these projects were conducted in the last 5
transboundary air pollution and mercury
years and were of limited scope. The data,
deposition. This pilot project supplemented an
techniques, and projects identified through the
existing study of the airborne sources of mercury
review confirm that improved satellite and
found in fish living in the Florida Everglades.
ground-based data are becoming available and
Possible airborne sources of mercury included
can be integrated effectively; however, this data
local sources, non-local U.S. sources, long-
integration has not been done extensively to-
distance sources from other countries, or
date. Additionally, for global assessment and
combination of these. This pilot project supple-
monitoring, many regions of the world do not
mented the existing project by providing satellite
have adequate ground sampling, and where data
information on general air pollution movement
are available, the data are often not readily
and sources to be combined with the ground
available for incorporation in integrated applica-
and aircraft measurements of the mercury that
tions. Satellite monitoring in conjunction with
were collected in the Everglades and offshore.
limited ground-based monitoring would be very
useful in these regions. The methodology proved an effective
mechanism for integrating satellite information
Methodology
into ground and aircraft mercury monitoring,
The methodology described herein is designed for identifying the relevant data sources, and for
to overcome both technical and institutional building the necessary partnerships to help
barriers to integrating disparate information identify mercury sources.
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Conclusions And Future Direction to help policy-makers with decisions concerning
the protection of human health and our envi-
Our findings include:
ronment. The spatial resolution and temporal
• Integrating satellite images and ground-
frequency coverage from satellite sensors will
based data can be beneficial for under-
only improve over time. Many countries are
standing environmental issues.
improving their ground sampling capacity. The
• Recent technological advances, including
usefulness and success of an integrated data
launch of new satellite technologies,
approach will necessarily depend on the avail-
growth of ground-based air monitoring
ability of local ground-based data that can be
networks, and increased on-line accessibil-
combined with satellite imagery.
ity of satellite sensor images and surface
In the future, the methodology developed in
based observations, make the integrated
this study may be applied to other regions
use of satellite images and ground-based
around the globe and to a wider range of
data possible.
pollutants and media. Projects could include
• The general methodology for integrating
water pollution monitoring, local air pollution
satellite images and ground-based data,
analysis, or analysis of specific global policy
including defining a project, finding
issues. The benefits include a greater under-
partners and resources, selecting data
standing of important environmental issues and
sources, communicating electronically, and
an increasing ability to clearly visualize the
conducting a project, is valid and has been
impact. Ultimately, we hope to encourage a
confirmed through a pilot project.
more collaborative relationship between the
• Satellite images integrated with ground- satellite and ground-based monitoring scientific
based data provide more information and policy communities.
about an environmental phenomenon than
either dataset alone.
The combined use of satellite sensors with
ground sampling systems can be an effective tool
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary............................................................................................................................................... iii
1. Objectives and Approach.............................................................................................................................. 1
2. Project and Literature Search...................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Search Results.................................................................................................................. 5
2.3 Search Conclusions.......................................................................................................... 15
3. Methodology................................................................................................................................................... 17
3.1 Step A. Define Project...................................................................................................... 18
3.2 Step B. Find Appropriate Partners And Resources............................................................ 19
3.3 Step C. Select Data Sources ............................................................................................. 21
3.4 Step D. Apply Techniques For Electronic Communications............................................. 23
3.5 Step E. Conduct Project................................................................................................... 24
4. Pilot Project..................................................................................................................................................... 25
4.1 Project Description.......................................................................................................... 26
4.2 Partners And Resources.................................................................................................... 27
4.3 Data Sources.................................................................................................................... 28
4.4 Communication .............................................................................................................. 28
4.5 Project Implementation ................................................................................................... 29
4.6 Pilot Project Results......................................................................................................... 29
4.7 Pilot Project Conclusions................................................................................................. 42
5. Conclusions and Future Directions............................................................................................................. 43
5.1 Conclusions..................................................................................................................... 43
5.2 Future Directions............................................................................................................. 43
Annotated References....................................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix A: Potential Relevant Satellites..................................................................................................... 59
Appendix B: Methods For Remote Sampling Of Aerosols.......................................................................... 63
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1. OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH
Transboundary movement of atmospheric countries involved in the source-receptor relation-
pollutants has international policy, economic, ship. Integrating satellite images with point
human health, and environmental ramifications. monitoring can fill in the spatial and temporal
Atmospheric pollutants, such as aerosols, persis- gaps. An integrated monitoring effort can aid the
tent bioaccumulative toxics, and gaseous pollut- tracking of pollutant plumes, early detection and
ants, have significant impact on human and advance warning systems, identification of
environmental health. A new generation of pollutant sources, and the general knowledge base
ground monitoring systems in connection with of pollutant physical and chemical characteristics
new satellite imaging systems provides an oppor- – all of which can be translated into information
tunity to investigate, design and implement useful for negotiating international policies.
effective monitoring strategies for these atmo- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
spheric pollutants. (EPA) and the United Nations Environment
Atmospheric pollutants are of particular Programme (UNEP) Global Resource Informa-
concern since air masses flow freely across tion Database (GRID) office in Sioux Falls
borders, leaving the geographic and political formed a small team to implement a joint project
jurisdiction of the originating country and related to transboundary movement of pollutants.
becoming the responsibility of another. For Our main objective was to develop and verify a
example, sulfur dioxide emissions from one methodology to assess and monitor the movement
industrial region may be transported hundreds of of pollutants across international boundaries
miles and ultimately deposited as acidic com- using a combination of ground-based monitoring
pounds into a neighbor’s ecosystem. Wind blown and space imaging data. The implementation of
desert dust and forest fire smoke cross interna- this project involved three general tasks:
tional borders and increase particulate matter 1. Reviewed the science and current activities
concentrations to levels that may exceed regula- in the combined use of remote satellite
tory standards and harm human health. The images and ground-based monitoring data
stable chemical properties of persistent organic for transboundary pollutant movement
pollutants (POPs) promote their long range
2. Developed a general methodology to
transport and their ability to bioaccumulate,
use integrated spaceborne and
which may increase toxicity in environments
ground-based datasets
where they have never been used or produced.
3. Demonstrated the methodology through a
A fundamental question associated with
pilot project.
transboundary pollutant transport is how to
Due to the expertise and interests of the
effectively monitor pollutant movement. Ground-
agencies and staff involved, the project focused on
based sensors can monitor conditions at specific
air pollutant transport, while attempting to
geographic points and times on either or both
remain general enough to be applicable to a wider
sides of a political border but they provide a
range of pollutants and regions.
limited picture of pollutant sources, receptors,
This document represents the achievement of
and the path they took to get from one to the
above objective and presents the results of the
other. They provide a particularly limited view,
three tasks.
especially when large water masses separate the
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