Dust Emissions Joint Forum

Proposed Wind Blown Dust Modeling & Monitoring Study

Duane Ono proposed that the Dust Forum consider funding a project to monitor and model wind blown dust using sand catch data collected using Cox Sand Catchers. The sand catch data would be used to develop wind erosion equations for different areas based on the Gillette Model, which has been successfully applied at Owens Lake and other places. Copies of Duane’s Gillette model paper were sent out to the forum to demonstrate how periodic (e.g. monthly) sand catch data can be translated into hourly saltation flux and PM-10 emission estimates. The paper is also available by request [duaneono@yahoo.com]. Duane demonstrated in the paper how the Gillette model was applied to sand catch data at Owens Lake and showed that it compared well to measured hourly flux data using electronic instruments (Sensits). Another presentation and paper relating to the use of sand flux data to estimate wind erosion emissions is available immediately below for those that are interested. This paper was presented at EPA’s Emissions Inventory Conference in 2003.

Quantifying Particulate Matter Emissions from Wind Blown Dust Using Real-time Sand Flux Measurements

• Paper: PDF
• Presentation: PDF (1 MB) or PPT (5.1 MB)

Duane suggested that areas that wanted to develop wind erosion models for their areas using this technique could use low-cost Cox Sand Catchers (CSCs) at a number of sites to measure saltation flux, and single electronic sensors (Sensits) and met data to detect the threshold wind speed and provide hourly wind speeds for model predictions. The cost for monitoring equipment for each area would be:

The Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District offered to provide technical support including: purchasing the equipment, helping with installation, training the operators, and assist the agencies with data reduction. The number of CSCs depends on how robust a data set is desired to characterize the area. At least one Sensit is needed per area sampled. A nearby met station could be used in lieu of installing a new tower. Great Basin APCD would request funding to purchase the equipment and to pay for travel expenses for personnel to assist the agencies participating in the study. The participating agencies would collect and weigh CSC samples, download data from Sensits and met towers, maintain sites, and analyze results.