Current Projects
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Intercontinental Transport and Climate Effects of Air Pollutants
Phase I, March, 2005-May, 2006, Co-Principal Investigator
Phase II, May, 2006-May, 2007, Principal Investigator
In this project, we are developing an integrated
chemistry/transport/meteorology modeling system to study the impacts of
air pollution on regional climate. The modeling system will provide the
state-of-science model physics for meteorology, chemistry, and
microphysics of aerosols and clouds, and will be applied for studying
the impacts of aerosols on regional climate and the interactions among
air quality, regional climate, and meteorology over the contiguous U.S.
and Pacific regions. 
NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration)
Development of a research-grade air quality forecasting system
based on weather research and forecast model, 2004-2007, Principal
Investigator.
In this project, we will incorporate several state-of-the
science gas-phase chemical mechanisms; a new aerosol module and a
comprehensive aqueous-phase chemistry module will be incorporated into
NOAA’s WRFAQV1. The objectives are (1) to develop a
state-of-the-science AQFS capable of forecasting both gaseous and PM
species in short- and long-term and (2) to apply it for research-grade
studies and real-time operational AQF.
Wind field and PM2.5 spatial distribution predicted by WRF/Chem-MADRID for
the
TexAQS-2000 episode. Courtesy of
Xiaoming
Hu
- CARB
(California
Air
Resources Board)
California
Regional
PM10/PM2.5
Air Quality Study, 2005-2006, Subcontractor (with AER and
Stanford
University
).
The is a
joint project
among Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. (AER), NCSU and
Stanford
University
. The team has been recently awarded by the
California Air Resources Board (CARB) on behalf of the San Joaquin
Valley Air
Pollution Study Agency on the Modeling Analysis of Data Captured during
the
California Regional PM10/PM2.5 Air Quality Study
Field Program (CRPAQS).
The
CRPAQS is a multi-year program of meteorological and air quality
monitoring,
emission inventory development, data analysis, and air quality
simulation
modeling. Using 3-D PM models, CMAQ (http://www.cmascenter.org/html/models.html)
and CMAQ-MADRID (http://www.cmascenter.org/html/download_cmaq.html),
the research team will address question 5 in the RFP:
How
well do air-quality models estimate measured pollutant concentrations
(gaseous
concentrations, total mass of PM10 and PM2.5, and
mass of
components of PM, etc.)?
NCSU
Air
Quality
Forecasting group (AQF Lab) will conduct numerical
simulations with the CMAQ-MADRID multiple
particle size sections. The results will
be compared and analyzed to investigate the effect of the particle size
resolution on model performance. This
task will be completed by
December
31, 2005.
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Measured and predicted size-resolved chemical composition by equilibrium
approaches at Fresno in Dec, 2000.
Courtesy of Xiaoming
Hu
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- NSF
(National Science Foundation)
Forecasting chemical
weather with a coupled meteorology-chemistry model system: research and
education challenges, 2004-2009, Principal
Investigator.
In
this 5-year project, NCSU Air Quality
Forecasting group is developing a state-of-the-science AQF model system
that is
capable of forecasting both O3 and PM in short- and
long-term and
that is applicable for both research-grade studies and real-time
operational
forecasts. The AQF model system will be
first developed based on the existing NOAA’s Weather Research and
Forecast Air
Quality (WRFAQ) prediction system and then tested, in both
retrospective and
forecast modes, with testbeds representative of different emissions,
chemistry
and meteorology in the
U.S.
A number of sensitivity simulations will be
conducted. The proposed research will significantly enhance the
fundamental
understanding of O3 and PM, their controlling processes and
non-linear interactions, improve the capabilities of air quality models
in
reproducing and forecasting them, and advance the new discipline of
forecasting
encompassing weather, climate, air quality, and precipitation
forecasting.
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equilibrium
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dynamic
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Predicted daily average nitrate in PM2.5 on Aug. 29, 2000 from
simulation of WRF/Chem-MADRID with equilibrium and dynamic mass transfer
approach. Courtesy of
Xiaoming
Hu
|
Using Satellite Data
and Models to Study the Effects of Regional Pollution on Global Climate
and
Vice-Versa, 2004-2007, Co-Principal
Investigator (with
Stanford
University
).
This is a joint
project among
Stanford
University
,
NCSU and
Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. to use
satellite data with models to address
a key Earth System Enterprise science question, “What are the effects
of
regional pollution on the global atmosphere and the effects of global
chemical
and climate change on regional air quality?” The project involves three
major
task areas: gathering and gridding appropriate satellite and in-situ
data for
comparison with models, comparing models on the global and regional
scales with
the satellite retrievals and the in-situ data, and using the models to
address
the science question listed. The effect of global chemical and climate
change
on regional air quality will be evaluated with a nested
global-through-urban
scale air pollution/climate/weather forecast model, GATOR-GCMM (GATOR),
for climate changes over
50 years. The effects of regional pollution on the global atmosphere
will be
examined using two regional models, CMAQ (http://www.cmascenter.org/html/models.html)
and CMAQ-MADRID (http://www.cmascenter.org/html/download_cmaq.html). A number
of sensitivity
tests will be run under both current and future climate and emission
conditions.
- USDA (
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture)
Characterization and
Fate of Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide from Animal Feeding Operations:
Their
Emissions, Transport, Transformation, Deposition and
Impact on Fine Particulate
Matter (PMfine), 2004-2007, Co-Investigator.
This
project is funded under the National Research Initiative (NRI)
Integarted Air
Quality Program sponsored by the United States Department of
Agriculture. The research team is led by
Dr. Viney Aneja (Dr.
Aneja)
and
comprises of air quality, agricultural and environmental scientist to
study the
simultaneous emissions and fate of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from
confined
animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The
research includes both in-situ chemical and physical measurements and
3-D air
quality modeling. Improvements in the
quantification of atmospheric sources and sinks of these compounds
suggested by
these measurements will be synthesized and incorporated in a
comprehensive
regional air quality model to assess the fate of these emissions on a
regional
basis, to provide quantitative estimates of the atmospheric budgets of
these
compounds, and to assess the potential impacts on fine particulate
matter (PM)
levels arising from changes in emissions associated with changes in
future
agricultural practices. It will enhance
the understanding of the fate and transport of emissions from CAFOs
related to
gases, odor and PM.
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Comparison of the monthly-averaged observed and predicted values of
precipitation and wet deposition of NH4+,
NO3-, and SO42- from August, 2002.
Courtesy of
Ashley
Queen
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Pending Proposals
CMG Collaborative research: use of novel numerical techniques to
assess uncertainties in 3-D PM modeling: sensitivity analysis
probabilistic evaluation and data assimilation, new award, August
2006-July 2009, PI. (in collaboration with Dr. Adrian Sandu of Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University).
Completed Projects
- NASA/EOS
(Subcontract through
Battelle/PNNL)
Impact of Aerosol Size Representations
on Simulations of Aerosol Dynamics and Radiative Forcing, 2003
(supplemental
funding), Principal Investigator.
- CRC
(Coordinating Research Council, Inc.)
Particulate Matter
Model Improvements, 2002, Co-Principal Investigator.
- NASA/EOS
(Subcontract through Battelle/PNNL)
Impact of
Aerosol Size Representations on
Simulations of Aerosol Dynamics and Radiative Forcing, 2000-2002,
Principal
Investigator.
- CRC
(Coordinating
Research Council, Inc.)
Evaluation of Probing
Tools for Air Quality Modeling, 2001, Co-Principal Investigator (with
ENVIRON,
Inc. and
University
of
California
,
Riverside
).
Photochemical Modeling
in
Support of
the PEM-Tropics B Campaign, 1998-2000, Co-Investigator.
- NASA/EOS
(Subcontract
through Battelle/PNNL)
Evaluation of Impact of Aerosol Size
Representations and Heterogeneous Chemistry on Global Simulations of
Aerosol Radiative Forcing,
1997-1999, Principal Investigator.
A Multidisciplinary Investigation of
Heterogeneous Atmospheric Processes, 1994-1996, Co-Principal
Investigator.
Summer
Undergraduate Research Program
Sponsored
by the U.S. NSF, this program is to foster undergraduate education and
to
implement the interdisciplinary and reality-based educational plan at
an early
stage. Dr. Zhang will instruct
undergraduate
students for research each summer starting 2004 with hands-on research
projects
and activities. Through her course teaching, the P.I. will actively
recruit
students who display strong interests in air quality issues but from
crossing
disciplines such as meteorology, environmental and chemical
engineering,
chemistry, mathematics and computer sciences. A
special effort will be made towards
recruitment of women and
minorities from those disciplines. Two
outstanding undergraduate students will be selected each year to
conduct
research on air quality in the AQF lab. Dr. Zhang will first discuss
with
selected students to find out their specific interests and
anticipations, and
then assign them a well-defined project that is based on authentic
research projects
on air quality. In addition to P.I.’s
mentorship, the selected undergraduate students will work with graduate
students in a research environment. The
student mentorship not only promotes undergraduate students’ learning
but also
provides graduate students opportunities to learn supervising skills
including
advising junior students, managing subtasks and conveying research
ideas/results, all these will be a necessary part of their education
and career
development. At the end of the program,
the performance of undergraduate students will be evaluated by the
faculty and
graduate student mentors. In addition, each student will be required to
submit
a short project report and feedback on this program for further
improvements.
Summer, 2007
The
3-D air quality modeling approach is very new for me. I have gained a
lot about how to process dataset though running computer programs. Both
the faculty instructor and the graduate student mentor are working hard
and attentive to me, which impressed me most. What’s more, the AQFL is
productive and efficient. Giving me a more week, I could learn more and
do something deeper. I would recommend this faculty instructor and this
program to other undergraduate students. Thank you for your help,
AQFLers!
- Jie Chen, Junior
Undergraduate Student, Zhejiang University, China
Summer,
2005
The summer research opportunity is an excellent opportunity to gain
practical experience in Air Quality Forecasting and to evaluate the
skills that I need to work on to become more competitive for Graduate
School and in the workplace.
- Danny Hamilton, Senior Undergraduate Student, MEAS
This
is a great way to get exposure, experience, and knowledge about air
quality forecasting. The lab group members are very helpful. It is
great to have a professor that is so attentive to you and your desire
to learn more. I had a great time this summer, and would suggest anyone
who is interested to apply to work with the group.
- Evelyn
Frazier, Junior Undergraduate Student, MEAS
Summer,
2004
I would greatly encourage anyone who may
want to learn more about air
quality or is not sure what they wish to pursue to look into the AQF
Lab. One word of caution, self-motivation is a
must in the lab because of the independent work you will be expected to
complete. However, it is an excellent
way to learn more about the topic of air quality and the advances being
made
from Dr. Zhang who is familiar to both the academic and industrial side
of
things. From the experience, you take
away not only a better understanding of the topic you are researching
but the
process of research and development as a whole.
- Ashley Queen, Senior
Undergraduate Student, MEAS, NCSU
This undergraduate
research program is an
in depth exposure
to the ground-breaking research in atmospheric chemistry.
Students will gain an understanding of how
intricate the workings of a chemical/meteorological model are. It
also allows for a powerful outlet to communicate your work to the
University through the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.
- Chris Misenis,
Senior Undergraduate Student, MEAS, NCSU
Research
Sponsors
Federal Agencies/Laboratories:
National
Science
Foundation (NSF)
National
Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)
U.S.
Department
of Energy (
U.S.
DOE)
National
Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency (
U.S.
EPA)
Battelle,
Pacific
Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL)
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture (
US
DA)
State/local Agencies:
California
Air
Resources Board (CARB)/San Joaquin Valleywide Air
Pollution Study Agency (SJVAPSA)
Non-profit Organizations:
RTI,
International
(RTI)
Wellcome
Trust
(WT)
Private
Sectors:
Coordinating
Research
Council, Inc. (CRC)
Electric
& Power
Research Institute (EPRI)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North
America, Inc. (TEMA)
