Lidar Method to Estimate Emission Rates from Extended Sources

Abstract

AbstractPollutant emissions to the atmosphere commonly derive from nonpoint sources that are extended in space. Such sources may contain area, volume, line, or a combination of emission types. Currently, point measurements, often combined with models, are the primary means by which atmospheric emission rates are estimated from extended sources. Point measurement arrays often lack in spatial and temporal resolution and accuracy. In recent years, lidar has supplemented point measurements in agricultural research by sampling spatial ensembles nearly instantaneously. Here, a methodology using backscatter data from an elastic scanning lidar is presented to estimate emission rates from extended sources. To demonstrate the approach, a known amount of particulate matter was released upwind of a vegetative environmental buffer, a barrier designed to intercept emissions from animal production facilities. The emission rate was estimated downwind of the buffer, and the buffer capture efficiency (percentage of particles captured) was calculated. Efficiencies ranged from 21% to 74% and agree with the ranges previously published. A comprehensive uncertainty analysis of the lidar methodology was performed, revealing an uncertainty of 20% in the emission rate estimate; suggestions for significantly reducing this uncertainty in future studies are made. The methodology introduced here is demonstrated by estimating the efficiency of a vegetative buffer, but it can also be applied to any extended emission source for which point samples are inadequate, such as roads, animal feedlots, and cotton gin operations. It can also be applied to any pollutant for which a lidar system is configured, such as particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.