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Research Project: Wind Erosion Impact on Air Quality in Mexico City

Location: Wind Erosion Research Unit

Project Number: 5430-11120-007-13
Project Type:

Start Date: Mar 01, 2007
End Date: Dec 31, 2009

Objective:
1. To characterize the surface properties of the dry lakebed of Lake Texcoco to determine WEPS input parameters and potential amount of PM10 generation from the surface soils. 2. To asses the amount and frequency of the PM10 wind erosion material emitted from the dry lakebed of Lake Texcoco. 3. To train a UNAM scientist in wind erosion sampling and analysis techniques and collaborate on analysis of data from Objectives 1&2 for use with a coupled WEPS and MCCM model.

Approach:
1. Select two sites in the wind erosion prone area of Lake Texcoco which are the source of fine particulates. At each site, surface soils will be sampled with three replicates. Field erodibility analysis will be performed on soil conditions at the beginning each erosion season. 2. One or two sites will be selected on Lake Texcoco which typify erodible surfaces of the lake and are likely to erode (corresponding to sites for Objective 1). Sites will be as nearly level as possible with a minimum 200 meters of fetch in the dominant wind direction for the period. At each site, four towers will be placed in the field consisting of BSNE (Fryrear, 1986) and TSI erosion sampling equipment. Each tower will consist of five BSNE type samplers each with openings at heights 0.05, 0.10, 0.35, 0.60, and 1.0 meters and one TSI sampler at 2 meters above the soil surface. One tower will be in the upwind position and three towers will be situated 100-200 meters downwind from the upwind tower to provide differences in sediment flux in the prevailing wind direction. The sampling devices will be supplied by WERU. The support towers for the sampling devices will be supplied by UNAM. The samplers will be in place for the approximate wind erosion season of March and April. 3. A UNAM scientist will be trained in evaluating soil surface properties for determining WEPS input parameters and PM10 generation potential of the surface soils (Objective 1) in the field. A WERU scientist will travel to the field study site before the erosion season to assist and train UNAM scientists on sampling setup and monitoring techniques (Objective 2). UNAM scientist and WERU scientists will collaborate on analysis of data from Objectives 1&2 for use with a coupled WEPS-MCCM model.

   

 
Project Team
Tatarko, John
Aron Jazcilevich - Professor, Center Of Sciences Of The Atmosphere
 
Related National Programs
  Soil Resource Management (202)
  Air Quality (203)
 
 
Last Modified: 03/22/2007
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