[Eoas-seminar] Meteorology MS Defense for Charles Wirks, Thursday, May 23, 2019, 1:00 PM, LOV353

[eoas-seminar at lists.fsu.edu]

Meteorology Seminar



Charles Kenneth Wirks

M.S. Meteorology Candidate



Title: IMPACTS OF SUGAR CANE AGRICULTURAL FIRES ON AIR QUALITY IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA: MODELING PARTICULATE MATTER WITH THE HYSPLIT ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION MODEL.

Major Professor:  Dr. Christopher Holmes


Date: May 23, 2019          Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm



Location: Werner A. Baum Seminar Room (353 Love Building)
(Please join us for refreshments served outside room 353 Love @ 12:30 PM)



ABSTRACT
The state of Florida approves annually approximately [cid:image001.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]  hectares ([cid:image002.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0] acres) of land of prescribed fires and, if the meteorology is not monitored properly, the production of particulate matter (PM) may cause health issues for neighboring communities. Due to the high contaminated water and oil content in sugarcane and saccharine crops, complete combustion is rarely achieved leading to the production of abundant amounts of concentrated PM. PM smaller than 2.5 micron in diameter ([cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]), may have adverse effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health as shown in previous studies. Excessive exposure to [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]  may lead to diseases such as respiratory distress, asthma, heart disease, and cancer. In this study, the distribution and impacts of [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]  caused by prescribed burns of sugarcane crops during the harvest season is assessed. Results are evaluated against wind, precipitation, humidity observations, emission factors, locations of fires as reported by Florida Forestry Services (FFS), and observed concentration values reported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The results are then evaluated to identify populated areas that are at high risk of experiencing the impacts of [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]  exposure.
This research seeks to evaluate the air quality due to [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0]  loading and quantify the excess of mortality contributed by said [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0] . Archived data of prescribed fires in Florida were used with records from 2008-2015 from the FFS open burn authorizations (OBA). Samples of concentration values are used during sugar cane harvest seasons which occur from Fall (generally October) and last until Winter (generally March). The results from HYSPLIT atmospheric dispersion model shows an under estimation in the production of [cid:image003.png at 01D5113C.090C03F0] . This is due to the uncertainties and variability


Shel McGuire
Florida State University
Academic Program Specialist
Department of Earth, Ocean, & Atmospheric Science
1017 Academic Way, 410 Love Building (Meteorology)
Tallahassee, FL 32306
850-644-8582

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