Localizing gaseous fugitive emission sources by combining real-time optical remote sensing and wind data

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Remote Sensing

Background:

• Accurate localization of ground-level fugitive gaseous air pollution sources is crucial for effective environmental management and regulatory compliance.
• Traditional methods for source identification can be labor-intensive, costly, or lack the precision required for diffuse or intermittent emissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a new approach for localizing point emissions from ground-level fugitive gaseous air pollution sources.
• To utilize path-integrated optical remote sensing data combined with advanced mathematical techniques for precise source reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• Employed smooth basis functions minimization (SBFM) to estimate the crosswind plume's ground-level peak location.
• Integrated path-integrated optical remote sensing concentration data acquired along alternating crosswind beam path lengths.
• Combined peak location estimates with real-time wind direction data for fugitive source reconstruction.

Main Results:

• A synthetic data study demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed SBFM peak location reconstruction method.
• Field validation using open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) data from a controlled point source showed reasonable source location estimates.
• The reconstructed source location in the field study was found to be within several meters of the actual source location.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology provides a reliable and accurate approach for localizing ground-level fugitive gaseous pollution sources.
• The combination of SBFM and optical remote sensing offers a promising tool for real-time environmental monitoring and pollution source identification.
• This technique has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of air quality management strategies.