Estimating Power Plant Contributions to Surface Pollution in a Wintertime Arctic Environment
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Arctic winter meteorology and orography in the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB, interior Alaska) promote stably stratified boundary layers, often causing acute pollution episodes that exceed the US-EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Power plant emission contributions to breathing level (0–10 m) pollution are estimated over the FNSB using high-resolution Lagrangian tracer simulations run with temporally varying emissions and power plant plume rise accounting for atmospheric boundary layer stability and validated against comprehensive ALPACA-2022 observations. Average relative power plant contributions of 5–23% and 4–28% are diagnosed for SO 2 and NO x, respectively, with lower relative contributions in polluted conditions due to larger surface emissions. Highest population-weighted contributions are found in central and eastern (residential) areas of Fairbanks. Significant temporal variability in power plant contributions is revealed, depending on power plant operations and Arctic boundary layer stability. Vertical transport of power plant tracers to the surface depends on the interplay between the presence of temperature inversion layers and power plant stack heights as well as prevailing large-scale or local winds. Notably, power plant emissions can be transported to the surface even under strongly stable conditions, especially from shorter stacks, whereas down mixing from tall stacks mainly occurs under weakly stable conditions.
Source: ACS ES&T Air
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Leeds, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Laboratoire d'Aérologie, Université du littoral côte d'opale, Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie de l'Atmosphère, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institut polytechnique de Grenoble, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Aix-Marseille Université
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Funders: National Science Foundation, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor, International Arctic Science Committee, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Natural Environment Research Council, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers, Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, National Centre for Earth Observation
OpenAlex ID: W4409626199