Spatial trends in surface-based carbonaceous aerosol, including organic, water-soluble and elemental carbon, during DISCOVER-AQ in Houston, TX

Rebecca J Sheesley, Baylor University, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Waco, TX, United States, Tate Edward Barrett, Baylor University, Department of Geography and the Environment, Denton, TX, United States, Subin Yoon, Baylor University, Environmental Science, Waco, United States, Adelaide E Clark, Baylor University, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Waco, TX, United States, Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz, University of Texas at Austin, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Austin, United States, Robert J Griffin, Rice Univ-Civil Envir Engr, Houston, TX, United States, Basak Karakurt Cevik, Rice University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Houston, TX, United States, Russell Long, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States, Rachelle Duvall, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, United States and Sascha Usenko, Baylor University, Institute of Ecological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, Waco, TX, United States
Abstract:
DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) is a NASA funded air quality research program that focused on Houston, TX in September 2013. NASA’s P‐3B and B200 were deployed to sample vertical profiles over specific focus areas using a spiraling vertical profile flight plan on select days during the 30 day sampling campaign. In this project, we measured organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), inorganic carbon and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) from filter-based sampling efforts at four ground-based sites across the Houston metropolitan area. Ground-based sites were chosen to represent the downtown area, upwind and downwind as well as the Houston Ship Channel (industrial area). Ratios of EC:OC and WSOC:OC will be used to track contributions of primary and secondary organic carbon (POC and SOC), respectively. Spatial and temporal trends in POC and SOC for the Houston metropolitan area will be discussed.
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