Biogenic Emissions in the

Central Valley
Jonathan Wang
Brown University 2010
 OUTLINE
Introduction
• Project outline, objectives, motivation
• Description of isoprene, α-Pinene, β-Pinene
Data
• Methods: sampling and analysis
• Limitations
Results
• Ozone contribution (MIR and OFP)
• Patterns of emissions: grid vs airborne
• Patterns of emissions: seasonal variability
Conclusions
• Flight data: elevated levels near strong sources
• Spatial Distribution: surprising urban concentration
• Seasonal Dependence: reflect ecological condition
 Project Outline
Aircraft and ground grid whole air
samples
Characterize biogenic or
“background” natural hydrocarbon
emissions
Identify temporal and spatial patterns
of biogenic emissions
 Isoprene: "Trees cause more pollution
than automobiles do." -- Ronald
Reagan, 1981
Primary biogenic atmospheric
emission
Emitted by many woody plants as
heat stress response
Specific mechanism unknown: may
also aid in oxidative stress, circadian
rhythm, induce flowering
Not emitted from crops, grasses
Extremely short lifetime: about an
hour
High ozone forming potential (MIR =
 α-Pinene, β-Pinene
Volatile emission from conifers
Monoterpenes present in pine resin,
essential oils
Emitted as defense against fungal
infection or injury (bark beetle
attack)
Extremely short lifetime (0.5-3.5
hours)
Small ozone forming potential
High secondary organic aerosol
 Methods
Whole air canister samples collected at
1-3 minute intervals on aircraft July 22nd
and 24th
WAS collected on grid July 24th
throughout Central Valley.
Grid samples collected away from
dairies, no attention paid to vegetation
Gas chromatography, FID and MS
Google Earth
• Earthpoint, Earthplot
Previous study: Melissa Yang, collected
3/6/2008 : colder climate, only grid (no
flight)
 Limitations
No biological data collected: cannot
compare emissions to evidence of
damage, leaf temperature, etc
No ozone measurements, so cannot
test actual ozone production in high
biogenics areas
 Ozone Forming Potential
From Carter, 1998: Maximum
Incremental Reactivity estimates
Ozone Forming Potential
Overestimate: does not consider
important aspects such as NOx
Top 5 OFP Gases: Isoprene a big
factor
Patterns of Emissions: Isoprene from
Flights
•Overall, low
background
concentrations
•Several hot spots
where isoprene
reaches altitude
•Hot spots indicate
source locations:
short lifespan
precludes transport.
•No Sacramento data:
can’t fly over heavily
populated zone
•Integrates area: not
so influenced by
sources
Patterns of Emission: Isoprene on Grid
•Points marked
where measured
concentration
breaks scale
•Overall higher
concentrations than
flights: closer to
sources
•Source-dominated
measurements: grid
measurements must
be careful
•2490 point matches
with elevated levels
in flight
•Sacramento,
Fresno: heavy urban
zone’s isoprene:
parks as source
 α-Pinene
Flight data Grid data
2009 2009

•Some match up between flight and grid, not robust

•Low concentrations throughout
•Point sources reaching up to altitude
 “Cold” Grid Data
Data collected for a previous study
by Melissa Yang.
3/6/08 vs 7/24/09: about 11.6 degree
C difference in temperature

Expect changes in isoprene: no heat

stress, no isoprene emissions from
oaks
“Cold” Isoprene
Noted Differences
•On a much lower scale
•Fewer, different hotspots

•No heat stress: isoprene

emissions at T = 25 – 40 C
•Avg T in ‘cold’ grid: 18 C
•Sacramento emissions
drastically reduced
•Due to sampling near or
far from trees?
“Cold” α-Pinene
•Much higher levels of
α-Pinene in March than
in summer
•Significant hot spots
around Stockton
•Rough latitudinal
correlation
•Elevated levels in
Sacramento
•Short lifetime:
samples never bleed
very far out
•Elevated levels related
to climate: wetter,
colder in March than in
 Seasonal Changes

•In the early spring (March): relax heat stress and virtually eliminate
isoprene emissions
•Colder temperatures: α-Pinene drastically increases
•α-Pinene known to have longer lifetime in winter/night
•Identify periods of heat stress, pest stress in vegetation based on gas
emissions?
 Seasonal OFP

•Isoprene contributon to ozone drastically reduced (from 4.7%),

ranked 23rd (from 5th)
•α-Pinene contribution to ozone greatly increased (from
0.33%), ranked 12th (from 23rd)

•Isoprene concentrated at specific sources: small, wooded

areas
•Urban isoprene significant: parks are a major source! Not just
“biogenic.”
 Further Work
Focus of project was not on biology
Grid samples intentionally taken near
and far from forests or even single
trees: quantify impact of single,
definite sources
Diurnal and seasonal measurements
Species profile of valley: predict
patterns
Ozone measurements: direct
observation of parks’ impact
 Conclusions
Isoprene emissions heavily source based: must
be mindful of oaks when taking grid samples
Strong sources bleed to atmosphere: can be
identified by plane (more general, less of a
single, overpowering point)
Significant contribution to total ozone forming
potential
Temperature dependence: seasonal fluctuations
in emissions and OFP
Urban parks contribute much isoprene:
seasonality to air quality in urban areas with
parks?
Gases isoprene, pinene are ecosystem’s
“breath” that indicate heat, biotic stresses
 Acknowledgements
Dr. Melissa Yang
Dr. Donald Blake
Dr. Sherwood Rowland
University of North Dakota
NASA Airborne Science Program

Thank you for listening! <3