Atmospheric Trace Species at Grand Canyon and Canyonlands National Parks: Preliminary Field Measurements From the Western States Visibility Assessment Program, July/August 2001

In the western United States there is a growing concern about the increasing impairment of visibility in and around National Parks, National Monuments, wilderness areas, and other scenic attractions. Quantifying trace species associated with energy production and consumption is critical in understanding regional visibility impairment and modeling how present and future energy use patterns may influence visibility. The Western States Visibility Assessment Program (WSVAP) of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) was established to provide visibility assessment and associated trace species data to regional, state, and local policy makers, industry representatives, and other interested parties. The program's origins are found in prior DOE-sponsored research implemented by the Center for Applied Research in connection with the Grand Canyon Visibility Commission. As a part of this program, a three-week field campaign was initiated in July and August of 2001 to monitor a suite of atmospheric traces species at the Hance site within Grand Canyon National Park in northcentral Arizona and at the Island in the Sky District within Canyonlands National Park in southeast Utah. Gaseous trace species monitored at each site included oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, non-methane hydrocarbons, and low molecular weight aldehydes, ketones and organic acids. Additionally, total suspended particulate and PM2.5 samples were also collected, both of which are to be subsequently analyzed for speciated composition. Corresponding data simultaneously collected at or near the sampling sites by Park Service and other personnel included visibility quantification, ozone, meteorological parameters, separate speciated PM2.5 data (IMPROVE), and acidic species deposition (CASNET). The presentation will include initial analysis of the collected data and a brief discussion of future measurements, as well as planned modeling exercises.