Bioaerosol Study

Projects

Overview

Objective

A variety of different observing platforms are available for providing estimates of meteorological variables required for calculation of atmospheric transport and diffusion (T&D) of hazardous material, such as bioaerosols. This study evaluates different options available for providing input wind data, with a focus on Doppler lidars.

Description

This study, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), uses Observing System Simulation Experiments to define the optimal ways that Doppler lidars can be used to define boundary-layer winds on the urban scale. In particular, issues are being addressed, such as the quantitative benefit of using a dual-lidar system versus one with only a single lidar, and the best specific lidar scan strategies. Another more general objective is quantifying the benefit of using lidar-derived winds for T&D calculations, in contrast to winds based only on conventional observing systems, such as wind profilers and radiosondes.

Technology

Raman-shifted Eye-safe Aerosol Lidar (REAL)

NCAR's Raman-shifted Eye-safe Aerosol Lidar (REAL), developed by ATD scientists, is one of the few lidars that can be used in highly populated areas. The eye-safe and scanning capability expands the lidar's applications to include mapping urban atmospheric pollutants, and studies of dispersion very near the surface of the earth.

Real-Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation (RTFDDA)

A high-resolution data assimilation system, developed at RAL, runs with the Penn State/NCAR MM5 Mesoscale Model and provides regional weather forecasts. It also has an interior grid centered over the Washington metropolitan area that runs at very high resolution.

Variational Doppler Radar Assimilation System (VDRAS)

Developed at RAL, VDRAS provides detailed and frequently updated information on wind, rain, and other real-time weather developments. VDRAS is the first real-time system to diagnose low-level wind and temperature over a wide region using four-dimensional data assimilation of Doppler radar data.

Variational Lidar Assimilation System (VLAS)

VLAS, a Doppler lidar variant of VDRAS developed at RAL, provides similar information as VDRAS, but at very high resolution, suitable for estimating winds at a neighborhood scale.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

A building-scale, computational fluid dynamics model to track the winds and movement of particles and chemicals around the Pentagon. Although this system is being developed by another organization, NCAR is testing its own version.

Resources

Conference Publications and Presentations

George Bieberbach. DHS LIDAR Observing System Simulation Experiment: Investigations of LIDAR Applications for Biological Defense. December, 2005. (pdf)

Participants

Sponsor

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The National Strategy for Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 served to mobilize and organize our nation to secure the homeland from terrorist attacks. This exceedingly complex mission requires a focused effort from our entire society if we are to be successful. To this end, one primary reason for the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security was to provide the unifying core for the vast national network of organizations and institutions involved in efforts to secure our nation.

Collaborator

MIT Lincoln Laboratory
MIT Lincoln Laboratory has pioneered in advanced electronics since its origin in 1951 as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Laboratory's fundamental mission is to apply science and advanced technology to critical problems of national security.

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