| NSF Org: |
OISE Office of International Science and Engineering |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 7, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | May 7, 2012 |
| Award Number: | 1064686 |
| Award Instrument: | Fellowship Award |
| Program Manager: |
John Tsapogas
OISE Office of International Science and Engineering O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | February 1, 2012 |
| End Date: | January 31, 2014 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $111,399.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $114,111.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2012 = $2,712.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3100 MARINE ST Boulder CO US 80309-0001 (303)492-6221 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
3100 MARINE ST Boulder CO US 80309-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | IRFP-Inter Res Fellowship Prog |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001213DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.079 |
ABSTRACT
The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise, and experimental conditions abroad.
This award will support nineteen months of research fellowship by Dr. Christa A. Hasenkopf to work with Dr. Sereeter Lodoysamba at the National University of Mongolia.
Since 2008, and for the first time in human history, over half of the world's population resides in urban areas. The urbanization rate is highest in developing nations in which the majority of humanity lives. The rapid increase in energy consumption required to feed the expanding transportation, industrial, and private sectors of these countries is often accompanied by increased gas and particulate matter (PM) emissions, particularly soot aerosols. High concentrations of soot aerosols (i.e. black carbon, BC) pose a serious health threat to the billions living in these emerging economies. Additionally, BC contributes to global and regional climate change and regional surface dimming.
The capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, is a prime example of this global urbanization; its population has doubled in the past twenty years, due mainly to immigration from the outlying rural population. An environmental consequence of the increased energy demands of the growing population and the city?s inherent geography and climate is that Ulaanbaatar has some of the highest concentrations of PM measured in the world. Despite these conditions, Ulaanbaatar air pollution is severely understudied in the atmospheric science literature. To address this hole in the literature, this research is measuring PM and BC concentrations with fast time resolution (~minutes) as a function of horizontal and vertical position at several locations in Ulaanbaatar. This information allows modeling of BC transport through the city, as well an assessment of the regional radiative effects of BC. Additionally, time and size-resolved PM samples are being collected for a Raman spectral mapping analysis, which will allow an unprecedented window into the chemical composition and morphology of Ulaanbaatar PM on a particle-by-particle basis.
In addition to the scientific objectives described above, this research will help develop a new international collaboration among the PI and research groups at the National University of Mongolia (Prof. Sereeter Lodoysamba) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and at the University of Colorado in Boulder, USA (Prof. Margaret Tolbert and Prof. Jose Jimenez).
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
OVERVIEW: Air pollution is attributable to 7 million deaths per year globally, amounting to one out of every eight deaths and consequently is the most lethal environmental hazard on the planet, according to the World Health Organization. In addition, air pollution, especially in the form of particulate matter, has significant impacts on regional climate.
This project investigated air pollution issues in one of the world’s most polluted cities by particulate matter (PM; e.g. smoke and dust) concentrations, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Like many highly-polluted cities in developing countries, it has gone under-researched in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.
RESEARCH: To understand the impacts of such high particulate matter concentration in Ulaanbaatar, the physical and chemical properties of PM were characterized through long-term measurements. In this study, bimonthly aerosol samples were collected over a 10-month period from a central, residential location in Ulaanbaatar. These particles were identified by type, composition, and ice nucleation activity. Almost all particles (>99%) collected in this study were inhalable (< 10 mm in diameter). The primary classes of particles observed were mineral dust, soot, and sulfate-organic. In the winter months, which coincide with high household energy use, all classes of particulate concentrations increase. In addition, particles in the winter months have higher concentrations of sulfur and are less active with respect to heterogeneous ice nucleation. Our measurements provide the longest and most comprehensive seasonal set of data for particulate matter from Ulaanbaatar, which will aid in addressing the effects of pollution on health and regional climate. Note: this work was done in collaboration with Dr. Miriam Freedman’s research group at Penn State University.
COLLABORATIONS: This project also spawned a collaboration through the USAID Program, Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) between Dr. Hasenkopf and Prof. Lodoysamba and his research team from the National University of Mongolia. The PEER Program directly funded Prof. Lodoysamba, in collaboration with Hasenkopf, to investigate source appointment of PM in Ulaanbaatar, essentially determining which sources are responsible for different proportions of the PM pollution.
OUTREACH: Hasenkopf and Lodoysamba launched the first-ever air quality instrument in Mongolia that posted air quality data to social media (www.facebook.com/UBAirQuality and @UB_Air on Twitter). These outlets have attracted more 6000 followers, generated local and international media attention, and encouraged public discussions around the importance of air quality monitoring in mitigating air pollution in Ulaanbaatar. Additionally, Hasenkopf led several other outreach activities, including supervising the UB Atmospheric Science Club, in which undergraduate and graduate STEM students led air pollution talks to the public and to public secondary schools. Over the two year period in Mongolia, over two dozen public presentations were given on air pollution in Ulaanbaatar.
Last Modified: 08/30/2014
Modified by: Christa A Hasenkopf
