Probing emissions of military cargo aircraft: description of a joint field measurement Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2008 Jun;58(6):787-96. doi: 10.3155/1047-3289.58.6.787.

Abstract

To develop effective air quality control strategies for military air bases, there is a need to accurately quantify these emissions. In support of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program project, the particulate matter (PM) and gaseous emissions from two T56 engines on a parked C-130 aircraft were characterized at the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, KY. Conventional and research-grade instrumentation and methodology were used in the field campaign during the first week of October 2005. Particulate emissions were sampled at the engine exit plane and at 15 m downstream. In addition, remote sensing of the gaseous species was performed via spectroscopic techniques at 5 and 15 m downstream of the engine exit. It was found that PM mass and number concentrations measured at 15-m downstream locations, after dilution-correction generally agreed well with those measured at the engine exhaust plane; however, higher variations were observed in the far-field after natural dilution of the downstream measurements was accounted for. Using carbon dioxide-normalized data we demonstrated that gas species measurements by extractive and remote sensing techniques agreed reasonably well.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Aircraft*
  • Aviation*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Gases / analysis
  • Greenhouse Effect*
  • Particulate Matter / analysis

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Gases
  • Particulate Matter