Academic literature on the topic 'Atmospheric mercury – New South Wales – Measurement'

A comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the coupled Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) and Chemical Transport Model (CTM) (CCAM-CTM) for the New South Wales Greater Metropolitan Region (NSW GMR) was conducted based on modelling results for two periods coinciding with measurement campaigns undertaken during the Sydney Particle Study (SPS), namely the summer in 2011 (SPS1) and the autumn in 2012 (SPS2). The model performance was evaluated for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) against air quality data from the NSW Government’s air quality monitoring network, and PM2.5 components were compared with speciated PM measurements from the Sydney Particle Study’s Westmead sampling site. The model tends to overpredict PM2.5 with normalised mean bias (NMB) less than 20%, however, moderate underpredictions of the daily peak are found on high PM2.5 days. The PM2.5 predictions at all sites comply with performance criteria for mean fractional bias (MFB) of ±60%, but only PM2.5 predictions at Earlwood further comply with the performance goal for MFB of ±30% during both periods. The model generally captures the diurnal variations in ozone with a slight underestimation. The model also tends to underpredict daily maximum hourly ozone. Ozone predictions across regions in SPS1, as well as in Sydney East, Sydney Northwest and Illawarra regions in SPS2 comply with the benchmark of MFB of ±15%, however, none of the regions comply with the benchmark for mean fractional error (MFE) of 35%. The model reproduces the diurnal variations and magnitudes of NO2 well, with a slightly underestimating tendency across the regions. The MFE and normalised mean error (NME) for NO2 predictions fall well within the ranges inferred from other studies. Model results are within a factor of two of measured averages for sulphate, nitrate, sodium and organic matter, with elemental carbon, chloride, magnesium and ammonium being underpredicted. The overall performance of CCAM-CTM modelling system for the NSW GMR is comparable to similar model predictions by other regional airshed models documented in the literature. The performance of the modelling system is found to be variable according to benchmark criteria and depend on the location of the sites, as well as the time of the year. The benchmarking of CCAM-CTM modelling system supports the application of this model for air quality impact assessment and policy scenario modelling to inform air quality management in NSW.

Evapotranspiration is the major component of the hydrological balance of grazed pastures on the North-West Slopes of New South Wales, representing up to 93% of annual rainfall. Nearly 80% of evapotranspiration may occur as bare soil evaporation, however, representing water not available for plant growth. Few studies have reported daily values of actual evapotranspiration for pastures, particularly in northern New South Wales. The studies reported here were conducted to measure actual evapotranspiration using an evaporation dome technique, for plots with a range of pasture, litter and ground cover. Measurements were taken in each season between autumn 2000 and autumn 2001, with both wet and dry soil surface conditions, to document the range of values that might be expected. Similar measurements were conducted in areas of natural pasture, to quantify values under grazed conditions. A range of other variables were also quantified in association with each evapotranspiration measurement; these included components of net radiant energy, atmospheric conditions, pasture physical characteristics, ground cover and soil water content. These data were used to identify the most important variables, which may be influenced by or interact with grazing management, that account for variation in daily evapotranspiration values.Hourly evapotranspiration ranged from 0.02 to 0.82 mm/h and daily values ranged from 0.2 to 7.6 mm/day, in winter to summer, respectively. Linear regression models that included variables of solar radiation, herbage mass, vapour pressure deficit and soil water content accounted for up to 93% of the variation in daily evapotranspiration values. These models predicted that high litter mass (3000 kg DM/ha) may reduce evaporation by up to 1 mm/day for wet soils, making a substantial contribution to the annual hydrological balance. A simulation study of a grazed pasture, using the Sustainable Grazing Systems Pasture Model, indicated that grazing management may influence the partitioning of transpiration and evaporation from canopy, litter and bare soil. With rotational grazing, predicted soil evaporation was lower and transpiration and canopy evaporation were higher than with continuous grazing. Hence, pastures may require different management between summer and winter, so that bare soil evaporation and canopy interception losses are minimised, to maximise stored soil water available for pasture use. Pastures with lower evaporative losses are likely to have higher productivity and sustainability.

Abstract An experimental study of wind energy and momentum input into finite-depth wind waves was undertaken at Lake George, New South Wales, Australia. To measure microscale oscillations of induced pressure above surface waves, a high-precision wave-follower system was developed at the University of Miami, Florida. The principal sensing hardware included Elliott pressure probes, hot-film anemometers, and Pitot tubes. The wave-follower recordings were supplemented by a complete set of relevant measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer, on the surface, and in the water body. This paper is dedicated to technical aspects of the measurement procedure and data analysis. The precision of the feedback wave-following mechanism did not impose any restrictions on the measurement accuracy in the range of wave heights and frequencies relevant to the problem. Thorough calibrations of the pressure transducers and moving Elliott probes were conducted. It is shown that the response of the air column in the connecting tubes provides a frequency-dependent phase shift, which must be accounted for to recover the low-level induced pressure signal. In the finite-depth environment of Lake George, breaking waves play an important role in the momentum exchange between wind and waves, as will be shown in a subsequent paper.

Within the last 10 years throughout south-eastern Australia, there has been a rapid expansion of modernisation efforts by irrigation companies that has included installation of automatic control structures, the so-called total channel control (TCC) technology. TCC includes supervisory control and data acquisition technology, which results in production of integrated databases utilising real time measurements of flow and water depth throughout the whole system. Pondage tests are acknowledged as the best direct method for seepage measurement and the recorded water level data from automated systems during periods of gate closure can be treated as pondage test data. This paper presents the development and operation of a new computer model that applies pondage test methodology to automated channel control data during periods of shut down in order to estimate seepage rates in different channel reaches. The Coleambally Irrigation Area (CIA) in southern New South Wales was chosen as the case study, as it is one of the first irrigation districts in the world to be automated. The methodology was tested using the TCC data of the entire CIA during the 2010–11 season and was demonstrated to be successful in identifying all pondage conditions throughout the entire network as well as estimating the seepage rates for each gauge, pondage and pool.

Abstract. In 2019–2020, Australia experienced its largest wildfire season on record. Smoke covered hundreds of square kilometers across the southeastern coast and reached the site of the COALA-2020 (Characterizing Organics and Aerosol Loading over Australia) field campaign in New South Wales. Using a subset of nighttime observations made by a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS), we calculate emission ratios (ERs) and factors (EFs) for 15 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We restrict our analysis to VOCs with sufficiently long lifetimes to be minimally impacted by oxidation over the ∼ 8 h between when the smoke was emitted and when it arrived at the field site. We use oxidized VOC to VOC ratios to assess the total amount of radical oxidation: maleic anhydride / furan to assess OH oxidation, and (cis-2-butenediol + furanone) / furan to assess NO3 oxidation. We examine time series of O3 and NO2 given their closely linked chemistry with wildfire plumes and observe their trends during the smoke event. Then we compare ERs calculated from the freshest portion of the plume to ERs calculated using the entire nighttime period. Finding good agreement between the two, we are able to extend our analysis to VOCs measured in more chemically aged portions of the plume. Our analysis provides ERs and EFs for six compounds not previously reported for temperate forests in Australia: acrolein (a compound with significant health impacts), methyl propanoate, methyl methacrylate, maleic anhydride, benzaldehyde, and creosol. We compare our results with two studies in similar Australian biomes, and two studies focused on US temperate forests. We find over half of our EFs are within a factor of 2.5 relative to those presented in Australian biome studies, with nearly all within a factor of 5, indicating reasonable agreement. For US-focused studies, we find similar results with over half our EFs within a factor of 2.5, and nearly all within a factor of 5, again indicating reasonably good agreement. This suggests that comprehensive field measurements of biomass burning VOC emissions in other regions may be applicable to Australian temperate forests. Finally, we quantify the magnitude attributable to the primary compounds contributing to OH reactivity from this plume, finding results comparable to several US-based wildfire and laboratory studies.

Environmental context. Acid sulfate soils are important contributors to global environmental problems. Agricultural acid sulfate soils have recently been shown to emit sulfur dioxide, an important gas in global issues of acid rain, cloud formation and climate change. This emission is surprising because these soils tend to be wet and the gas is extremely water-soluble. The potential origins of this gas are not yet understood within the context of acid sulfate soils. Our new study reports the measurement of two potential precursors of sulfur dioxide, dimethylsulfide and ethanethiol, from both a natural and an agricultural acid sulfate soil in eastern Australia. Abstract. Most agricultural soils are generally considered to be a sink for sulfur gases rather than a source; however, recent studies have shown significant emissions of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from acid sulfate soils. In the current study, acid sulfate soil samples were taken in northern New South Wales from under sugarcane cropping, as well as from an undisturbed nature reserve. Using gas chromatography/flame photometric detection in conjunction with headspace solid-phase microextraction, we have now determined that these soils are a potential source of the low molecular weight volatile sulfur compounds, dimethylsulfide and ethanethiol. Although the mechanism for their production remains unclear, both compounds are important in the transfer and interconversions of atmospheric and terrestrial sulfur. Therefore, these novel findings have important implications for refining local and regional atmospheric sulfur budgets, as well as for expanding our understanding of sulfur cycling within acid sulfate soils and other sediments.

Mercury (Hg) contamination is an environmental concern as a by-product of legacy mining in Australia. Here we investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of Hg in the Molonglo River system in New South Wales, Australia, and assess the physical and chemical factors influencing that distribution. Mercury concentrations in sediment cores were measured in conjunction with 210Pb and 137Cs dating to establish historical contamination. This was done at the source mine site of Captains Flat, New South Wales, and the system’s sink in Lake Burley Griffin, Australian Capital Territory. Additionally, surficial sediment Hg concentrations along the Molonglo River were analyzed to determine the spatial distribution of Hg. Analytical results showed the primary physical and chemical factors influencing Hg dispersion to be distance, total organic matter, and the presence of iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. The highest Hg concentrations were near the mine site at Captains Flat and decreased significantly with distance. Sediment core analyses in both Captains Flat and the lake showed reductions in Hg concentrations toward surficial sediment layers. It is suggested government-funded rehabilitation programs are playing a part in reducing the release of metal contamination.