So now we don't want ozone... Let's find out why
not. In this exercise you will use real time air monitoring
data in Houston, Texas to discover air quality variables that cause "bad
ozone". Using your new found knowledge, you will then access real
time air quality data from Newark, New Jersey and draw some conclusions
as to what is causing the ozone conditions there.
Step 1 - Accessing Data
Access the air quality monitoring stations around the
Houston Area. Follow the directions listed below to obtain the necessary
data you will graph.
Houston
Air Quality Monitoring Stations
Real Time Air Quality Data
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Click on the Houston Air Quality Monitoring Stations and view the Houston
map. Predict in your journl where on this map you will find
the highest concentration of air pollutants.
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Choose the HOUSTON EAST Air Monitoring Station, to access the real time
data you will use for this lesson.
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In this lesson, scroll to the bottom of the page and under "Select a Data"
choose "YESTERDAY". This allows you to access a full
day's worth of air quality data. Click on "GENERATE REPORT".
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This table shows you air quality measurements for every hour during that
particular day.
Step 2 - Recording / Graphing
Data
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Set your printer to landscape and print out the Air
Quality Data for your chosen date. (Note - The entire data set will
not print-out, however, you will only need the data from 7 AM till 7 PM.
This should fit on an 81/2 x 11 sheet that is landscaped.)
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Highlight the Lines for the following data:
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Time of Day
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Nitrogen Dioxide
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Ozone
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Wind Speed
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Outdoor Temperature
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You may choose at this point to create a spreadsheet
or simply graph this data directly on your graph paper.
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You will need to create two graphs.... CLICK
HERE to see a picture of how to set up your graphs.
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Graph #1 = Time of Day vs. Wind Speed.
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Graph #2 = Time of Day vs. Outside Temperature
vs. Nitrogen Dioxide & Ozone.
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Record Wind Speed in mph.
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Record Outside Temperature in Fahrenheit.
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Record Nitrogen Dioxide & Ozone in ppb.
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Remember: the independent variable
must be on the X-axis.
Step 3 - Explaining your Results
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Answer these question in your journal.
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Do you see any trends in your data.
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Explain the difference in the NO2
and O3 peak position that you have drawn on your graphs.
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Explain any relationship temperature may have to
the NO2 and O3 peaks?
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How does you wind speed graph relate to NO2
and O3?
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What information about wind might also be helpful
to know?
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Since the troposphere is so dynamic, air pollutants
may travel a great distance from their source. Let's see if we can
discover the source of the pollutants over the Houston area.
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Click
Here to find out the wind direction for the Houston Area.
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Click
Here for a map of Houston. You may choose to view air quality
data from other Houston monitoring sites.
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Where might the Houston air pollutants originate
from?
Step 4 -Predictions for New
Jersey
Access the air quality monitoring station for Newark New
Jersey. Use your data analysis skills to make some predictions about
the air quality in New Jersey.
Air
Quality Ozone Readings for Newark, NJ
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Answer the following questions in your journal for O3 and NO2:
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What do the arrows on each of the graphs tell you?
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Which pollutant has the highest PSI
(Pollutant Standard Index)?
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What time of day is the Ozone & Nitrogen Dioxide highest for both Texas
and New Jersey?
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What time of day is the temperature the highest in Texas?
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Predict the time of day the temperature is the highest in New Jersey?
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Why do the highs of each of these different pollutants differ with the
Time of Day?
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Why do the highs of each of these pollutants change as the temperature
varies during one day?
