Annual Report on Establishment and Operation of the Eastern Fine Particle and Visibility Network

摘要

The Eastern Fine Particle and Visibility Monitoring Network (EFPVN) was established to obtain long-term, regionally-scaled measurements of visibility and related fine particle characteristics throughout the eastern U.S. The overall goal of the EFPVN is to provide data through which a quantitative assessment can be made regarding trends and causes of visibility impairment in the East. This goal will be achieved through continuous monitoring of atmospheric light scattering coefficient, 24-hour integrated measurements of fine particle mass, elemental composition and optical absorption coefficient, and photographic measurements of visual range taken three times each day. The program is expected to run for five years. During the first year of the EFPVN, five monitoring stations were established. Three of the stations are located in the southeastern U.S., where airport observations indicate as much as 60 percent reduction in visual range during the past forty years. The remaining stations are located in the Northeast, where long-term trends are less evident. Data collected and processed through July 1988 are summarized.