Oil pollution detection, monitoring and law enforcement
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
Horvath, R.↗
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Study of pollution at sea
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
Fontanel, A.↗
Water hyacinths and alligator weeds for removal of lead and mercury from polluted waters
Removal of lead and mercury by water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) (Mart.) Solms and alligator weeds (Alternanthera philoxeroides) (Mart.) Griesb. was investigated. Water hyacinths demonstrated the ability to remove 0.176 mg of lead and 0.150 mg of mercury per gram of dry plant material from distilled water and river water in a 24-hour period. One acre of water hyacinths is potentially capable of removing 105.6 grams of lead and 90.0 grams of mercury per day. Alligator weeds removed 0.101 mg of lead per gram of dry plant material in a 24-hour period. This same plant also demonstrated the ability to remove a minimum of 0.153 mg of mercury per gram of dry plant material in a six hour period.
Wolverton, B. C.↗
A theoretical/experimental program to develop active optical pollution sensors, part 2
Progress is reported on experimental investigations of Lidar and the application of Lidar to environmental and atmospheric science. Specifically the following programs are considered: calibration and application of the LaRC 48-inch Lidar; efficient and certain detection of SO2 and other gases in the calibration tank using the Raman Stack Monitor Lidar; the potential of Lidar remote sensing from the space shuttle; and the planning and mounting of efforts to realize the promise of backscatter differential absorption Lidar.
Poultney, S. K.↗
Water hyacinths and alligator weeds for removal of silver, cobalt, and strontium from polluted waters
Water hyacinths and alligator weeds demonstrated the ability to rapidly remove heavy metals from an aqueous system by root absorption and concentration. Water hyacinths demonstrated the ability to remove 0.439 mg of silver, 0.568 mg of cobalt, and 0.544 mg of strontium in an ionized form per gram of dry plant material in a 24-hour period. Alligator weeds removed a maximum of 0.439 mg of silver, 0.130 mg of cobalt, and 0.161 mg of strontium per gram of dry plant material per day.
Wolverton, B. C.↗
Exhaust pollutant emissions from swirl-can combustor module arrays at parametric test conditions
Improved designs of swirl-can combustor modules were tested using seven-module arrays in a combustor. The combustor was operated over a pressure range of 69 to 207 N/sq cm, a fuel-air ratio range of 0.015 to 0.046, at a constant inlet air temperature of 733 K, and at reference velocities of 23.9 and 30.6 m/sec. The three designs tested performed with high combustion efficiency at all conditions tested and exhibited oxides of nitrogen emissions substantially lower than that of conventional gas turbine combustors. A correlating parameter used to extrapolate oxides of nitrogen emissions to full power or takeoff conditions for large commercial turbofan engines predicts oxides of nitrogen emissions somewhat higher than those specified in the 1979 government emissions standards.
Mularz, E. J.↗
Satellite detection of vegetative damage and alteration caused by pollutants emitted by a zinc smelter
The author has identified the following significant results. Field observations and data collected by low flying aircraft were used to verify the accuracy of maps produced from the satellite data. Although areas of vegetation as small as six acres can accurately be detected, a white pine stand that was severely damaged by sulfur dioxide could not be differentiated from a healthy white pine stand because spectral differences were not large enough. When winter data were used to eliminate interference from herbaceous and deciduous vegetation, the damage was still undetectable. The analysis was able to produce a character map that accurately delineated areas of vegetative alteration due to high zinc levels accumulating in the soil. The map depicted a distinct gradient of less damage and alteration as the distance from the smelter increased. Although the satellite data will probably not be useful for detecting small acreages of damaged vegetation, it is concluded that the data may be very useful as an inventory tool to detect and delineate large vegetative areas possessing differing spectral signatures.
Mcmurtry, G. J.↗
Oil-pollution detection and monitoring from space using ERTS-1
The author has identified the following significant results. Three reported spills were investigated using four digital computer, compatible techniques on ERTS - 1 data. A spill on the Atlantic Ocean (off Virginia) was studied to develop spectral signatures. Another spill, in Oakland Bay, was studied by ratioing spectral channels (to try to eliminate turbidity effects) and by summing different spectral channels to look for anomolus values caused by oil. The final spill, off Southern California, was investigated by looking for anomolus values in each channel separately. Results indicate that any of these methods might be usable if the spill is large enough to be seen by satellite, if the spill occurs more than a few kilometers off shore, and if the sky and water are relatively clear. In the case of the Atlantic spill, identification of material was not possible; and in the other two cases, the spills could not be detected at all. ERTS-1 was not considered feasible for this type of work because of its 18 day overpass frequency, the few spectral channels, the extended bandwidths, and the long, information retrieval time.
Horvath, R.↗
Upper atmosphere pollution measurements (GASP)
The environmental effects are discussed of engine effluents of future large fleets of aircraft operating in the stratosphere. Topics discussed include: atmospheric properties, aircraft engine effluents, upper atmospheric measurements, global air sampling, and data reduction and analysis
Rudey, R. A.↗
Air pollution from aircraft
A model which predicts nitric oxide and carbon monoxide emissions from a swirl can modular combustor is discussed. A detailed analysis of the turbulent fuel-air mixing process in the swirl can module wake region is reviewed. Hot wire anemometry was employed, and gas sampling analysis of fuel combustion emissions were performed.
Heywood, J. B.↗
Remote measurements of water pollution with a lidar polarimeter
This paper examines a dual polarization laser backscatter system as a method for remote measurements of certain water quality parameters. Analytical models for describing the backscatter from turbid water and oil on turbid water are presented and compared with experimental data. Laser backscatter field measurements from natural waterways are presented and compared with simultaneous ground observations of the water quality parameters: turbidity, suspended solids, and transmittance. The results of this study show that the analytical models appear valid and that the sensor investigated is applicable to remote measurements of these water quality parameters and oil spills on water.-
Sheives, T. C.↗
Effect of pollutant gases on ozone production by simulated solar radiation
The present investigation provides some information related to the problem of ozone destruction by nitric oxide emission from high flying vehicles. It is found that CO and H2O can counteract NO destruction of O3 in laboratory simulations. The addition of CO and H2O to aircraft exhausts could be a practical means of reducing the damage of the UV-filtering ozone layer. It is also discovered that NO is not regenerated as it destroys ozone, except at low stratospheric pressures. It is believed that the presence of H2O and CO gives rise to a series of reactions which provide a kinetically competitive pathway for the NO, causing it to go into NO2 production via these substrates rather than via O3.
Wong, E. L.↗
Anthropogenic desertification by high-albedo pollution Observations and modeling
ERTS-1 MSS albedo data of Western Negev, Sinai and the Gaza strip are presented. A sharp contrast in albedo exists across the Negev-Sinai and Negev-Gaza strip borders. Anthropogenic desertification has occurred on the Arab side due to overgrazing and Bedouin agriculture, whereas natural vegetation grows much more abundantly on the Israeli side.
Otterman, J.↗
Satellite detection of air pollutants
NASA's ERTS-1 satellite, with its high resolution and multispectral capabilities, has been found useful in the detection and analysis of smoke from large point sources (power plants, steel mills, etc.), and widespread atmospheric turbidity associated with atmospheric stagnations. Smoke plumes from the Chicago-Northern Indiana industrial complex have been tracked over Lake Michigan for over 100 km. Experience has shown that smoke plumes are relatively easy to detect over water (in the 0.6-0.7 micrometer band) but much more difficult over land surfaces. Pattern recognition techniques (cluster analysis) were applied to the digital ERTS data, and it was found that the smoke plumes indeed had a unique spectral signature. Studies are currently underway to use measured plume geometries to obtain quantitative estimates of diffusion over water surfaces.
Lyons, W. A.↗
Carbon monoxide pollution experiment
The experiment is designed to obtain data for the investigation of mechanisms by which CO is removed from the earth's atmosphere. The approach uses an orbiting platform to remotely map global CO concentrations and determine vertical CO profiles using a correlation interferometer measurement technique. The instrument is capable of measuring CO over the range of expected atmospheric burdens and of measuring trace atmospheric constituents.
Bortner, M. H.↗
Status of Technological Advancements for Reducing Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine Pollutant Emissions
Combustor test rig results indicate that substantial reductions from current emission levels of carbon monoxide (CO), total unburned hydrocarbons (THC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and smoke are achievable by employing varying degrees of technological advancements in combustion systems. Minor to moderate modifications to existing conventional combustors produced significant reductions in CO and THC emissions at engine low power (idle/taxi) operating conditions but did not effectively reduce NOx at engine full power (takeoff) operating conditions. Staged combusiton techniques were needed to simultaneously reduce the levels of all the emissions over the entire engine operating range (from idle to takeoff). Emission levels that approached or were below the requirements of the 1979 EPA standards were achieved with the staged combustion systems and in some cases with the minor to moderate modifications to existing conventional combustion systems. Results from research programs indicate that an entire new generation of combustor technology with extremely low emission levels may be possible in the future.
Rudey, R. A.↗
Oil pollution detection and monitoring from space using Skylab
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
Goldman, G. C.↗
Continued urbanization of the United States is causing the deterioration of the central city; costly suburban developments; and increases in congestion, pollution, crime, violence and alienation
It is shown that urban sprawl and the abuses of technological industries result in substantial environmental and economic costs at the expense of center city locations and populations. Socioeconomic deterioration and modification of the biosphere triggers climatic and environmental changes leading to ecosystem damage and destruction, health consequences and international conflict.
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