American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 36th Annual Conference
October 16 - October 20, 2017
Raleigh Convention Center
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

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Ambient Observations from Low-cost Gas and Particle Sensor Packages Deployed in Malawi: Pre-validation and Initial Deployment

ANDREW GRIESHOP, Eric Lipsky, Rebecca Tanzer, Eben Cross, R. Subramanian, North Carolina State University

     Abstract Number: 606
     Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods

Abstract
The nearly complete lack of continuous surface observations in much of Africa limits understanding of air quality trends and climatology and evaluation of atmospheric models or remote sensing products. For example, Malawi, a poor (7% of population has grid access), rural country in Southern Africa, has no air monitoring and is subject to a seasonally varying mix of sources (e.g., diverse biofuel combustion, open burning, regional transport). In response, we are deploying a network of five low-cost/power sensor packages in rural and peri-urban Malawi to collect data on gases (CO2, CO, NO/NO2, O3), particles (size/count) and meteorological parameters. Sensor packages include the Aerodyne Research ‘ARISense’ and the ‘RAMP’ developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Particles are measured via optical particle counters and gases via electrochemical and non-dispersive infrared sensors. Before deployment in Malawi in June, 2017, sensor packages are collocated with regulatory monitors in Pittsburgh, PA (RAMPs), Boston, MA (ARISense) and Durham, NC (both); algorithms and data products are evaluated against reference monitor data and each other. Pittsburgh RAMP collocations support their utility, even at low ambient concentrations (mean absolute errors for CO <40 ppb, <5 ppb for O3 and NO2). Initial pooled deployment in Malawi is at a peri-urban university campus, followed by at two rural sites for several months. ‘Fenceline’ subsampling downwind of biofuel combustion activities (e.g. brick kiln, tobacco barn) simultaneously measured with emission sampling equipment will enable evaluation of sensor packages under high-concentration conditions and yield valuable data on under-studied sources. This presentation will critically evaluate the measurement systems, provide a preliminary overview of air pollutant spatio-temporal variability and give insight into the utility of low-cost, low-power measurement systems in resource-poor environments, where they have great potential to fill large data gaps.