Collaborative Research: Ammonia (NH3) Emission from Fertilizer Application: Understanding an Uncertain Input to Air Quality Models

该研究项目将测量伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校（UIUC）能源农场玉米地块的氨排放量，并将当地排放量扩大到区域范围。氨的排放量将分别使用扩散管和光腔衰荡光谱仪通过松弛涡流累积和空气动力学梯度法进行测量。以上和玉米冠层内的排放在景观尺度将解释与双向交换模型。使用EPIC（侵蚀生产力影响计算器）及其交互式版本（i-EPIC）的过程规模建模方法，由调节氨排放的环境因素驱动（即，气象学、土壤和冠层特征、土地使用和施肥量），将用于将地方排放量调整到区域范围，项目的结果将通过研究会议和出版物的场所以及通过使用网络工具进行传播。主要研究人员将与国家大气沉积计划（NADP）进行互动，以研究与现有试点氨监测网络以及NADP的临界负荷和总沉积科学小组委员会整合的潜力。作为教育和指导部分的一部分，将招募本科生，特别强调代表性不足的群体，并由主要研究人员和研究生指导本项目的研究方法。他们还将指导准备专业会议的演示材料，并将他们的知识转移给来自不同背景的高中女生参加STEM校园活动。作为该研究项目的一部分，将为空气质量课程开发新的教学单元，重点是大气沉积模型和微气象方法的使用。还将为一个新的以环境工程为重点的夏令营为高中适龄女生开发教学模块。与本提案主题相关的额外教学模块将侧重于粮食和生物燃料生产对空气质量和气候变化的影响。

This research project will measure ammonia emissions from the corn plot at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Energy Farm and to scale local emissions to the regional scale. The ammonia emissions will be measured by relaxed eddy accumulation and the aerodynamic gradient method using denuders and a cavity ringdown spectrometer, respectively. Emissions above and within the corn canopy at the landscape scale will be interpreted with a bi-directional exchange model. A process-scale modeling approach using EPIC (Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator) and its interactive version (i-EPIC), which are driven by environmental factors regulating ammonia emissions (i.e., meteorology, soil and canopy characteristics, land use, and mass of fertilizer applied), will be used to scale local emissions to the regional scale.The results of the project will be disseminated through the venues of research conferences and publications but also through the use of web-based tools. The principal investigators will interact with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) to examine the potential of integration with the existing pilot Ammonia Monitoring Network and with the NADP's Critical Loads and Total Deposition Science subcommittees. As part of the educational and mentoring component, undergraduate students will be recruited, with specific emphasis on underrepresented groups, and mentored by the principal investigators and graduate students, on the research methods of this project. They will also be mentored on preparing presentation material for professional conferences and for transferring their knowledge to high school age female students from diverse backgrounds participating with STEM campus activities. As part of this research project, new teaching modules will be developed for air quality courses with focus on atmospheric deposition models and use of micrometeorological methods. Teaching modules will also be developed for a new summer camp focused on environmental engineering, for high school age female students. The additional teaching modules related to the topic of this proposal will focus on the effects of food and biofuel production on air quality and climate change.