SIMULATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF AN AIRPORT ON THE SURROUNDING AIR QUALITY

It is the purpose of this study to demonstrate the procedure involved in simulating those average and maximum pollutant concentrations at or around an airport which fall under the control of the Clean Air Act. The information is useful, when planning new or expanding existing airports, when estimating the impact of airports on the surrounding air quality, and when assessing the effectiveness of control procedures. Simulation of airport air quality requires the accurate assessment of the temporal and spatial emission patterns. This involves the tabulation of air traffic density by type and engine, make and model of aircraft, and engine mode number; the use of fuel by different aircraft; the pollutant emission rates by engine model and operational mode; the allocation of emissions rates to the respective runways, turn-off points, taxiways, and parking areas, and the time each aircraft spent in the different operational modes. The resulting emission pattern for the Honolulu International Airport reflections scheduled and unscheduled commercial and military jet and piston aircraft and nonaircraft operations. Using this and the appropriate meteorological information average and maximum surface concentrations were calculated and compared with local ambient air quality standards. The calculation of concentrations is based on a newly developed diffusion model incorporating harmonic mean wind speeds for every degree of wind direction as determined by a Parzen maximum likelihood interpolation technique, and the assumption of log-normal concentration distributions. It is shown that for some pollutants the air quality standards are substantially exceeded, and it is concluded that airports may have a considerable adverse impact on their surrounding air quality.

• Corporate Authors:

  Air Pollution Control Association

  4400 Fifth Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15213
• Authors:
  • Daniels, A
  • Bach, W
• Publication Date: 1976-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 339-344
• Serial:
  • Air Pollution Control Association, Journal of
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Air Pollution Control Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air traffic; Aircraft fuels; Aircraft operations; Airport noise; Airport planning; Environmental impact analysis; Environmental impacts; Meteorological phenomena; Pollutants; Simulation
• Identifier Terms: Clean Air Act; Honolulu International Airport
• Old TRIS Terms: Meteorological data
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Environment; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00155742
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 28 1977 12:00AM