HAZE PICS | June/03 | July/03 | august/03 |
This article has to do with two parameters. Observation and definition My observations of the air quality on specific days...this is my reference point...my own observations. Often the air here is visually hazy but the air monitors here dont report that.There are reasons,as I see it so I hope you will see my point when you are finished reading this paper. Observations...12/4/03...The past few months have been bearable here with the cooler temperatures moderating the formation of ozone but today was a real smoggy day ,all day.From early morning till this evening the air here has been a foul smelly dense smoggy mess.Again,the TCEQ does not reflect this problem that has been so noticeable in all directions here on the west side of fort worth all day.It is like their monitors dont exist or work here,but in El Paso and other places they seem to register something like pm 2.5...calling the air here good,is just wrong and it shouldn't be reflected like that on the TCEQ web site for this area. 10/7/03...Heavy fog observed here in the morning.Heaviest I have seen since I have been living in texas(over 30 years).Will have pics on the current air quality when time permits.While the EPA air now says that the air quality here is moderate,the heavy fog means that there is more in the air than they are saying.The presence of fog is due to pollution.I suggest that anyone living in this area stay indoors until it is over.Will post more when time permits. 9/7/03..Air quality on the state web site says at 12:31 pm that the air quality index is good in this area, and that the primary air pollutant is particulates.The EPA air now site says that the air quality is code red (unhealthy) for ozone for this area.What to believe? 9/5/03..Air quality continues to deteriorate on the westside of fort worth,texas.Today the visual smog has thickened to the point of "graying in"the trees adjacent to the runway on the air base here.The trees adjacent to the runway have always been fairly true to color..not so today. The state says,on their web site that the air here is "good" and the primary pollutant is particulates,but their monitors show low readings.. The federal EPA(air now) says,on their web site that the air here is "code orange" for ozone,a colorless gas. AND WHAT IS MORE AMAZING IS THAT THE STATE SAYS ON THEIR OZONE WARNING PAGE FOR TODAY IS..NO WARNINGS FOR OZONE I say neither one are accurately reporting the air quality here.MY visual observations say that this is the worst day so far..the problem is obviously..excessive amounts of pm2.5 .Driving down the road,with eyes burning,nose burning,and my throat irritated,and feeling like crap from breathing this air,then seeing,the smog,really makes me wonder about the whole air monitoring system here. Here is the problem:1.Observed haze and smog, and how the readings for related pollutants in haze and smog(TCEQ monitors) correspond to the observed haze and smog for specific days. 2.Implied makeup of haze and smog vs actual makeup...published on web sites and in local papers. What is OZONE? "Pure ozone is an unstable, faintly bluish gas with a characteristic fresh, penetrating odor."Source;1upinfo.com "In the presence of sunlight, nitrogen oxides combine with hydrocarbons to form a secondary class of pollutants, the photochemical oxidants, among them ozone and the eye-stinging peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN). Nitrogen oxides also react with oxygen in the air to form nitrogen dioxide, a foul-smelling brown gas. In urban areas like Los Angeles where transportation is the main cause of air pollution, nitrogen dioxide tints the air, blending with other contaminants and the atmospheric water vapor to produce brown smog."read more...source 1upinfo.com Haze is defined as:,"suspension in the atmosphere of minute dust or salt particles that are not individually seen but that nevertheless reduce visibility. So-called damp haze and dry haze produce different optical effects because the particles of each are of different sizes, with the dry haze particles being smaller. Damp haze may develop from dry haze when water condenses on moisture-absorbing dry haze particles. Continuation of this condensation leads to the formation of fog. A hazy condition often occurs in the summer and affects large areas from cities to mountains. Such a haze is often caused by excessive amounts of pollutants resulting from combustion; for example, the Smoky Mountain haze in Tennessee is ascribed to sulfate particles."read more...source;1upinfo.com Smog,"Pronunciation Key [smoke+fog], dense, visible air pollution. Smog is commonly of two types. The gray smog of older industrial cities like London and New York derives from the massive combustion of coal and fuel oil in or near the city, releasing tons of ashes, soot, and sulfur compounds into the air. The brown smog characteristic of Los Angeles and Denver in the late 20th cent. is caused by automobiles. Nitric oxide from automobile exhaust combines with oxygen in the air to form the brown gas nitrogen dioxide. Also, when hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides from auto emissions are exposed to sunlight, a photochemical reaction takes place that results in the formation of ozone and other irritating compounds. In some instances, atmospheric pollutants accumulate and become concentrated when air movement is stopped by a temperature inversion: Usually the air is warmer at the earth's surface and colder above; in a temperature inversion a layer of warm air forms above and holds down a layer of cool air at the ground. Smog usually results in reduced visibility, irritation of the eyes and respiratory system, and damage to paint, metal, rubber, and other materials. Prolonged smogs (generally caused by temperature inversions) are often lethal to persons with respiratory ailments. As the result of an unremitting smog in 1948 in Donora, Pa., more than 5,000 persons were reported ill and the deaths of 20 persons were recorded. In London, smog accounted for the deaths of more than 4,000 persons in 1952 and 106 persons in 1962."read more...Source;1upinfo.com What is SMOKE? Smoke, visible gaseous product of incomplete combustion. Smoke varies with its source, but it usually comprises hot gas and suspended particles of carbon and tarry substances, or soot....Among the evils of smoke are interference with sunlight, causing the most healthful rays of the sun to be filtered out and necessitating the use of artificial light; disfigurement of buildings, leaving deposits that are costly to remove and causing corrosion of stone and metalwork; destruction of plant life by shutting out sunlight and by clogging the stomata of leaves with oily deposits; and injury to the respiratory systems of humans and livestock."read more...Source;1upinfo.com According to the definitions of smog and haze,there should be readings of excessive levels of particulates(dust and soot)and gases(nitric oxides)on any monitors in the vicinity of the observed smog and haze on the days it is observed.This is assuming that the monitors are placed so as to reflect the air quality in a particular area. My problem is twofold: First,the readings at the state monitoring sites for this area don't match the obvious high levels of observed smog that are encroaching on the west side(visible over the joint reserve base here facing east toward town most of the day) Second,the smog makeup is not being reported accurately in the newspapers(star telegram) or on the north central texas clean air coalition web site.The paper,has often implied,recently, that ozone and smog are the same and quotes the north central texas clean air coalition as the source,this is wrong. One,there are not enough monitors in this area to reflect the deteriorating air quality and two, the smog is being called "ozone"when ozone is really caused by some of the pollutants that make up smog(nitrous oxides),reacting with sunlight. |
![]() For some time now the TCEQ has been monitoring the air quality in FORT WORTH,TEXAS.There are approximately 7 stations in tarrant county.However,the readings at the stations and the visible haze/smog on the west side of town don't match.Compare the above picture to the "good"air quality reading that the state posts on its web page for today for tarrant county,and you will see that something is wrong.This picture was taken at approximately 12:00 pm on 8/13/03 facing east from grants lane,white settlement,texas. Apparently the locations of the monitors for tarrant county,are not giving a good reading of the air in all areas of the county.The west side,for example,has ever encroaching visible smog,as visible over the joint reserve strike base background treeline,while the closest data from the TCEQ monitoring site indicates that the overall air quality is good.Something is wrong with this picture. As a resident of almost 20 years on this side of town,I can remember the air being crystal clear.It still is occaisionally.The buildings in the picture above,on a good day,are crystal clear and the details of the buildings are visible.To me that type of air is good.The air that is here now isn't good by any stretch of the imagination. The following picture was taken under the same conditions as the one entitled 8/13/03.Where are the buildings in the background?Lost in the smog is where. ![]() click here for larger image This has been the worst day here this year in terms of visual smog/haze observations.The state web site indicated the air was good here,and that the primary pollutant was ozone.Ozone is a colorless gas,what is causing this haze?There is an obvious difference between the monitors the state uses for data and my visual observations of air quality on this day. ...Comparison... Compare yesterdays picture with one of the few "low haze/smog" pictures from the last 3 months.The picture on the left was listed as a good air quality day and primary pollutant was listed as pm2.5,which is a big part of haze in the air,however the one on the right was also listed as a good air day,yet the primary pollutant was listed as ozone,which is a colorless gas...So what's causing this haze? ![]() ![]() 8/15/03..The forecast for today on the weather underground site was orange,however the air here was a lot better than it was on the 14 or the 13.The state sites indicated that the air was good on all three days..13,14,and 15.Haze was down on 8/15,and not a lot of smog like the previous days(8/13,8/14).What is causing these differences in readings?Could it be poorly placed and/or maintained monitors? 8/23/03 The air quality,as reported on the TCEQ website is listed as GREEN-GOOD today and the primary pollutant is pm2.5,however the air quality listed for this area on the North Texas Clean Air Coalition site is RED or Unhealthy for today because of ozone.In addition the air quality for this area for today is also listed as RED for OZONE on the Weather Underground site.Again today visual haze/smog has been pretty thick looking over the treeline on the BASE facing town. State(TCEQ)monitors sayGoodtoModerate What can you believe?The state does eyeball tests on smoke emissions from polluters and this camera has done its own eyeball analysis of the haze here for today...what do you think? These pictures were taken before noon on a clear sunny day.The two brownish ones were made with a sepia setting to give a little different perspective. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() These pictures were taken around 6pm with the sun high in the clear sky.The haze you see isn't ozone.Ozone is a color less gas..so what is it?Unmonitorred pm2.5is what it is.My guess is that the exhaust plumes from upwind particulate emitting industries are landing here,from many miles away,like cement plants and power plants,in addition to car/diesel pollution. ![]() ![]() ![]() 8/24/03 Another day of the state monitors saying the air quality here is green or good to yellow moderate when the weather channel and weather underground and EPA air now sites say the air quality here is red or unhealthy.Look at the "grayed out"tree lines in the closeups and you can see the smog that is always present here anymore. ![]() 8/28/03 A good day for here(8/28/03).The state web site says the air quality is good today,main pollutant,ozone.This I agree with,observation wise;since ozone is a colorless gas,the visual observations should be clear.My attitude is better,my breathing is not strained,i feel good today when i am outside.Problem is,the other days when the air here was terribly polluted,the state said it was GOOD as well..or moderate.... With the national EPA deferring to the inadequate state air quality monitoring system and their "in house","no teeth"enforcement,the air continues to deteriorate here,and more people will die. As you can see,on the map below,the whole state monitoring system(green boxes) for this area consists of approximately 2 boxes(miles away from my location) monitoring continuously,and they are all located to the north and east of the area.There is a lot of highways and development south and west of downtown fort worth,and a lot of traffic and pollution,with no monitors in this area. ![]() |