| The focus of this research is to determine the spatial representativeness of data collected by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network from 1997 to 2002. Detailed results of four physiographic regions within the Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) are presented.; The analysis was confined to the six aerosol components known to contribute to light extinction; sulfate, nitrate, organic carbon, elemental carbon, coarse mass, and soil. To determine spatially representative distances, spatial correlation and regression analysis were employed. Expected average aerosol concentrations were determined by adjusting by a density correction factor. Meteorology, topography and emission sources were also examined to define regional characteristics.; Results show that the major contributors to haze, sulfate and organic carbon, can be characterized as a regional problem and reasonably predicted if combined as a function of season, elevation and distance. This research can be utilized as a tool for assessing average concentrations and spatial scales of variability within the WRAP regions. |
