Project 1 Title: Assessment of the performance of new greenhouse gas sensors

Project 1 Description: Cities, states, and nations around the world are making pledges to reduce their greenhouse gas (primarily carbon dioxide and methane) emissions.  Inventories are accounting-based methods for determining emissions and are traditionally used to track progress towards mitigation goals.   These inventories, however, involve imperfect estimates, often rely on self-reporting, and frequently take years to complete. Atmospheric methods are complementary to inventories, allowing independent assessment of emissions. By making measurements of concentrations on towers and using weather models, we can provide near real-time emissions estimates. The instrumentation for these measurements is evolving.  New sensors that measure both methane and ethane are now commercially available but need to be tested.  Low-cost (but higher noise) carbon dioxide sensors hold promise in helping to provide higher spatial density information.  Through this project, students will assess the performance of one or both of these new instruments.

Project 2 Title: Evaluation of air pollution impacts from oil and natural gas extraction in the Permian Basin

Project 2 Description: The Permian Basin is the most active oil and gas production basin in the U.S., with over 40% of drilling rigs located in this region of west Texas and southeast New Mexico.  A recent modeling study indicated significantly increased premature deaths attributable to air pollution, in particular particulate matter (PM2.5), associated with the oil and gas sector in this region and others.  Through this project, students will evaluate air pollution impacts by calculating spatial and temporal patterns in PM2.5 using data from three sensors recently deployed in the area.