Winter Air Quality in Yellowstone National Park, 2007 - 2008
Ray JD. 2008. Winter Air Quality in Yellowstone National Park, 2007 - 2008. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/NRPC/ARD/NRTR—2008/139. National Park Service. Ft Collins, CO
Air quality monitoring for carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM2.5), and meteorological parameters was conducted during the winter of 2007-2008 in Yellowstone National Park at two busy winter vehicle traffic locations. Data from a West Yellowstone, MT monitor and from other seasons at the two in-park monitors were also compared. The CO and PM2.5 concentrations are nearly the same as the previous two winter seasons and considerably lower than before the implementation of winter vehicle restrictions. Winter CO concentrations remain higher than the summer CO concentrations when there is much more traffic. PM2.5 concentrations are now higher during the summer relative to winter because of the reduced snowmobile particulate emissions in winter and the frequent incidence of smoke during the summer that is unrelated to vehicle traffic. Air pollution concentrations are now less than 20% of the national standards. However, winter concentrations are still above the normal background CO concentrations expected for an isolated continental location (between 0.1 and 0.2 ppm) where natural conditions should prevail.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Ray, John
- Date of Issue
- 2008-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NRSS , YELL
- Keywords
- ambient monitoring, Carbon Monoxide, Particulate Matter, snowcoaches, Snowmobiles, winter air quality, winter use adaptive management