FRAPPE

The Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment –FRAPPÉ– aims to characterize and understand summertime air quality (AQ) in the Northern Front Range Metropolitan Area (NFRMA). Despite efforts to limit emissions, the NFRMA is still experiencing AQ problems and is exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone on a regular basis in summer. The complex meteorology and the mix of diverse pollution sources present challenges with respect to characterizing, modeling and forecasting the transport and photochemical processes contributing to local AQ. In addition, long-range transport of pollution into the area and its impact on surface AQ is poorly characterized, as is the effect of NFRMA outflow on its surroundings.

The FRAPPÉ campaign will involve a series of coordinated NSF/NCAR C-130 flights and ground-based measurements that address the following main science question: What are the factors controlling NFRMA surface ozone and are current emission controls sufficient to reduce ozone levels below the NAAQS? FRAPPÉ will be closely linked to two other campaigns taking place in the Front Range at the same time. The first is the NASA DISCOVER-AQ (DAQ) aimed at improving satellite capability to interpret AQ conditions near the earth’s surface, via deployment of two instrumented NASA aircraft, and remote sensing and in-situ ground equipment.  These missions together provide an outstanding opportunity to study and characterize local AQ at a level of detail not possible previously. We expect additional support in the form of collaboration, ground site access, ground-based instrumentation, data access, and modeling and forecasting support from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), NOAA Chemical Sciences Division (CSD), The University of Colorado Institute of Alpine and Arctic Research (INSTAAR), Colorado State University, The National Park Service, and other local groups and agencies.