Thursday, June 20, 2013
ยท 2:47:26 AM ET BCC STUDENTS IN THE CLOUDS: A UNIQUE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE MEASURING POLLUTION Dr. Neal Phillip Every January, since 2001, Bronx
Community College science students have been accompanying the author to
conduct research as part of an Environmental Field Study at
At 10,565 ft Storm Peak Lab is an ideal location for studying clouds and atmospheric pollution on a local, national and global scale. It is one of only a handful of facilities in the world where clouds and other atmospheric phenomena can be studied for long periods. In the absence of these facilities, scientists have to use aircraft to perform their research activities in the clouds. At SPL, the clouds usually form at low levels and move up the mountain towards the lab.
For the first three days of the trip students are enrolled in the world renowned Steamboat Ski School. Skiing is required to be able to move between SPL at 10,565 ft and a base station condominium complex (SPLB) at 6500 ft in the town of Steamboat Springs. Research activities are conducted simultaneously at the two sites by student/faculty teams. All ski rental equipment and lift passes for students and faculty for the two-week stay are provided complimentary of the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation (SSRC). SSRC also provides complimentary return airline tickets for the faculty members.
Students usually complete ski school at 3 pm in the afternoon. Between 7 - 8:30 pm, students attend workshops on the following topics:
On the fourth day of the trip, students and faculty begin a rotation between SPL and the condominium base station, conducting round the clock measurements. Students are usually on for six-hour shifts at a time and are then off for the next six hours. Students/faculty teams also interchange locations between SPL and the condominium base station, usually on a daily basis. On some occasions a team may spend up to 2 days at SPL.
All cloud water and snow samples collected at SPL and SPLB are shipped frozen back to the Chemistry Dept Lab at BCC. Students analyze the samples for pH, chlorides, nitrates, and sulfates as indicators of pollution. Table 1 below is a summary of the chemical analyses performed at the BCC Chemistry Department Laboratory on the cloud water and snow samples that were collected at SPL during January 2002. Comparison of the results with a BCC tap water sample shows that the cloud water samples are relatively polluted. Nitrates, a compound that can lead to the fatal condition in infants referred to as blue baby syndrome, in some cases is as much as 10 times higher in the cloud water samples than in the tap water sample. The typical pH range of tap water is usually in the range of 6.5 – 7.5. The pH of the cloud water samples is much more acidic, falling in the range of 3.5 to 4.5. These cloud water characteristics will be magnified for areas of the country where industrial facilities and other sources contribute a significant amount of pollutants to the environment.
BCC students present the results of the Environmental Field Study at the Annual American Chemical Society Undergraduate Research Symposium, the AMP Urban University Conference, the BCC Science Fair, the Bronx AMP Science Fair and at a seminar held at City College for all student participants.
The Annual National Weatherman Summit is held in Steamboat Springs, CO annually. Through our hosts the Steamboat Ski Resort Corporation, we attend the closing dinner and have an opportunity to meet weather personalities from across the country. During the 2001 trip our research activities at SPL was highlighted in a live 5-minute spot with weatherman Bill Evans of ABC-TV (morning of January 12, 2001).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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