Long Range Transport

Airsheds are very large compared to estuaries, watersheds and national parks. For NOx emissions the range of influence is multi-state, leading to airsheds that are multi-state in size. This is also true for NH3 emissions, which is counter to conventional wisdom in the ecological community. The airshed is defined as the domain from which emissions would account for a significant majority of the deposition to the receptor watershed.

Airsheds: Oxidized-Nitrogen Deposition into Coastal Estuaries

Using the procedure developed for the Chesapeake Bay and outlined in Dennis (1997), airsheds for 20 coastal watersheds along the East and Gulf Coasts were developed. These oxidized nitrogen airsheds are available in "Airshed Tables" box to the right.

Contacts: Robin Dennis

Related Publications:
Paerl H.W., Dennis, R.L., Whitall, D.R., Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: Implications for nutrient over-enrichment of coastal waters, Estuaries 25(4B), 677-693, 2002. (abstract)

Dennis, R.L. and R. Mathur, Airshed domains for modeling atmospheric deposition of oxidized and reduced nitrogen to the Neuse/Pamlico system, 2001, Hydrological Science and Technology, Special Issue, 17, No. 1-4, 107-117.

Dennis, R.L., Using the Regional Acid Deposition Model to Determine the Nitrogen Deposition Airshed of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, in Joel E. Baker, editor, Atmospheric Deposition to the Great Lakes and Coastal Waters, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pennsacola, FL, pp 393-413, 1997.