Akikazu Kaga

The influence of urban canopy configuration on urban albedo

We propose a calculation method for shortwave radiation flux and longwave radiation flux within the urban canopy and investigate the influence of urban canopy configuration on net radiation flux. In the assumed urban configuration, buildings of equal size are arranged in a regular lattice within the urban canopy. The net shortwave radiation flux and longwave radiation flux within the urban canopy were calculated by the photon tracking method based on the Monte Carlo method. The albedo value obtained by this method shows close agreement with experimental data, and the average sky view factor shows almost perfect agreement with the theoretical value. Moreover, we calculated the urban albedo for the urban canopy configuration including roads and building height distribution.%Moreover, we calculated net radiation within the urban canopy in %consideration of roads and building height distribution.We found that the sky view factor of the ground surface is high when building coverage is low, building height is low, open space by roads exists, and building height is non-uniform. Moreover, we found that the albedo value is high when building height is small, open space by roads is wide, and building height is uniform. The albedo value was found to vary in a complicated manner with change in building coverage.

High-resolution modeling and evaluation of ozone air quality of Osaka using MM5-CMAQ system

High-resolution modeling approach is increasingly being considered as a necessary step for improving the monitoring and predictions of regional air quality. This is especially true for highly urbanized region with complex terrain and land-use. This study uses Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model coupled with MM5 mesoscale model for a comprehensive analysis to assess the suitability of such high-resolution modeling system in predicting ozone air quality in the complex terrains of Osaka, Japan. The 1-km and 3-km grid domains were nested inside a 9-km domain and the domain with 1-km grid covered the Osaka region. High-resolution Grid Point Value-Mesoscale Model (GPV-MSM) data were used after suitable validation. The simulated ozone concentrations were validated and evaluated using statistical metrics using performance criteria set for ozone. Daily maxima of ozone were found better simulated by the 1-km grid domain than the coarser 9-km and 3-km domains, with the maximum improvement in the mean absolute gross error about 3 ppbv. In addition, 1-km grid results fared better than other grids at most of the observation stations that showed noticeable differences in gross error as well as correlation. These results amply justify the use of the integrated high-resolution MMS-CMAQ modeling system in the highly urbanized region, such as the Osaka region, which has complex terrain and land-use.

Development of an automatic system for counting asbestos fibers using image processing

ABSTRACT Atmospheric concentrations of carcinogenic asbestos fibers, have traditionally been measured visually using phase contrast microscopy. However, because this measurement method requires great skill, and has poor reproducibility and objectivity, the development of automatic counting methods has been long anticipated. We have developed the Asbestos Fibers Automatic Counting System (AFACS), and verified its accuracy via application to illustrations obtained from the Asbestos Internationa) Association (AIA). Important features of the AFACS system are as follows: (1) Counting criteria of the automatic counting system conform to those of visual counting (2) The cost of the whole system is low because it is microcomputer-based.

Temporal variation of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in PM10 from the Kathmandu Valley and their gas-particle concentrations in winter

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM) with a diameter <10 µm (PM10, 50% cut off) were investigated in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, during 2003. In order to understand the dynamics of atmospheric PAHs in winter, the PAH concentrations in total PM and in the gaseous phase were investigated in the valley in December 2005. Total of 45 PAH compounds (∑45PAHs) were analysed by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). In 2003, the ∑45PAH concentrations in PM10 ranged between 4.3 and 89 ng m−3 (annual average; 27 ± 24 ng m−3). The average concentrations of ∑45PAHs in December 2005 were 210 ± 33 ng m−3 in total PM and 430 ± 90 ng m−3 in the gaseous phase. The ∑45PAH concentration in PM accounted for more than 30% of the sum of their particulate and gaseous forms. Phenanthrene (Ph) was the most predominant compound in the gaseous phase, whereas four- to seven-ring PAHs were predominant in total PM. The highest values of ∑45PAHs occurred in the winter and spring. Estimates of emission sources based on diagnostic molecular ratios showed that atmospheric PAHs in the Kathmandu Valley mainly originated from the exhaust gas of diesel engine. In the winter and spring, PAH pollution would be accelerated by the operations of brick kilns and the frequent formation of an atmospherically stable layer in the valley.

A New Methodology for Studying Dynamics of Aerosol Particles in Sneeze and Cough Using a Digital High-Vision, High-Speed Video System and Vector Analyses

Microbial pathogens of respiratory infectious diseases are often transmitted through particles in sneeze and cough. Therefore, understanding the particle movement is important for infection control. Images of a sneeze induced by nasal cavity stimulation by healthy adult volunteers, were taken by a digital high-vision, high-speed video system equipped with a computer system and treated as a research model. The obtained images were enhanced electronically, converted to digital images every 1/300 s, and subjected to vector analysis of the bioparticles contained in the whole sneeze cloud using automatic image processing software. The initial velocity of the particles or their clusters in the sneeze was greater than 6 m/s, but decreased as the particles moved forward; the momentums of the particles seemed to be lost by 0.15–0.20 s and started a diffusion movement. An approximate equation of a function of elapsed time for their velocity was obtained from the vector analysis to represent the dynamics of the front-line particles. This methodology was also applied for a cough. Microclouds contained in a smoke exhaled with a voluntary cough by a volunteer after smoking one breath of cigarette, were traced as the visible, aerodynamic surrogates for invisible bioparticles of cough. The smoke cough microclouds had an initial velocity greater than 5 m/s. The fastest microclouds were located at the forefront of cloud mass that moving forward; however, their velocity clearly decreased after 0.05 s and they began to diffuse in the environmental airflow. The maximum direct reaches of the particles and microclouds driven by sneezing and coughing unaffected by environmental airflows were estimated by calculations using the obtained equations to be about 84 cm and 30 cm from the mouth, respectively, both achieved in about 0.2 s, suggesting that data relating to the dynamics of sneeze and cough became available by calculation.

Impacts of converting from leaded to unleaded gasoline on ambient lead concentrations in Jakarta metropolitan area.

Total suspended particulate mater (TSP) concentrations were monitored for one year from July 2000 and for one year from April 2003 in Jakarta City. Thirteen elemental TSP components, aluminum (Al), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), bromine (Br), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V) were analyzed by a sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Al, Na, Fe, K, and Pb were major components at most of the sampling locations in 2000. However, only Pb in 2003 dramatically decreased to one tenth. The phase-out of leaded gasoline began on July 1, 2001 in Jakarta City and lead content in gasoline decreased to one tenth, too. The decrease in Pb concentration was a result of the phase-out of leaded gasoline, as lead emissions mainly are exhaust gas from vehicles.

Application of a Fast Algorithm for Pattern Tracking on Airflow Measurements

A fast algorithm avoiding the calculation of correlation coefficients is applied to the pattern tracking for an airflow measurement. The pattern similarity is defined by the reputation number of the summations of gray level difference between corresponding pixels until the accumulation exceeds a critical value. An example of the sensitivity examination of parameters included are also described.

Gradient-based PIV Using Neural Networks

This paper proposes a new gradient-based PIV using an artificial neural network for acquiring the characteristics of a two-dimensional flow field. The neural network can effectively realize an accurate approximation of the vector field by introducing some knowledge on the characteristic property. The neural network is trained by using spatial and temporal image gradients so that the basic equation of the gradient-based method is satisfied. Since the neural network itself learns the stream function, the continuity equation of flow is consequently satisfied in the measured velocity vector field. The new gradient-based PIV can be applied to even partly lacking visualized images.

Simulation of Winter Air Pollution Dispersion Mechanism of Kathmandu Valley by Water-Tank Experiment

The air pollution concentration in Kathmandu valley in the winter season was found to be higher than in the summer season due to the formation of the inversion layer. This mechanism was simulated in the water-tank experiment by measuring the temperature and flow field using liquid crystal thermometry and particle image velocimetry. Thermal stratification was made at the beginning of the experiment and the surface temperature of the valley model was changed with 12 minutes period matching the diurnal field temperature pattern of the Kathmandu valley. The updraft wind and Bernard convection occurred during daytime and downdraft wind and inversion layer were realized during nighttime. The temperature, flow field and mass dispersion characteristics obtained in the water-tank experiment explained clearly the mechanism of air pollution in Kathmandu valley.

Three-Dimensional Concentration Measurement in a Ventilated Room Model Through Digital Image Processing

A method to measure a 3-D concentration distribution of tracer particles in the airflow through visualization and digital image processing is presented. The tracer particle images obtained in different depths illuminated with a laser light sheet are analyzed synthetically including the effect of ray extinction due to light scattering.