Sensitivity Analysis of the SHERPA Air Quality Model

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis was conducted on the SHERPA model, predicting air quality improvement linked to emission reduction scenarios. Major responsible of output uncertainty (PM2.5 concentration reductions in g/m3) stems from the uncertainty in the policy options followed by the uncertainty in the emissions (kTon/year) of PPM, NOX, and NH3.JRC.I.1-Modelling, Indicators and Impact Evaluatio

Classification and Mapping of Recreation and Ecotourism Areas in West Virginia

Travel and tourism are recognized as the largest and fastest growing economic sector in the world. Different recreational and tourism sites can provide different types of activities based on their unique characteristics. Like any other form of tourism, the growth of ecotourism is dependent on the flow of visitors and therefore, marketing for a destination requires identifying various characteristics of the destination and preferences of stakeholders. The main aim of this dissertation is to classify and map recreation and ecotourism areas in West Virginia. The dissertation is presented in the form of three essays. The first essay classifies and maps classes of Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) in the state and examines its relationship with the travel and tourism generated revenues. Results showed that most of the areas in the state are Rural (R) followed by Semiprimitive Nonmotorized (SPNM) and Roaded Natural (RN). Visitors\u27 travel spending was significantly associated with the urban class. The second essay identifies and maps forest-based ecotourism areas in the state using six different criteria and visitors\u27 preferences. Pairwise comparison of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to compute the criteria weights from questionnaire survey of visitors. Significant variations were found in visitors\u27 preferences. Areas under Class IV and Class V of naturalness continuum of both weighted and unweighted ecotourism maps covered more than half of the state\u27s area, suggesting higher prospects for promoting forest-based ecotourism in the state. The results also indicated that each class changed in size when visitors\u27 preferences were applied. The third essay performs sensitivity analysis of the criteria weights derived from visitors and experts\u27 survey and maps the robust suitable areas for forest-based ecotourism areas in the state. Similar to essay two, pairwise comparison of AHP was used to compute criteria weights from experts. Results indicated that about one third of the state\u27s area was highly suitable and not sensitive to the variations of criteria weights. The finding of this dissertation demonstrated ROS classes and forest-based ecotourism areas in the state which could provide helpful information to the resource managers and policy makers in terms of recreation and tourism development, marketing, and promotion. Results of the study were mapped using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Geographic Data Analysis (GeoDa) software

Sistema de evaluación de la dispersión episódica de contaminantes atmosféricos

Frente a la contaminación de otros medios (aguas, suelos), en la era preindustrial se había considerado a la atmósfera como un medio de depuración de contaminantes suficientemente eficaz como para que, salvo en contadas excepciones, las emisiones de contaminantes a la atmósfera resultasen inocuas para el medio y las personas; reduciéndose a un problema de molestias (olores, visibilidad), sin mayores consecuencias. Esta consideración errónea agudizó el problema de la contaminación atmosférica con la introducción de la máquina de vapor, origen de la revolución industrial, para cuyo funcionamiento comenzaron a quemarse grandes cantidades de carbón; a lo que hay que sumar el uso de otros combustibles fósiles en la industria y transporte, el manejo y emisión de sustancias procedentes de la industria química, y de otras actividades humanas. A partir de ese momento, la preocupación por la calidad del aire que respiramos ha ido pareja al reconocimiento de las incertidumbres en los procesos atmosféricos que afectan a los contaminantes, de carácter altamente no lineal y que experimentan grandes variaciones en función de la dinámica meteorológica, ya de por sí compleja. Estos procesos complejos, sin embargo, son los que permiten la depuración de los contaminantes en la atmósfera y, en consecuencia, la minoración de su impacto; por lo que se ha reconocido la necesidad de conocerlos y, cuando era posible, cuantificarlos. Así que, el conocimiento de los procesos atmosféricos relacionados con la contaminación atmosférica partió inicialmente del análisis de datos experimentales de campo, de una parte, y de modelos teóricos de los procesos atmosféricos y su posible relación con la dispersión física de los contaminantes. La simplicidad de las soluciones analíticas de dichos modelos teóricos, sin embargo, dificultaba su aplicación a problemas reales