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Ship smokestacks emit unexpected pollutants
Exhaust plumes from ships at sea emit a different mix of pollutants than previously thought, according to research recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research—Atmospheres. The measurements indicate that compared with previous data, ship emissions contain twice as much black carbon and add more pollutants and climate-changing particulate matter to the atmosphere.
A team of scientists led by Daniel Lack of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created an innovative shipboard lab. The researchers took close-to-real-time measurements of the components of plumes from more than 1000 ships; more than 200 of the measurements yielded useful plume “snapshots”.
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Previous estimates of the composition of ship emissions were developed using laboratory engine studies. By using different methods, including aerosol mass spectrometry, the team also measured particulates in the plumes emitted immediately after combustion.
