SLV Airshed Project Salt Lake Valley Utah Urban Trace-gas Emissions Study (UTES)

SLV Airshed Project Salt Lake Valley
Utah Urban Trace-gas Emissions Study (UTES):

"Interactions between canopy processes, anthropogenic emissions, and social institutions in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah"

Problem: The majority of greenhouse gases and other atmospheric pollutants originate in cities, yet the linkages between human activities, atmospheric circulation and chemistry, vegetation, and the urban "airshed" are poorly understood. The relationship between urban land cover and the atmosphere is a complex problem involving many aspects of both natural and social science. Yet decision-makers who must plan for the future require a decision-support framework that will help them to evaluate a range of policy alternatives.

Goals:

To significantly contribute to our understanding of the complexity of the urban "airshed" and urban land-atmosphere interactions.
To provide a framework for evaluating the multiple and interacting factors that influence land-atmosphere interactions in a variety of regions experiencing urban growth.
To evaluate feasible and effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, maintain high air quality standards, and improve the quality of life of urban residents in a city experiencing rapid urbanization.