Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions from an Oil Sands Tailings Pond using Micrometeorological Flux Measurement Techniques

• Author / Creator

  Brown, Casandra A.

• The focus of this thesis is the use of micrometeorological techniques to quantify the flux of trace gases from surface area sources to the atmosphere. In particular, it is an investigation into the feasibility of using such techniques, specifically the eddy covariance and inverse dispersion methods, as alternatives to the traditional flux chamber approach to measuring methane emissions from oil sands tailings ponds. Exploring such alternatives is of interest because these techniques effectively sample a larger surface area at higher temporal resolution than the flux chamber approach permits. This thesis shows the capability of the eddy covariance method in making flux measurements from tailings ponds, provided the flow is undisturbed and the flux footprint is over the source area of interest. Furthermore, it demonstrates the loss of accuracy incurred when the inverse dispersion method is applied in cases where site conditions deviate from the ideal assumed by the model.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Oil sands tailings ponds
  • Eddy covariance
  • Inverse dispersion
  • Greenhouse gas emissions

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3FQ9QC43

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.