Optimal location of pollutant monitoring stations in an airshed

Abstract

One possible criterion for locating a given number of pollutant monitoring stations is selected. That criterion is that the locations be chosen as those at which the concentration measurements are most sensitive to perturbations in source emission strengths. A theory and computational algorithm is developed whereby, assuming an airshed simulation model is available, the optimal locations of a given number of stations can be determined. The algorithm proposed actually encompasses the general problem of the optimal location of measurements both in space and time for a system governed by a set of parabolic or first-order hyperbolic partial differential equations. The theory is illustrated on the simple example of optimally locating one monitoring station downwind of a continuous, elevated crosswind line source.