Analysis of the effects of meteorology on aircraft exhaust dispersion and deposition using a Lagrangian particle model.

The risk of air quality degradation is of considerable concern particularly for those airports that are located near urban areas. The ability to quantitatively predict the effects of air pollutants originated by airport operations is important for assessing air quality and the related impacts on human health. Current emission regulations have focused on local air quality in the proximity of airports. However, an integrated study should consider the effects of meteorological events, at both regional and local level, that can affect the dispersion and the deposition of exhausts. Rigorous scientific studies and extensive experimental data could contribute to the analysis of the impacts of airports expansion plans. This paper is focused on the analysis of the effects of meteorology on aircraft emission for the Marco Polo Airport in Venice. This is the most important international airport in the eastern part of the Po' Valley, one of the most polluted area in Europe. Air pollution is exacerbated by meteorology that is a combination of large and local scale effects that do not allow significant dispersion. Moreover, the airport is located near Venice, a city of noteworthy cultural and architectural relevance, and nearby the lagoon that hosts several areas of outstanding ecological importance at European level (Natura 2000 sites). Dispersion and deposit of the main aircraft exhausts (NOx, HC and CO) have been evaluated by using a Lagrangian particle model. Spatial and temporal aircraft exhaust dispersion has been analyzed for LTO cycle. Aircraft taxiing resulted to be the most impacting aircraft operation especially for the airport working area and its surroundings, however occasionally peaks may be observed even at high altitudes when cruise mode starts. Mixing height can affect concentrations more significantly than the concentrations in the exhausts themselves. An increase of HC and CO concentrations (15-50%) has been observed during specific meteorological events.

Characterization of single thyroid nodules by contrast-enhanced 3-D ultrasound.

High-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) has potentialities in differential diagnosis between malignant and benign thyroid lesions, but interpretative pitfalls remain and accuracy is still poor. We developed an image processing technique for characterizing the intra-nodular vascularization of thyroid lesions. Twenty nodules (10 malignant) were analyzed by three-dimensional (3-D) contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. The 3-D volumes were preprocessed and skeletonized. Seven vascular parameters were computed on the skeletons: number of vascular trees (NT); vascular density (VD); number of branching nodes (or branching points) (NB); mean vessel radius (MR); 2-D (DM) and 3-D (SOAM) tortuosity; and inflection count metric (ICM). Results showed that the malignant nodules had higher values of NT (83.1 vs. 18.1), VD (00.4 vs. 0.01), NB (1453 vs. 552), DM (51 vs. 18), ICM (19.9 vs. 8.7) and SOAM (26 vs. 11). Quantification of nodular vascularization based on 3-D contrast-enhanced ultrasound and skeletonization could help differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions.