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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/espr2002.09.131 --- Urbanization typically involves a continuous increase
in motor vehicle use, resulting in congestion known as traffic jams.
Idling emissions due to traffic jams combine with the complex
terrain created by buildings to concentrate atmospheric pollutants
in localized areas. This research simulates emissions concentrations
and distributions for a congested street in Minsk, Belarus.
Ground-level (up to 50-meters above the street´s surface) pollutant
concentrations were calculated using STAR (version 3.10)
with emission factors obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, wind speed and direction, and building location
and size. Relative emissions concentrations and distributions
were simulated at 1-meter and 10-meters above street level. The
findings demonstrate the importance of wind speed and direction,
and building size and location on emissions concentrations
and distributions, with the leeward sides of buildings retaining
up to 99 percent of the emitted pollutants within 1-meter
of street level, and up to 77 percent 10-meters above the street.