Yifan
Ding

Graduate Research Assistant

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Yifan earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree in environmental science and engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in June 2018, and plans to complete a Doctor of Philosophy degree in mechanical engineering from University of California, Riverside in December 2023.

His research focuses on micrometeorology, satellite data analysis, field study planning, and dispersion modeling. With excellent experimental and modeling experience, Yifan well knows the capabilities and limitations of different air quality instruments and developed dispersion models related to tracer gas or air pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5, CH4, CO2, SF6, and NOx.

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Projects

NASA Wildfires Project

  • Retrieved aerosol optical depth satellite data from MODIS during the Northern CA wildfires seasons
  • Compared the satellite data with SCAQMD ground PM2.5 measurements to develop an aerosol optical depth regression model to predict PM2.5 concentrations during fires
  • Used HRRR wind model to compute forward and backward trajectories for developing a Gaussian plume model and a Lagrangian transport model to predict PM2.5 concentrations during fires


    • Caltrans Barrier Project

  • Set up 6 sonic anemometers to monitor the noise barrier impact on the meteorology
  • Managed and trained undergraduate students to use gas chromatographs for bag samplers gas analysis
  • Evaluated the RLINE source algorithm in AERMOD View driven by the in-situ meteorology to predict SF6 tracer gas concentrations released from the moving vehicles on the freeway
  • Wrote the section of meteorology analysis in the Caltrans governmental report


    • CALTEEH Vehicle Project

  • Set up a sonic anemometer and conducted turbulent and micrometeorological analysis
  • Built a dispersion model to predict the tracer gas CO2 concentrations from idling vehicle exhaust pipe
  • Made a presentation to CARB research division for applying the funding


    • UCOP Methane Project

  • Set up 2 sonic anemometers on a 10 m trailer tower and used the situ data to validate the micrometeorology data obtained from HRRR wind model
  • Operated a EM27/SUN spectrometer to measure column-averaged methane mixing ratio in field studies
  • Retrieved and analyzed satellite-based methane mixing ratio from TROPOMI over a period of 18 months
  • Developed a dispersion model with realistic geometry input for column observations and set up inventories of dairy-based methane emissions


    • Meteorology Project

  • Used 2D wind and temperature data observed from low-cost sensors to infer the 3D micrometeorological parameters for dispersion model use


    • Caltrans Dust Project

  • Lead and manage a team of 2 graduate students and 5 undergraduate students to develop an experimental study plan under the supervision of 3 Principal Investigators
  • Design a mobile dust collection system and sieve dust collected from different roads
  • Set up portable and federal equivalent method particulate matter (PM) monitors and a sonic anemometer for multiple field studies
  • Analyze the wind and PM dataset for deploying AP-42 and dispersion models to estimate dust emission factors on the road

    • Publications

  • Ding, Y., Cruz, I., Freedman, F., Venkatram, A., 2021b. Improving spatial resolution of PM2.5 measurements during wildfires. Atmos. Pollut. Res. 12, 101047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2021.03.010

  • Ding, Y., Zhao, X., Luo, J., Wu, G., Venkatram, A., 2022. Field Study to Estimate Exposure to Vehicle Exhaust During Idling and Starting. Atmos. Pollut. Res. 14, 101632. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4063435

  • Heerah, S., Frausto‐Vicencio, I., Jeong, S., Marklein, A.R., Ding, Y., Meyer, A.G., Parker, H.A., Fischer, M.L., Franklin, J.E., Hopkins, F.M., Dubey, M., 2021. Dairy Methane Emissions in California’s San Joaquin Valley Inferred Using Ground‐based Remote Sensing Field Observations in the Summer and Winter. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos. 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034785

  • Thiruvenkatachari, R.R., Ding, Y., Pankratz, D., Venkatram, A., 2021. A field study to estimate the impact of noise barriers on mitigation of near road air pollution. Air Qual. Atmos. Heal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-021-01104-9

  • (Under review) Thiruvenkatachari, R.R., Ding, Y., González-Rocha, J., Carranza, V., Hopkins;, F.M., Venkatram, A., n.d. Estimating Meteorological Inputs for Dispersion Models. Sci. Total Environ. Available at SSRN 4216254

  • (Working paper) Ding, Y., Heerah, S., Frausto-Vicencio, I., Thiruvenkatachari, R. R., Marklein, A. R., Dubey, M. M. Hopkins F., Venkatram, A. Quantifying and Monitoring Methane Emissions from Dairies Using TROPOMI and EM27 Measurements. Target Journal: Environmental Science & Technology

  • (Working paper) Ding, Y., Ries, B., Carr, M., Bahreini, R., M. M. Hopkins F., Venkatram, A. An Assessment of Paved Road Dust Emissions Modeling

    • Conferences

  • Ding, Y., American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2021, Oral Presentation, B54D-02 - A Numerical Dispersion Model to Infer Methane Emissions from California’s Dairies Using Regional Total Column Gradient Observations, https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm21/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/979302

  • Ding, Y., American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2019, Oral Presentation, abstract GC13B-03: Fire and Smoke: Impacts Near and Far I, https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm19/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/569059

    • Contacts

    Address

    Chung Hall 232
    900 University Ave
    Riverside, CA 92521

    Phone

    (951) 333-0072

    Email

    yding054@ucr.edu

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