Gavin Edwards

Gavin Edwards

Ypsilanti, MI

Eastern Michigan Univeristy

Associate Professor

More

Published on Aug 03, 2017

Hello friends and backers!

Hello friends and backers!It has been a long time, but I have some good news, our drone and sensor array has been undergoing flight test this week! We have been deploying our DJI Phantom with a sho...

Group 6 Copy 215
Published on Dec 07, 2015

Update from EMU Drones and featured video

Season's greetings from EasternMichigan University and the atmospheric chemistry group! We thought it was timewe updated you are to our progress on the drone project. The last few monthshave been b...

Group 6 Copy 278
Published on Jul 05, 2015

Thank you, thank you!!

I am please to tell you that our project was full funded! We appreciate all the support and to raise 121% of ask is truly awesome. We are already moving forward with the selection of a drone capabl...

Group 6 Copy 142
Published on Jun 09, 2015

A brief history of drones (part 2)

Although the military use of drones still captivates us, there is now a large marketplace for these aircraft in the commercial and business world. Entrepreneurs were quick to see that there were ci...

Group 6 Copy 99
Published on Jun 09, 2015

A brief history of drones (part 1)

The word 'drone' can mean different things to different people. Depending on your life experience this word can provoke fear, anger, concern for civil liberties and also thoughts of entertainment a...

Group 6 Copy 283
Published on Jun 01, 2015

Why do we need to measure ozone?

Ozone is an atmospheric trace gas found throughout the atmosphere. Most people are familiar with stratospheric ozone. This is dominated by the famous "ozone layer," approximately 6 through 30 miles...

Group 6 Copy 119
Published on May 25, 2015

Measurements of Ozone During the Heat Wave of 2012

Here at Eastern Michigan University, undergraduates form the backbone of our research teams. I have been lucky enough to have some great undergraduates working with me over the years and this Lab N...

Group 6 Copy 166
Published on May 22, 2015

Measurements of ground level ozone at Eastern Michigan University

In situ measurements of the important atmospheric trace gas ozone have been made here at the EMU campus since the acquisition of a commercial ozone monitor in Fall 2008. This device is manufactured...

Group 6 Copy 93
Thanks for your pledge Andrew, we are almost to our goal and with matching $$ today, we are getting closer thanks to you. Keep checking back and we will update our progress!
Jun 22, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi Oscar. Motion is possible still in all three directions up to the 'lid' that is the inversion. You are right about the mountains as any time there is cool air sitting on warm air, there is in effective lid on the airmass. This happens in SLC and also Denver and of course, most famously in LA and going back further, caused the Donora, Pennsylvania disaster. There is lots of things online about this stuff these days and if you want a free textbook on all things atmospheric I would recommend Daniel Jacobs book that you can download free at this URL: http://acmg.seas.harvard.edu/people/faculty/djj/book/
Jun 17, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi Cindy. Thank you so much for your support of this research project. We are happy to have you aboard and will keep you posted on our progress!
Jun 12, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi Oscar. Thanks for the interest and of course, the pledge! We are happy to have you as a formal backer of the project. Ozone can "settle" as you put it but it is more like being trapped in a bottle by things like the heat island we talked about in the lab note. The hot air cannot go anywhere and hence, ozone and ozone precursors build up and up leading to very poor air quality. This is similar to what happens for example, in Salt Lake City when temperature inversions trap air-masses close to the city, where, they become heavily polluted. A ground based sensor will give readings on the ground but, ozone aloft can be significantly different depending on the chemistry and dynamics of the elevated air. Hope that answers your question! Best wishes, Gavin.
Jun 11, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi Richard. Thanks for your interest in our project. As Chris said there are new an novel technologies coming to market all the time. Small sensors like the type we are hoping to use are possible for the applications you spoke of, I am sure they would be able to show a response given the likely CH4 concentrations in the environments you are encountering. The most obvious way to get good data would be using some kind of dynamic sampler (e.g. pump and bag) to collect air on site and then, analyze by Gas Chromatography. There are several columns that are specifically set up to do methane. In fact Chris and I use one here at EMU. Of course, the drawback is once again $$. Good luck!
Jun 11, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi Linda and thank you for your support, we appreciate you making a pledge to support this research. I am not familiar with HESTIA but it does sound like a worthwhile endeavor. There are many cities that are tracking pollution in new and novel ways, I will investigate further. Thanks for the tip!
Jun 11, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Thanks Nelson, with your help we can make this project a go, we appreciate all your support!
Jun 04, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Cheers man, you are a pal. Owe you a beer.
Jun 03, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
As an atmospheric chemist, I know the far reaching impacts for climate change. Good luck on the $$ and the project!
Jun 03, 2015
Using the Past to Understand the Future: Climate Change in the Gulf of Maine
View comment
Thanks Dane
Jun 03, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi John, thank you so much for your pledge, we appreciate it!
Jun 01, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Hi John, thank you so much for your pledge, we appreciate it!
Jun 01, 2015
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution Profiles using Drones
View comment
Show more comments