Abstract
Abstract This study characterized the generation of windblown dust from various sources in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in Alberta, Canada. The Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL) equipped with two real-time dust monitors and nine-channel filter packs was used to simulate wind-driven erosion and measure emissions. Sixty four sites were measured, including oil sands mining facilities, quarry operations, and roadways in the vicinity of Ft. McMurray and Ft. McKay. Key parameters related to windblown dust generation were characterized including: threshold friction velocity, reservoir type, and particle size-segregated emission potential. The threshold wind speed for particle suspension varies from 11 to 21.5 km/h (u10+; measured at 10 m above ground level), and saltation occurs at higher speeds of u10+ >32 km/h. All surfaces have limited dust supplies at lower wind speeds of
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