Southern California Particle Supersite Progress Report for Period

The overall objective of the Southern California Particle Supersite is to conduct research and monitoring that contributes to a better understanding of the measurement, sources, size distribution, chemical composition and physical state, spatial and temporal variability, and health effects of suspended particulate matter (PM) in the Los Angeles Basin (LAB). The specific research objectives are: 1. To characterize PM, its constituents and precursors, to better understand sources and transport which may affect human exposure and to support development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs). 2. To obtain atmospheric measurements for the support of health studies that are designed to address causal factors, etiologic pathways and mechanisms of PM related morbidity and mortality with particular emphasis on PM source-receptor-exposure-effects pathways. 3. To conduct methods testing that will enable comparisons and evaluation of different technologies for characterizing PM, including evaluation of new instrumentation, sampling methods and federal reference methods.