Up
Advisory
NPS QA/QC
UCD QA/QC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMPROVE Data Advisories

This is an IMPROVE data user community supported page meant to document interesting findings from the IMPROVE database including data anomalies, potential problems, and new uses for the IMPROVE data.  These advisories are not meant to be comprehensive or complete.  In addition, unless explicitly stated the data advisories are not necessarily endorsed by the IMPROVE steering committee, National Park Service, CIRA or others.

Contact Bret Schichtel to submit a data advisory.

Bias between masked and unmasked light absorption measurements

Submitted by: W.H. White,

On: 10/2015

Doc #: da0034

Sites: All

Time Period: Before 2008

Module/Species: A/ Fabs

Changed reporting of light absorption

Submitted by: W.H. White,

On: 09/2015

Doc #: da0033

Sites: All

Time Period: All sample years

Module/Species: A/ Fabs

Change to artifact correction method for OC carbon fractions

Submitted by: A. M. Dillner

On: 09/2015

Doc #: da0032

Sites: All

Time Period: 1/1/2005 - current

Module/Species: C/OC

Changes in redelivery of 1/2005 through 5/2014 data

Submitted by: Xiaoya Cheng

On: 09/2015

Doc #: da0031

Sites: All

Time Period: 1/1/2005 - 5/31/2014

Module/Species: All

Temporary contamination of Columbia River A-module samples

Submitted by: W. H. White et al.,

On: 06/2014

Doc #: da0030

Sites: CORI

Time Period: 11/5/2011 - 7/14/2012

Module/Species: A/ Zn, MF

Contamination associated with new sampler shed

Submitted by: W. H. White et al.,

On: 06/2014

Doc #: da0029

Sites: NOAB

Time Period: 1/1/2008 - 8/16/2012

Module/Species: A/ Cr, Ni

Bias between masked and unmasked light absorption measurements

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 03/2010

Doc #: da0028

Sites: All

Time Period: Before 2008

Module/Species: A/ fabs

Suspect light-absorption data from three months in 2000

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 03/2010

Doc #: da0027

Sites: All

Time Period: 9/1/2000 - 11/30/2000

Module/Species: A/ fabs

Marginal detection of heavy elements by PIXE analysis

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 03/2010

Doc #: da0026

Sites: All

Time Period: Before 6/1/1992

Module/Species: A/ Pb, Sr, Se, Rb

Arcane flagging of early hydrogen and fine mass data

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 03/2010

Doc #: da0025

Sites: All

Time Period: 9/1/1990 – 2/26/1992

Module/Species: A/ MF, H

Under-correction of chloride concentrations for filter blank levels - historical Advisory:  Applies to downloads before 11/23/2009

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 08/2009

Doc #: da0024

Sites: All

Time Period: 2005 - 2008

Module/Species: B/ Cl

Inconstant bias in XRF sulfur - Advisory Update to da0012

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 05/2009

Doc #: da0023

Sites: All

Time Period: All

Module/Species: A/ S

Data losses during episodes of heavy smoke

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 01/2009

Doc #: da0022

Sites: All

Time Period: All

Module/Species: A/ MF, elements, fabs

Mis-reporting of light-absorption on masked filters - Historical Advisory: Applies to downloads before 4/17/2009

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 09/2008
Modified on
: 04/2009

Doc #: da0021

Sites: BRID1, DENA1, HALE1, HANC1, HAVO1, MEVE1, MORA1, NOAB1, NOCA1, OLYM1, PETE1, SIME1, SNPA1, TRCR1, TUXE1, VIIS1, WEMI1, WHIT1, WHPA1, WHPE1, WHRI1, ZICA1

Time Period: 2005 – 2006

Module/Species: A/ fabs

Invalid data for collocated (POC = 2) samples - Historical Advisory: Applies to downloads before 4/17/2009

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 09/2008

Modified on: 04/2009

Doc #: da0020

Sites: MEVE1, OLYM1, PMRF1, SAFO1, SAMA1, TRCR1

Time Period: January – July, 2005

Module/Species: A/ H, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe

Bias between masked and unmasked elemental measurements

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 07/2008

Doc #: da0019

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: evident since 2002

Module/Species: A/ S

Positive interference in PIXE titanium determinations

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 03/2008

Doc #: da0018

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: Before 12/1/2001

Module/Species: A/ Ti

Changes in sodium data quality

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 11/2007

Doc #: da0017

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 12/1/2001 – Present

Module/Species: A/ Na

Shift in EC/OC split with 1 January 2005 TOR hardware upgrade

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 10/2007

Doc #: da0016

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 1/1/2005 – Present

Module/Species: C/ EC, OC; OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4, OP, EC1, EC2, EC3

Change in definition of flowrate native flags

Submitted by: C. McDade

On: 9/2007

Doc #: da0015

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 1/1/2005 – Present

Module/Species: A, B, C/ All species

Shifts in Mo-anode XRF element calibration factors

Submitted by: R. Flocchini

On: 9/2007

Doc #: da0014

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 9/2005

Module/Species: A/ Ni, As, Se, Br, Rb, Pb

Introduction of a second copper-anode XRF system

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 2/2007

Doc #: da0013

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 2005 – Present

Module/Species: A/ Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe

Varying bias of XRF sulfur relative to IC sulfate

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 1/2007

Doc #: da0012

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 2003 – 2004; maybe to earlier years

Module/Species: A/ S

S interference in XRF determination of Si

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 12/2006

Doc #: da0011

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 2001 - Present

Module/Species: A/ S,Si

Elemental concentrations of Al above the MDL can go undetected

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 11/2006

Doc #: da0010

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: entire record

Module/Species: A/ Al

Changed reporting of XRF sulfur

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 10/2006

Doc #: da0009

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 1/1/05 -

Module/Species: A/ S

B-module data from Virgin Islands

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 9/2006

Doc #: da0008

Sites: VIIS

Time Period: 6/2001 - 5/2003

Module/Species: B/ CHL, NO3, SO4

1-in-6-day Cu contamination from foreign samplers - Updated Advisory

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 9/2006
Modified on
: 05/2009

Doc #: da0007

Sites: ATLA, BADL, BRMA, PMRF, ROMA, others

Time Period: 2002 -

Module/Species: A/ Cu

High concentrations attributable to documented wildfire

Submitted by: W. H. White

On: 9/2006

Doc #: da0006

Sites: PORE

Time Period: 10/12/04

Module/Species: A/ K;
 C/ OC EC

Sporadic contamination by Zn - Updated Advisory

Submitted by: W.  H. White

On: 9/2006
Modified on: 05/2009

Doc #: da0005

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 2004 known to be affected; earlier years may have been affected

Module/Species: A/ Zn

Significant Number of Under Reported Sulfate Ion Concentrations Prior to 3/15/1989

Submitted by:
 B.A. Schichtel

On: 9/2006

Doc #: da0004

Sites: Sites in the Eastern United States

Time Period:  1992-1994

Module/Species: B/ SO4

Significant Loss of Ion Concentrations in 1998 Due to Clogging of Module B Nylon Filters

Submitted by:
 B.A. Schichtel

On: 9/2006

Doc #: da0003

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 6/1996

Module/Species: B/ all

Diminished wintertime nitrate concentrations in late 1990s

Submitted by:
 C. McDade

On: 3/2007

Doc #: da0002

Sites: Entire network

Time Period: 1998

Module/Species:|
 B
/ SO4

Underestimation of Sulfur Concentrations During High Loadings and Humidity Conditions in the Eastern US

Submitted by:
 B.A. Schichtel

On: 11/2003

Doc #: da0001

Sites: Entire network

Time Period:
 1988 - 3/15/1989

Module/Species: A/ S