VIGRE2 Vertical Intergration of Research and Education Department of Mathematics, University of Utah

Michael Olson

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Mentor: Elena Cherkaev
Majors: Mathematics & Meteorology

Summer 2008 project description

Looking at winds in the Woods Cross, UT, area. This is a continuation of a project on cases of asthma and pollution from the oil refineries in North Salt Lake. The winds acted in an interesting manner, and so I'm interested in finding out exactly what the winds are doing, and finding a meteorological explanation for why the winds act the way they do.

Summer 2008 REU symposium abstract

Pollution Modeling in Woods Cross, UT

The Salt Lake Tribune published an article on statistics released by the state of Utah on childhood asthma. It was determined that a higher percentage of children ages 0 - 17 have been diagnosed with asthma in the North Salt Lake/Woods Cross area than on the other side of I-15 in Bountiful. The percentages in Woods Cross surpass those of Bountiful by no less than 8.3%, depending on the specific areas. Many have speculated that the fault belongs to the oil refineries in North Salt Lake, even though no proof has been found of this. This project shows that Meteorology, the largest influence on pollution concentrations, support this theory, if indeed oil refinery pollutants cause asthma.