The Scientific Basis for Estimating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations: Interim Report (2002)
Chapter: Appendix B. Glossary
Appendix B
Glossary
Accuracy:
The closeness of an individual measurement or of the average of a number of measurements to the true value. Deviation from the true value is a measure of bias in the individual measurement or averaged value.
ACWF:
America’s Clean Water Foundation
AER:
Allowable emission rate
AFO:
Animal feeding operation
Animal feeding operation:
As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR 122.23): a “lot or facility” where animals “have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12 month period and crops, vegetation, forage growth, or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over any portion of the lot or facility.”
Animal unit:
A unit of measure that is used to compare different animal species:
1. EPA (66 FR 2960- 3138): 1 cattle excluding mature dairy and veal cattle; 0.7 mature dairy cattle; 2.5 swine weighing over 55 pounds; 10 swine weighing 55 pounds or less; 55 turkeys; 100 chickens; and 1 veal calf.
2. USDA: 1,000 pounds of live animal weight
Anthropogenic:
Caused by humans
ARS:
Agricultural Research Service (USDA)
AU:
Animal unit
BW:
Body weight
C:
Carbon
C3, C4, etc:
Molecules with 3, 4, etc. carbon atoms
CCN:
Cloud condensation nuclei
CH4:
Methane
CNMP:
Comprehensive nutrient management plans
CO2 equivalent:
The mass of CO2 with the same climate change potential as the mass of the greenhouse gas in question
d:
Day(s)
Denitrification:
Reduction of nitrates or nitrites to nitrogen-containing gases (mostly N2)
EPA:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FID:
Flame-ionization detector
GC:
Gas chromatography
ha:
hectare; an area 100 meters square, or about 2.5 acres
H2S:
Hydrogen sulfide
IPCC:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
kg:
kilogram, or 1,000 grams (about 2.2 pounds)
km:
kilometer, or 1,000 meters
Lidar:
A device similar to radar except that it emits pulsed laser light rather than microwaves
LU:
Live unit, 500 kg of body weight
Manure:
A mixture of animal feces and urine, that may also include litter or bedding materials
MS:
Mass spectrometer
MT:
Million tones
µm:
micrometer (10-6m); micron
N:
Nitrogen
N2:
Dinitrogen molecule
NAAQS:
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NH3:
Ammonia
Nitrification:
Oxidation of an ammonia compound to nitric acid, nitrous acid, or any nitrate or nitrite, especially by the action of nitrobacteria
nm:
nanometer; 10-9m
NO:
Nitric oxide
NOx:
Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide rapidly interconverted in the atmosphere
NOy :
The sum of all oxidized nitrogen species in the atmosphere
N2O:
Nitrous oxide
NRC:
National Research Council
NRCS:
National Resource Conservation Service
Nutrient excretion factor:
an estimate of an element, for example nitrogen, excreted by an animal usually reported as kg per day (or year) per animal (animal unit or kg of bodyweight).
OFAER:
On Farm Assessment and Environmental Review (of the ACWF)
OH:
Hydroxy radical
Orographic:
Relating to the physical geography of mountains and mountain ranges
PAN:
Peroxyacetyl nitrate
PBL:
Planetary boundary layer
PM:
Particulate matter
PM2.5:
Particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 µm or less
PM10:
Particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter of 10 µm or less
ppb:
Parts per billion by volume
ppm:
Parts per million by volume
Precision:
Agreement among individual measurements of the same property, under prescribed similar conditions
S:
Sulfur
SIP:
State implementation plans for NAAQS
Sulfuric acid:
H2SO4
Synoptic:
Of or relating to data obtained nearly simultaneously over a large area of the atmosphere
Tg:
Teragram, 1 x 1012 g
TSP:
Total suspended particulates
Uncertainty:
The degree of confidence that can be assigned to a numerical measurement in terms of both its accuracy and its precision
USDA:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
VOC:
Volatile organic compound
Volatile solids:
Weight lost upon ignition at 550 °C (using Method 2540 E of the American Public Health Association). Volatile solids provide an approximation of moisture and organic matter present.
yr:
year(s)
