Research Project

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will apply their LandScan USA high resolution population distribution model to an urban/metropolitan area selected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to produce population distribution estimates with the spatial resolution of the model results. Using this data, it will create a set of grid-cell data tables and associated maps of the population distribution estimates for the selected urban/metropolitan area in a format compatible with the ArcView GIS software.

An important aspect of modeling exposures to human population is to simulate their commuting behavior, by mode of transportation and time of day. ORNL has demonstrated the capability of the high resolution population distribution model to estimate both daytime and nighttime population distributions by time of day. Collaborating with EPA scientists, ORNL will obtain and analyze operating and commuting data available for the urban/metropolitan area selected by EPA, and translate this information into grid cell-specific movements in space and time for age, gender, and ethnic-specific cohorts. ORNL will provide clock-hour specific estimates of major roadway loadings for highway links in the grid area. These products will be provided in a database and in map formats.