Staff information

Biography

Jim Droppo joined the Battelle staff in 1972 and is currently a Staff Scientist. Dr. Droppo is the developer of atmospheric fate and transport models for both land and sea applications. He developed atmospheric software models used in the award-winning Multimedia Environmental Pollutant Assessment System (MEPAS). He has conducted research effort for the Department of Homeland Security involving air-surface exchange processes for emergency preparedness models. Currently his main efforts are as project manager and contributor for efforts involving development of new capabilities for the integrated modeling system, FRAMES.

Dr. Droppo provides air dispersion modeling support for scoping, design, and implementation of engineering activities at Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, involving both new facility design and demolition applications. His model development and application efforts give him familiarity with both regulatory and research models used to evaluate various aspects of atmospheric transport and dispersion.

Dr. Droppo taught introductory atmospheric sciences courses at a local graduate study center, has been an invited lecturer for atmospheric modeling at the one-week “Chemical Risk Assessment" courses given by the Radiological Assessments Corporation, organized and conducted numerous software-training classes, and been an atmospheric modeling lecturer in software training classes.

He is a collaborator with scientists from Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union on risk evaluation projects related to the Russian cold-war environmental legacies. In May 2000, he organized and conducted a NATO Advanced Study Institute in Bourgas, Bulgaria, on the use of risk assessment to evaluate cold-war legacies. He co-authored a book on risk-assessment based on the lectures from this Advanced Study Institute.

Research Interests

• Air dispersion modeling

Education and Credentials

• Ph.D., State University of New York at Albany
• M.S., Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany
• B.S., Physics, Earth Science, Cornell University

PNNL Publications

2012

• Droppo JG, Jr, and XY Yu. 2012. "Evaluation of Replacing Natural Gas Heat Plant with a Biomass Heat Plant - A Technical Review of Greenhouse Gas Emission Trade-Offs." Chapter 11 in Municipal and Industrial Waste Disposal, ed. XY Yu, pp. 231-242.  InTech, Rijeka, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska). 

2011

• Napier BA, JG Droppo, Jr, and JP Rishel. 2011. Air Monitoring Modeling of Radioactive Releases During Proposed PFP Complex Demolition Activities. PNNL-20113, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Napier BA, JG Droppo, Jr, and JP Rishel. 2011. Air Dispersion Modeling of Radioactive Releases During Proposed PFP Complex Demolition Activities. PNNL-20173, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2010

• Napier BA, JP Rishel, JG Droppo, Jr, KE Joyce, and DJ Strom. 2010. Analysis of Radioactive Releases During Proposed Demolition Activities for the 224-U and 224-UA Buildings - Addendum . PNNL-18332 Addendum, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2009

• Napier BA, JP Rishel, and JG Droppo, Jr. 2009. Analysis of Radioactive Releases During Proposed Demolition Activities for the 224-U and 224-UA Buildings. PNNL-18332, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Whelan G, ND Tenney, MA Pelton, AM Coleman, DL Ward, JG Droppo, Jr, PD Meyer, KE Dorow, and RY Taira. 2009. Techniques to Access Databases and Integrate Data for Hydrologic Modeling. PNNL-18244, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2008

• Droppo JG, Jr, and BA Napier. 2008. "Wind Direction Bias in Generating Wind Roses and Conducting Sector-Based Air-Dispersion Modeling." Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 58(7):913-918.  doi:10.3155/1047-3289.58.7.913
• Geelhood KJ, MR Mitchell, and JG Droppo, Jr. 2008. Sensitivity Analysis of Hardwired Parameters in GALE Codes. PNNL-18150, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2007

• Droppo JG, Jr, BA Napier, ER Lloyd, DS Mantooth, MJ Minette, and EM Mattlin. 2007. "Operational Limitations for Demolition of a Highly Alpha-Contaminated Building - Modeled Versus Measured Air and Surface Activity Concentrations ." In 2007 Health Physics Society Midyear Topical Meeting - Decontamination, Decommissioning, and Environmental Cleanup, January 21-24, 2007, Knoxville, Tennessee, pp. 351-357.  Health Physics Society, McLean, VA. 
• Droppo JG, Jr. 2007. "Directional Frequency Correction for the Star Meteorological Joint Frequency Computer Program ." Health Physics 93(2):151-156. 
• Glissmeyer JA, and JG Droppo, Jr. 2007. Assessment of the HV-C2 Stack Sampling Probe Location. PNNL-16611, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2006

• Droppo JG, Jr, and MA Pelton. 2006. ARAMS/FRAMES JOINT FREQUENCY DATA (JFD) GENERATOR . PNNL-16149, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Droppo JG, Jr. 2006. Improved Formulations for Air-Surface Exchanges Related to National Security Needs: Dry Deposition Models. PNNL-15876, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Allwine KJ, FC Rutz, JG Droppo, Jr, JP Rishel, EG Chapman, SL Bird, and HW Thistle. 2006. SPRAYTRAN 1.0 User's Guide: A GIS-Based Atmospheric Spray Droplet Dispersion Modeling System . PNNL-16075, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Eremenko VA, and JG Droppo, Jr. 2006. "A Personal Experience Reducing Radiation Exposures: Protecting Family in Kiev during the First Two Weeks after Chernobyl." Health Physics 91(8) (Suppl 1):S39-S46.  doi:10.1097/01.HP.0000226143.54179.dd

2004

• Droppo JG, Jr. 2004. Testing IH Instrumentation: Analysis of 1996-1998 Tank Ventilation Data in Terms of Characterizing a Transient Release . PNNL-14765, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Droppo JG, Jr. 2004. Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks . PNNL-14767, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 
• Huckaby JL, LA Mahoney, JG Droppo, Jr, and JE Meacham. 2004. Overview of Hanford Site High-Level Waste Tank Gas and Vapor Dynamics . PNNL-14831, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA. 

2003

• Droppo JG, Jr. 2003. "Risk-Based Ranking Experiences for Cold War Legacy Facilities in the United States." Chapter 6 in Risk Methodologies for Technological Legacies, ed. James G. Droppo, Dennis Bley, Vitaly A. Eremenko, pp. 87-106.  Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, Netherlands. 
• Bley DC, JG Droppo, Jr, and VA Eremenko. 2003. Risk Methodologies for Technological Legacies : Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Bourgas, Bulgaria from 2 to 11 May 2000 .  Kluwer Academic Publishers, New York, NY.