Poultry Science: Personnel

Personnel

Dr. Lowry A. Harper Research Professor Poultry Science Department 207 Poultry Science Building University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-4356 Phone: (706) 542-3909 Fax: (706) 542-8383 Email: lharper@uga.edu

Research Interests

Trace-gas transport in cropping and animal production systems.

Education

B.S. Agricultural Engineering, University of Florida
M.S., Soils Physics, University of  Florida
Ph.D., Agricultural Physics, University of Georgia

Academic Program

Dr. Lowry Harper and colleagues many times performed a creative extension of existing micrometeorological and atmospheric transport theory and methodology to explain trace-gas transport in agricultural cropping and animal production systems.  His work has extensively utilized systems-analysis in explaining transport mechanisms and cycling dynamics in the soil-plant-animal-atmosphere.  He has evaluated emissions of natural and synthetic substances such as water vapor, nitrogen and carbon compounds, pesticides, herbicides, bioaerosols, and odors. 

Dr. Harper and colleagues have developed new non-invasive techniques to obtain accurate and precise estimates of trace gas emissions from animals under natural conditions, from confined animal feeding operations (including confinement facilities and waste-disposal systems) and from cropping systems. They have also advanced the development of the necessary mathematical techniques needed for using these novel measurement techniques for estimating trace-gas emissions from individual farm components and entire farms.  Pioneering work was performed using innovative measurement techniques such as open- and closed-path laser spectroscopy to obtain estimates of trace-gas emissions under natural or disturbed conditions.  Dr. Harper and colleagues have used their determined trace-gas emissions in the development of emissions predictive models and prediction of trace-gas concentrations in downwind gas plumes.  He and associates have studied techniques to abate ammonia emissions from confined animal production systems.

Selected Publications

1. Harper, L.A., Sharpe, R.R., and Parkin, T.B. 2000.  Gaseous nitrogen emissions from anaerobic swine lagoons: Ammonia, nitrous oxide, and dinitrogen gas.  J. Environ. Qual.  29:1356-1365.
2. Wilson, J.D., Flesch, T.K., and Harper, L.A.  2001.  Micro-meteorological methods for estimating surface exchange with a disturbed windflow.  Agric. Forest Meteorol. 107:207-225.
3. DeVisscher, A., Harper, L.A., Westerman, P.W., Sharpe, R.R., and Van Cleemput, O.  2002.  Ammonia emissions from anaerobic swine lagoons: Model development.  J. Appl. Meteorol.  41:426-433.
4. Flesch, T.K., J.D. Wilson, L.A. Harper, B.P. Crenna, and R.R. Sharpe.  2004.  Deducing ground-air emissions from observed trace-gas concentrations: A field trial.  Am. Meteorol. Soc.43:487-502. 

5. Harper, L.A., Sharpe, R.R., and Simmons, J.D.  2004.  Ammonia Emissions from Swine Houses in the Southeastern United States.  J. Environ. Qual. 33:449-457.
6. Harper, L. A., Sharpe, R. R., Parkin, T.B., De Visscher, A., van Cleemput, O., and Byers, F.M.   2004.  Nitrogen cycling in swine production systems: Ammonia, nitrous oxide, and dinitrogen gas emissions.  J. Environ. Qual.  33:1189-1201.
7. Harper, Lowry A., N. Andy Cole, Rick Todd, Tom K. Flesch, and Ron R. Sharpe.  2004.  Ammonia Emissions from Beef Feeding Operations: Measurement Technologies and Emissions.  Proc. Plains Nutrition Council, Apr. 15-16, 2004, San Antonio, TX, Publ. No. AREC 04-14, Texas A&M Res. and Ext. Ctr., Amarillo, p.27-50.
8. Flesch, T.K., Wilson, J.D., and Harper, L.A.  2005.  Deducing ground-air emissions from observed trace gas concentrations: A field trial with wind disturbance.  J. Appl. Meteorol. 44:475-484.
9. Harper, L.A.  2005.  Ammonia: Measurement Issues.  p. 345-379.  In J.L. Hatfield and J.M. Baker. (eds.).  Micrometeorological measurements in agricultural systems.  Agron. Monogr. 47. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison WI.
10. Flesch, T.K., Wilson, J.D., and Harper, L.A.  2005.  Estimating farm emissions of ammonia and methane with an inverse-dispersion technique.  Atmos. Environ. 38:4863-4874. 
11. Harper, L.A., Kim H. Weaver, and R.A. Dotson.  2006. Ammonia emissions from swine waste lagoons in the Utah Great Basin.  J. Environ. Qual. 35:224-230.
12. McGinn, S.M., T.K. Flesch, L.A. Harper, and K.A. Beauchemin.  2006.  An approach for measuring methane emissions from whole farms.  J. Environ. Qual. 35:14-20.
13. Flesch, T.K., J.D. Wilson, L.A. Harper, R.W. Todd, and N.A. Cole.  2007.  Determining ammonia emissions from a cattle feedlot with an inverse dispersion technique. Ag. and For. Meteorol.144:139-155.
14. Harper, L.A. and T.K. Flesch.  2007.  Annual ammonia emissions from dairy production systems in Wisconsin.Final Rpt. To USDA-ARS, Sp. Coop. Agmt. Proj. No. 3655-12630-001-02S and 58-3655-6-F157, September 30, 2007.  17pp.

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