Evaluation of NO2, O3, PM10, and PM2.5 in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina using WRF-Chem model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Isabel Lopez-Noreña ◽  
Lucas Berná ◽  
María Florencia Tames ◽  
Emmanuel Millán ◽  
Enrique Puliafito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Pm10 And Pm2.5 ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

<p>The online-coupled Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem v4.0), was applied to evaluate the impact of using different anthropogenic emissions inventories on regional air quality in Argentina. For this purpose, we couple the Argentinian high-resolution emissions inventory (GEAA-AHRI) and the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research – Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (EDGAR-HTAP) and introduce them into the model, with a local optimized configuration considering 3 nested domains with a horizontal grid size of 20 x 20 km, 4 x 4 km, and 1.3 x 1.3 km and the MOZART chemical scheme. The model output for NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and O3 concentrations over the innermost domain was compared against the existing surface and satellite-derived observations for the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) during austral fall 2018. We found an overall good model performance for all simulations, and large discrepancies between the emission inventories, obtaining an improved urban-scale spatio-temporal representation when the high resolution GEAA-AHRI dataset is considered. Our results show that the daytime concentrations of air pollutants are strongly influenced by the shape and shift of the hourly emissions profile before sunrise and after sunset, especially for NO2 where the inclusion of the temporal profile decreased the mean bias by ~80%. Performance criteria for modeled PM10 and PM2.5 were in general satisfied, despite having an average underestimation of observations. When compared to NO2 tropospheric columns derived from TROPOMI, The general magnitude and spatial pattern of the NO2 tropospheric column is in agreement with the mean TROPOMI columns during the modeled period, obtaining correlation coefficients higher than 0.6 for all simulations. Our results highlight the benefits of using a time-dependent and high-resolution local inventory for addressing the background air quality in AMBA. The implementation and validation of local emissions and static fields with high spatial and temporal resolution carried out in this work, establishes a benchmark for forthcoming studies in other regions of South America where different modeling tools for air quality analysis are currently being used to complement the usually sparse and discontinuous air quality networks.</p>

scholarly journals The impact of US wildland fires on ozone and particulate matter: a comparison of measurements and CMAQ model predictions from 2008 to 2012

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Wilkins ◽  
George Pouliot ◽  
Kristen Foley ◽  
Wyat Appel ◽  
Thomas Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Grid Cell ◽  
Emissions Inventory ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Wildland fire emissions are routinely estimated in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory, specifically for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and precursors to ozone (O3); however, there is a large amount of uncertainty in this sector. We employ a brute-force zero-out sensitivity method to estimate the impact of wildland fire emissions on air quality across the contiguous US using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modelling system. These simulations are designed to assess the importance of wildland fire emissions on CMAQ model performance and are not intended for regulatory assessments. CMAQ ver. 5.0.1 estimated that fires contributed 11% to the mean PM2.5 and less than 1% to the mean O3 concentrations during 2008–2012. Adding fires to CMAQ increases the number of ‘grid-cell days’ with PM2.5 above 35 µg m−3 by a factor of 4 and the number of grid-cell days with maximum daily 8-h average O3 above 70 ppb by 14%. Although CMAQ simulations of specific fires have improved with the latest model version (e.g. for the 2008 California wildfire episode, the correlation r = 0.82 with CMAQ ver. 5.0.1 v. r = 0.68 for CMAQ ver. 4.7.1), the model still exhibits a low bias at higher observed concentrations and a high bias at lower observed concentrations. Given the large impact of wildland fire emissions on simulated concentrations of elevated PM2.5 and O3, improvements are recommended on how these emissions are characterised and distributed vertically in the model.

scholarly journals Model Performance Differences in Sulfate Aerosol in Winter over Japan Based on Regional Chemical Transport Models of CMAQ and CAMx

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syuichi Itahashi ◽  
Kazuyo Yamaji ◽  
Satoru Chatani ◽  
Kunihiro Hisatsune ◽  
Shinji Saito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Deposition Velocity ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Chemical Transport ◽  
Sulfate Aerosol ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Transport Models ◽  
Chemical Transport Models ◽  
So2 Concentration

Sulfate aerosol (SO42−) is a major component of particulate matter in Japan. The Japanese model intercomparison study, J-STREAM, found that although SO42− is well captured by models, it is underestimated during winter. In the first phase of J-STREAM, we refined the Fe- and Mn-catalyzed oxidation and partly improved the underestimation. The winter haze in December 2016 was a target period in the second phase. The results from the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) and Comprehensive Air quality Model with eXtentions (CAMx) regional chemical transport models were compared with observations from the network over Japan and intensive observations at Nagoya and Tokyo. Statistical analysis showed both models satisfied the suggested model performance criteria. CMAQ sensitivity simulations explained the improvements in model performance. CMAQ modeled lower SO42− concentrations than CAMx, despite increased aqueous oxidation via the metal catalysis pathway and NO2 reaction in CMAQ. Deposition explained this difference. A scatter plot demonstrated that the lower SO42− concentration in CMAQ than in CAMx arose from the lower SO2 concentration and higher SO42− wet deposition in CMAQ. The dry deposition velocity caused the difference in SO2 concentration. These results suggest the importance of deposition in improving our understanding of ambient concentration behavior.

scholarly journals The impact of local surface changes in Borneo on atmospheric composition at wider spatial scales: coastal processes, land-use change and air quality

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1582) ◽  
pp. 3210-3224 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Pyle ◽  
N. J. Warwick ◽  
N. R. P. Harris ◽  
Mohd Radzi Abas ◽  
A. T. Archibald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Uncertainty Model ◽  
Emission Changes ◽  
The Impact

We present results from the OP3 campaign in Sabah during 2008 that allow us to study the impact of local emission changes over Borneo on atmospheric composition at the regional and wider scale. OP3 constituent data provide an important constraint on model performance. Treatment of boundary layer processes is highlighted as an important area of model uncertainty. Model studies of land-use change confirm earlier work, indicating that further changes to intensive oil palm agriculture in South East Asia, and the tropics in general, could have important impacts on air quality, with the biggest factor being the concomitant changes in NO x emissions. With the model scenarios used here, local increases in ozone of around 50 per cent could occur. We also report measurements of short-lived brominated compounds around Sabah suggesting that oceanic (and, especially, coastal) emission sources dominate locally. The concentration of bromine in short-lived halocarbons measured at the surface during OP3 amounted to about 7 ppt, setting an upper limit on the amount of these species that can reach the lower stratosphere.

scholarly journals High resolution modelling of aerosol dispersion regimes during the CAPITOUL field experiment: from regional to local scale interactions

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7547-7560 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Aouizerats ◽  
P. Tulet ◽  
G. Pigeon ◽  
V. Masson ◽  
L. Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Aerosol Particle ◽  
Pollutant Dispersion ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Plume Dispersion ◽  
Urban Dynamics ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Resolution Simulation

Abstract. High resolution simulation of complex aerosol particle evolution and gaseous chemistry over an atmospheric urban area is of great interest for understanding air quality and processes. In this context, the CAPITOUL (Canopy and Aerosol Particle Interactions in the Toulouse Urban Layer) field experiment aims at a better understanding of the interactions between the urban dynamics and the aerosol plumes. During a two-day Intensive Observational Period, a numerical model experiment was set up to reproduce the spatial distribution of specific particle pollutants, from the regional scales and the interactions between different cities, to the local scales with specific turbulent structures. Observations show that local dynamics depends on the day-regime, and may lead to different mesoscale dynamical structures. This study focuses on reproducing these fine scale dynamical structures, and investigate the impact on the aerosol plume dispersion. The 500-m resolution simulation manages to reproduce convective rolls at local scale, which concentrate most of the aerosol particles and can locally affect the pollutant dispersion and air quality.

Two models and two emission databases – evaluation of the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations modelled with WRF-Chem and EMEP4PL

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Werner ◽  
Maciej Kryza ◽  
Justyna Dudek
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Chemical Transport ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Transport Models ◽  
Local Database ◽  
Chemical Transport Models ◽  
Pm10 And Pm2.5

<p>Some European countries in Eastern or Central Europe, such as Poland, have serious problems with air quality. High concentrations of particulate matter (PM) in winter are often related to high coal and wood combustion for residential heating. Meteorological conditions, i.e. low air temperature and anticyclones, provide favourable conditions for the accumulation of air pollution, rendering it harmful to people.  PM concentrations during the warmer period are much lower, however there are episodes with elevated concentrations related to e.g. long-range transport of pollutants from biomass burning areas. Policy makers in Poland put a lot of effort to improve air quality as well as inform and aware people on harmful effects of air pollution. One of the relevant tools which provides information on the past, current and future state of the air pollution are chemical transport models.</p><p>In this study we aim for validation of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations from two different chemical transport models – WRF-Chem and EMEP4PL and two different emission databases – a) a regional EMEP database, and b) a local database provided by the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Pollution. Modelled PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were compared with observations from Polish stations for the year 2018. The results show a clear seasonal variation of the models performance with the lowest correlation coefficients in summer. Higher seasonal variability is observed for WRF-Chem than EMEP, which is probably related to differences in calculations of boundary layer height. Application of local database improves the results for both models. For several months, the performance of WRF-Chem and EMEP is clearly different, which shows that an ensemble approach with an application of these two models could improve the modelling results. The differences in the model performance significantly influence the results of the population exposure assessment.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals The effect of climate change and emission scenarios on ozone concentrations over Belgium: a high-resolution model study for policy support

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 5893-5904 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Lauwaet ◽  
P. Viaene ◽  
E. Brisson ◽  
N.P.M. van Lipzig ◽  
T. van Noije ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Emission Scenario ◽  
Emission Scenarios ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Surface O3

Abstract. Belgium is one of the areas within Europe experiencing the highest levels of air pollution. A high-resolution (3 km) modelling experiment is employed to provide guidance to policymakers about expected air quality changes in the near future (2026–2035). The regional air quality model AURORA (Air quality modelling in Urban Regions using an Optimal Resolution Approach), driven by output from a regional climate model, is used to simulate several 10-year time slices to investigate the impact of climatic changes and different emission scenarios on near-surface O3 concentrations, one of the key indices for air quality. Evaluation of the model against measurements from 34 observation stations shows that the AURORA model is capable of reproducing 10-year mean concentrations, daily cycles and spatial patterns. The results for the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP)4.5 emission scenario indicate that the mean surface O3 concentrations are expected to increase significantly in the near future due to less O3 titration by reduced NOx emissions. Applying an alternative emission scenario for Europe is found to have only a minor impact on the overall concentrations, which are dominated by the background changes. Climate change alone has a much smaller effect on the near-surface O3 concentrations over Belgium than the projected emission changes. The very high horizontal resolution that is used in this study results in much improved spatial correlations and simulated peak concentrations compared to a standard 25 km simulation. An analysis of the number of peak episodes during summer revealed that the emission reductions in RCP4.5 result in a 25% decrease of these peak episodes.

scholarly journals Boundary-layer remote-sensing observations and modeling of foehn in the Dead Sea valley

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorita Rostkier-Edelstein ◽  
Pavel Kunin ◽  
Pinhas Alpert
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Dead Sea ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Single Location ◽  
The Dead ◽  
The Impact

<p>The atmospheric dynamics in the Dead Sea (DS) Valley has been studied for decades. However, the studies relied mostly on surface observations and simple coarse-model simulations, insufficient to elucidate the complex flow in the area.  I will present a first study using high resolution (temporal and spatial) and sophisticate both, measurements and modeling tools. We focused on afternoon hours during summer time, when the Mediterranean Sea (MS) breeze penetrates into the DS Valley and sudden changes of wind, temperature and humidity occur in the valley.</p><p>An intense observations period , including ground-based remote sensing and in-situ observations, took place during August and November 2014. The measurements were conducted as part of the Virtual Institute DEad SEa Research Venue (DESERVE) project using the KITcube profiling instruments (wind lidars, radiometer and soundings) along with surface Energy Balance Station. These observations enabled analysis of the vertical profile of the atmosphere at one single location at the foothills of Masada, about 1 km west of the DS shore.</p><p>High resolution (1.1 km grid size) model simulations were conducted using the WRF model. The simulations enabled analysis of the 3D flow at the DS Valley, information not provided by the observations at a single location. Sensitivity tests were run to determine the best model configuration for this study.</p><p>Our study shows that foehn develops in the lee side of the Judean Mountains and DS Valley in the afternoon hours when the MS breeze reaches the area. The characteristics of the MS breeze penetration into the valley and of the foehn (e.g. their depth) and the impact they have on the boundary layer flow in the DS Valley (e.g. the changes in temperature, humidity and wind) are conditioned to the daily synoptic and mesosocale conditions. In the synoptic scale, the depth of the seasonal trough at sea level and the height of inversion layers play a significant role in determining the breeze and foehn characteristics. In the mesoscale, the intensity of the DS breeze and the humidity brought by it determines the outcomes at the time of MS breeze penetration and foehn development. Dynamically, the foehn is associated with a hydraulic jump.</p><p>Hypothetical model simulations with modified terrain and with warmer MS surface temperature were conducted to reveal the relative contribution of each of these factors and of their synergism on the observed phenomena. The information provided by the factor separation study can be useful in future climate projections, when a warmer MS is expected.</p><p>The forecasting feasibility of foehn and the sudden changes in the DS valley 24 hours in advance using WRF is suggested following the present study. These forecasts can be most valuable for the region affected by pollution penetration from the metropolitan coastal zone.</p>

scholarly journals Research on Air Quality Analysis Based on Cluster Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 898 (1) ◽  
pp. 012024
Author(s):  
Zhaoni Li ◽  
Jian Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Cluster Methods ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Research on air quality analysis is a hot field. Here we describe an analysis process based on cluster methods for the data of ambient air quality. In this paper, we use the process to cluster on the air quality data which from the National Urban Air Quality Report in December 2020 on the official website of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China. We find that cities in different clusters with different main pollutants and pollution levels. Ambient air quality analysis aims to provide guidance for reducing the impact of air pollution on health.

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