Validation of the improved AEROPOL model against the Copenhagen data set

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThe international agreement represented by COM (1999) sets certain criteria to which results of air pollution modelling must correspond. Usually there does not exist enough spatial information about pollution field -thus, validation of the model is complicated. International data sets for validation of models are good alternatives -they represent pollution field in different meteorological conditions and pollution patterns.The aim of current study is to validate Gaussian-plume AEROPOL model against the Copenhagen data set and thus check its applicability in typical weather and urban conditions. The triggering reasons for this study were (1) the improvement of model and (2) the extensive use of AEROPOL for urban planning applications in Estonia. BACKGROUNDThe AEROPOL model (developed in Tartu Observatory, Estonia) is a Gaussian plume model, which includes the reflection and partial adsorption of the pollutant at the underlying surface, wet deposition, initial rise of buoyant plumes. The model is applicable for gaseous pollutants and particles from stacks, transport and area sources like domestic heating (Kaasik, 1996, Kaasik et al., 2002.

Method for Validation of Lagrangian Particle Air Pollution Dispersion Model Based on Experimental Field Data Set from Complex Terrain

“…In this case traditional point-to-point comparison has been made. From the results seems that only the reconstructed concentrations at Graška Gora are satisfactory comparing to results of many authors in published papers (Ferrero et al, 1996, Rizza et al, 1996, Kaasik, 2005 which were also participating in model validation framework named "Model evaluation toolkit" that has been established and maintained by Olesen (1996). Within this research Olesen aslo outlined difficulties that can arise in model validation: differences between measured and reconstructed concentrations are caused by measuring errors, inherent uncertainty, input uncertainty and model formulation error.…”

Growth Acceleration of Pinus Sylvestris in Bog Stands Due to Intensified Nutrient Influx From the Atmosphere

“…Analysing the normalised yearly increments in separate sampling sites (Table 3), we found that despite a quite large variability, there exists a tendency of decrease with the distance from Narva Power Plants (exactly: from the Estonian Power Plant, the largest one) during 1960-1989 and 1990-2001. The retrospective overview of deposition fluxes of particulate matter, based on the atmospheric dispersion modelling (AEROPOL model), basic features see [10], recent updates [11]), is given in [12], more detail time series since 1988 in [13]. The emission data for modelling were estimated by Punning et al [14], later data originate from annual reports by the Environmental Information Centre of the Ministry of Environment of Estonia.…”

Chronic Traffic-Induced PM Exposure and Self-Reported Respiratory and Cardiovascular Health in the RHINE Tartu Cohort

“…Simulation of long-term average PM concentrations was based on averaging the plumes over climatological distribution of thermal stratification (Pasquill–Gifford stability classes [ 30 ]), wind direction and speed. The basic concepts of AEROPOL are described by Kaasik and Kimmel [ 31 ]—these are rather similar with widely known models, e.g., ADMS [ 32 ] or AERMOD [ 33 ]. AEROPOL has been applied and validated for urban [ 34 , 35 ] as well as industrial [ 36 ] sources.…”