Title: Performance evaluation of a general finite line source model for NOx concentrations obtained from a motorway in Ireland

Authors: Rajiv Ganguly; Brian Broderick

Addresses: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA ' Department of Civil Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

Abstract: The relative performance of a general finite line source model (GFLSM) is assessed using measured NOx concentrations obtained adjacent to an urban motorway using CEF and HEF. The predicted concentrations are compared with monitored concentrations obtained over a continuous sampling period of one year. Statistical and graphical analyses of the monitored and modelled data are employed to evaluate model performance. It is observed that the values predicted by the GFLSM generally agree well with the monitored data. The effect of background concentrations on model performance is studied and a novel way of defining background concentrations leading to improved model performance of the model is suggested.

Keywords: line source models; traffic emissions; background concentrations; GFLSM; Ireland; performance evaluation; NOx concentrations; nitrogen oxides; urban motorways; model performance; modelling; vehicle emissions; environmental pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2013.056628

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2013 Vol.5 No.4, pp.405 - 422

Accepted: 17 Aug 2011
Published online: 31 Oct 2013 *

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