Article: Performance comparison of CMAQ and CAMx for one-year PM2.5 simulation in Japan Journal: International Journal of Environment and Pollution (IJEP) 2015 Vol.57 No.3/4 pp.146 - 161 Abstract: This study evaluated one-year performance of the community multiscale air quality (CMAQ) model v5.0.1 and the comprehensive air quality model with extensions (CAMx) v6.00. One-year air quality simulations were conducted with common input meteorology, emission and boundary concentration data in the Kinki region of Japan. CAMx-simulated ground-level concentrations were generally higher by 10%-20% than CMAQ-simulated values. Despite the systematical difference, the overall one-year performances of the two models for simulating ground-level concentrations were similar to each other according to comparisons with observed data. The two models approximately reproduced mass concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but shared common difficulties in simulating PM2.5 components. The models substantially underestimated organic aerosol, which was compensated by overestimate of dust transported from the Asian continent. In addition, the systematical difference between the CMAQ- and CAMx-simulated ground-level PM2.5 concentrations was mainly attributed to the treatment of the vertical diffusivity and the below-cloud scavenging. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Performance comparison of CMAQ and CAMx for one-year PM_2.5 simulation in Japan

Authors: Hikari Shimadera; Tatsuya Kojima; Akira Kondo; Yoshio Inoue

Addresses: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, Japan ' Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, Japan ' Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, Japan ' Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, Japan

Abstract: This study evaluated one-year performance of the community multiscale air quality (CMAQ) model v5.0.1 and the comprehensive air quality model with extensions (CAMx) v6.00. One-year air quality simulations were conducted with common input meteorology, emission and boundary concentration data in the Kinki region of Japan. CAMx-simulated ground-level concentrations were generally higher by 10%-20% than CMAQ-simulated values. Despite the systematical difference, the overall one-year performances of the two models for simulating ground-level concentrations were similar to each other according to comparisons with observed data. The two models approximately reproduced mass concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), but shared common difficulties in simulating PM_2.5 components. The models substantially underestimated organic aerosol, which was compensated by overestimate of dust transported from the Asian continent. In addition, the systematical difference between the CMAQ- and CAMx-simulated ground-level PM_2.5 concentrations was mainly attributed to the treatment of the vertical diffusivity and the below-cloud scavenging.

Keywords: air quality modelling; model performance; model comparisons; PM2.5 components; CMAQ; CAMx; WRF; vertical diffusion; wet deposition; Japan; air pollution; particulate matter; simulation; organic aerosols; dust transport; performance evaluation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2015.074498

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2015 Vol.57 No.3/4, pp.146 - 161

Received: 02 Dec 2014
Accepted: 14 Jul 2015
Published online: 02 Feb 2016 *

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Title: Performance comparison of CMAQ and CAMx for one-year PM2.5 simulation in Japan

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Title: Performance comparison of CMAQ and CAMx for one-year PM_2.5 simulation in Japan