Title: Model inter-comparison and validation of ADMS plume chemistry schemes

Authors: Stephen Smith; Jenny Stocker; Martin Seaton; David Carruthers

Addresses: Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd., 3 Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, UK ' Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd., 3 Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, UK ' Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd., 3 Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, UK ' Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd., 3 Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, UK

Abstract: Two schemes for the determination of NO2 concentrations in the atmospheric dispersion model ADMS are evaluated using data from two sites in Alaska. Both schemes take account of the rate of oxidation of NO and photolysis of NO2 in the plume using identical chemical formulations. The differences lie in the approaches used for the entrainment and mixing of ambient ozone into the plume. In the standard scheme it is assumed that ozone is mixed instantaneously into the plume at source; in the entrainment limited scheme ozone is entrained into the plume at a rate determined by the rate of dilution of the instantaneous plume. A methodology comprising a scatter plot of the ratio of modelled to observed NO2 vs. modelled to observed NOx is used to distinguish errors in the chemistry schemes from errors in the prediction of NOx. Both schemes show good performance statistics with the standard scheme predicting higher NO2 concentrations.

Keywords: plume chemistry; nitrogen dioxide; NO2; ADMS; validation; model inter-comparison.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2017.089427

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2017 Vol.62 No.2/3/4, pp.395 - 406

Received: 22 Aug 2016
Accepted: 23 Jul 2017

Published online: 23 Jan 2018 *

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