Title: An urban scale model for pollutant dispersion in Rome

Authors: Giovanni Leuzzi, Paolo Monti, Andrea Amicarelli

Addresses: DITS, Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza', via Eudossiana 18 – 00184 Roma, Italy. ' DITS, Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza', via Eudossiana 18 – 00184 Roma, Italy. ' DITS, Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza', via Eudossiana 18 – 00184 Roma, Italy

Abstract: A Gaussian model software (Atmospheric Dispersion Model System–ADMS-Urban) is used to forecast the carbon monoxide concentrations in the Urban Boundary Layer (UBL) of the city of Rome, Italy. The simulations refer to 14 days during 2002. Two data set inputs were considered in order to evaluate the urban background concentration and the effects of the main roads surrounding the monitoring stations. Results show that the background concentration plays a fundamental role in the whole balance of the pollution and that sometimes it overcomes the level associated to the local emissions. Finally, the background concentration appears to be strongly non-homogeneous within the urban area.

Keywords: Gaussian models; urban boundary layer; CO concentrations; carbon monoxide; atmospheric dispersion; dispersion modelling; air pollution; air quality; pollutant dispersion; Rome; Italy; urban boundary layer.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2010.030885

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2010 Vol.40 No.1/2/3, pp.85 - 93

Published online: 11 Jan 2010 *

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