Title: Impact of meteorological modelling on air quality: summer and winter episodes in the Po valley (Northern Italy)

Authors: Denise Pernigotti; Emilia Georgieva; Philippe Thunis; Bertrand Bessagnet

Addresses: Climate Change and Air Quality Unit, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission, JRC, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy ' Climate Change and Air Quality Unit, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission, JRC, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy ' Climate Change and Air Quality Unit, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission, JRC, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy ' INERIS, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques, Parc technologique ALATA-B.P. No.2, 60550 Verneuil en Halatte, France

Abstract: The Po-valley in Northern Italy has been identified as a hot spot area in Europe where pollutant levels are expected to remain problematic in the years to come. High anthropogenic emissions in combination with frequently occurring stagnant atmospheric conditions cause very high concentrations of pollutants. Sensitivity tests for one winter month have shown that the nudging of observational data into the mesoscale meteorological model MM5 does significantly improve the simulation of frequent low wind regimes, and as a consequence in certain conditions increases and improves modelled particulate matter (PM) concentrations. The focus of this work is to extend the study and assess the effect of MM5 nudging options during summer. We analyse here the impact of different observation nudging options on simulated PM₁₀ and summer ozone using the CHIMERE model. Strengths and weaknesses of nudging approaches in one of the most polluted and complex topography areas in Europe are discussed.

Keywords: fifth generation mesoscale model; MM5; summer; winter; nudging; CHIMERE; meteorology; PM10; ozone; Po valley; Italy; atmospheric dispersion modelling; air quality; air pollution; pollutant levels; particulate matter; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2012.051185

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2012 Vol.50 No.1/2/3/4, pp.111 - 119

Published online: 19 Nov 2014 *

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