Title: A numerical study of mesoscale airflow and dispersion over coastal complex terrain

Authors: Paolo Monti, Giovanni Leuzzi

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

Abstract: A computational system composed of a three dimensional (3D) mesoscale model and a Lagrangian stochastic model is applied to forecast the boundary layer dynamics and Carbon Oxide (CO) air concentrations from motor vehicle emissions in the Rome urban area over the Lazio region of Italy. The model results show a general good agreement with observations at one location near Rome. The simulation indicates that the regional airflow circulation and the pollutant transport are strongly influenced by the land and sea breeze regimes associated with the Tyrrhenian Sea as well as by the slope flows originating from the elevated mountain ridges that characterise the investigated area. The role played by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) on the CO concentration levels in the Rome area is also investigated.

Keywords: mesoscale circulation; breeze regime; slope winds; urban heat islands; Lagrangian dispersion models; dispersion modelling; air flow; boundary layer dynamics; carbon oxide; air pollution; air quality; vehicle emissions; road transport emissions; Rome; Italy; pollutant transport; pollutant concentrations; pollutant dispersion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2005.007670

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2005 Vol.25 No.1/2/3/4, pp.239 - 250

Published online: 31 Aug 2005 *

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