Title
Modelling the dispersion of particle numbers in five European cities
Author
Kukkonen, J.
Karl, M.
Keuken, M.P.
Denier van der Gon, H.A.C.
Denby, B.R.
Singh, V.
Douros, J.
Manders, A.M.M.
Samaras, Z.
Moussiopoulos, N.
Jonkers, S.
Aarnio, M.
Karppinen, A.
Kangas, L.
Lutzenkirchen, S.
Petaja, T.
Vouitsis, I.
Sokhi, R.S.
Publication year
2016
Abstract
We present an overview of the modelling of particle number concentrations (PNCs) in five major European cities, namely Helsinki, Oslo, London, Rotterdam and Athens in 2008. Novel emission inventories of particle numbers have been compiled both on urban and European scales. We used atmospheric dispersion modelling for PNCs in the five target cities and on a European scale, and evaluated the predicted results against available measured concentrations. In all the target cities, the concentrations of particle numbers (PNs) were mostly influenced by the emissions originating from local vehicular traffic. The influence of shipping and harbours was significant for Helsinki, Oslo, Rotterdam and Athens, but not for London. The influence of the aviation emissions in Athens was also notable. The regional background concentration were clearly lower than the contributions originating from urban sources in Helsinki, Oslo, and Athens. The regional background was also lower than urban contributions in traffic environments in London, but higher or approximately equal to urban contributions in Rotterdam. It was numerically evaluated that the influence of coagulation and dry deposition on the predicted PNCs was substantial for the urban background in Oslo. The predicted and measured annual average PNCs in four cities agreed within approximately <26% (measured as fractional baises), except for one traffic station in London. This study indicates that it is feasible to model PNCs in major cities within a reasonable accuracy, although major challenges remain in the evaluation of both the emissions and atmospheric transformation of PNCs
Subject
Urban Mobility & Environment
CAS - Climate, Air and Sustainability
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
Environment & Sustainability
Environment
Urbanisation
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:afc09f11-48a4-4b2e-ad68-ba6aecc8f30f
TNO identifier
531978
Source
Geoscientific Model Development, 9, 451-478
Document type
article