Influence of Atmospheric Transport on Estimates of Variability in the Global Methane Burden

We quantify the impact of atmospheric transport and limited marine boundary layer sampling on changes in global and regional methane burdens estimate using tracer transport model simulations with annually repeating methane emissions and sinks but varying atmospheric transport patterns. We find the 1σ error due to this transport and sampling...

Analysis of summer O3 in the Madrid air basin with the LOTOS-EUROS chemical transport model

Tropospheric O3 remains a major air-quality issue in the Mediterranean region. The combination of large anthropogenic emissions of precursors, transboundary contributions, a warm and dry aestival climate, and topographical features results in severe cases of photochemical pollution. Chemical transport models (CTMs) are essential tools for...

Emissions and possible environmental Implication of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the atmosphere

In spite of the still increasing number of engineered nanomaterial (ENM) applications, large knowledge gaps exist with respect to their environmental fate, especially after release into air. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of emissions and behavior of airborne engineered nanomaterials. The whole ENM lifecycle is considered...

The impact of differences in large-scale circulation output from climate models on the regional modeling of ozone and PM

Climate change may have an impact on air quality (ozone, particulate matter) due to the strong dependency of air quality on meteorology. The effect is often studied using a global climate model (GCM) to produce meteorological fields that are subsequently used by chemical transport models. However, climate models themselves are subject to large...

Megacity ozone air quality under four alternative future scenarios

The impact of the megacities of the world on global tropospheric ozone, and conversely, the extent to which megacities are influenced by emissions of ozone precursors from outside of the megacities is examined under the four alternative RCP ("Representative Concentration Pathway") emissions scenarios. Despite accounting for about 6% of present...

Vertical emission profiles for Europe based on plume rise calculations

The vertical allocation of emissions has a major impact on results of Chemistry Transport Models. However, in Europe it is still common to use fixed vertical profiles based on rough estimates to determine the emission height of point sources. This publication introduces a set of new vertical profiles for the use in chemistry transport modeling...

Evaluation of a three-dimensional chemical transport model (PMCAMx) in the European domain during the EUCAARI May 2008 campaign

PMCAMx-2008, a detailed three-dimensional chemical transport model (CTM), was applied to Europe to simulate the mass concentration and chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) during May 2008. The model includes a state-of-the-art organic aerosol module which is based on the volatility basis set framework treating both primary and...

Chemically aged and mixed aerosols over the Central Atlantic Ocean - Potential impacts

Detailed information on the chemical and physical properties of aerosols is important for assessing their role in air quality and climate. This work explores the origin and fate of continental aerosols transported over the Central Atlantic Ocean, in terms of chemical composition, number and size distribution, using chemistry-transport models,...

Validation of Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment zone profiles and evaluation of stratospheric transport in a global chemistry transport model

This paper presents a validation of Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) ozone (O3) profiles which are used to evaluate stratospheric transport in the chemistry transport model (CTM) Tracer Model version 5 (TM5) using a linearized stratospheric O3 chemistry scheme. A comparison of GOME O3 profile measurements with independent O3 sonde...

Regional atmospheric budgets of reduced nitrogen over the British isles assessed using a multi-layer atmospheric transport model

Atmospheric budgets of reduced nitrogen for the major political regions of the British Isles are investigated with a multi-layer atmospheric transport model. The model is validated against measurements of NH3 concentration and is developed to provide atmospheric budgets for defined subdomains of the British Isles. The study shows that NH3...

Atmospheric nitrogen inputs into the coastal ecosystem (ANICE): The southern North Sea as a study area

The Atmospheric Nitrogen Inputs into the Costal Ecosystem (ANICE) project was initiated to improve the accuracy and performance of model tools used to estimate the atmospheric nitrogen deposition to the sea. The experimental work includes the use of a ferry for long-term measurements of gaseous species, aerosols and rain water during one year,...

Environmental risk assessment for pesticides in the atmosphere: The results of an international workshop

The Health Council of the Netherlands organised an international workshop on the fate of pesticides in the atmosphere and possible approaches for their regulatory environmental risk assessment. Approximately forty experts discussed what is currently known about the atmospheric fate of pesticides and major gaps in our understanding were...

C2-C5 hydrocarbon measurements in the Netherlands 1981-1991

Measurements of C2-C5 hydrocarbons on an hourly basis at the TNO site in Delft from 1982 to 1984 and at Moerdijk over the period 1981-1991 are presented. In combination with meteorological data (wind direction and wind speed) the Delft and Moerdijk series are evaluated to identify source categories, annual variations, background concentrations...

Development and test of an evaluation protocol for heavy gas dispersion models

In order to improve the quality (i.e. fitness-for-purpose) of models used to describe the atmospheric dispersion of heavy gas, an evaluation methodology has been developed and tested through a small evaluation exercise. This activity was carried out by the Heavy Gas Dispersion Expert Group, which was set up by European Commission's Model...

Horizontal transport modelling and exchange of atmospheric nitrogen gases with the coastal ocean

Measurement of the dry deposition flux of NH3 on to coniferous forest

The dry deposition flux of NH3 to coniferous forest was determined by the micrometeorological gradient method using a 36m high tower. Aerodynamic characteristics of the site were studied, using a second tower erected in the forest 100m from the first. Fluxes and gradients of heat and momentum measured on both towers indicated a fairly...