A long-range air pollution transport model for eastern north america—I. Sulfur oxides

Abstract

This paper describes a Lagrangian model for simulating long-range air pollution transport over eastern North America. One version (denoted ENAMAP-2S) uses emissions inventories and standard daily weather reports to compute the airborne concentrations of SO 2 and sulfate, and their deposition on the earth's surface. A separate version of the model (ENAMAP-2N) applies to oxides of nitrogen. These versions of the ENAMAP model include the influences of smoothed terrain on the winds, and divide the atmospheric boundary layer into three parts, allowing pollutant emissions to be divided among the layers. Vertical mixing is controlled by diffusion coefficients computed from wind shear, stability, and knowledge of the mixing depth. The transformation and wet and dry deposition rates are based on recently published values. The models have been used to compute monthly average values of concentrations and depositions for January and August 1977. Typical examples are shown. The sensitivity of the output fields of ENAMAP-2S to values selected for input parameters (e.g. transformation rate of SO 2 to sulfate and deposition rates) has been studied; and based on present information, optimum values of the parameters are given. The model results include geographical patterns of pollutant concentration and deposition, and interregional exchange tables that show how much of the pollution in a certain region was emitted locally and how much originated in other specified areas. The simulated monthly airborne concentrations of SO 2 and sulfate are generally within a factor of 2 of measured values.