Integrated air quality modeling for urban policy: A novel approach with olympus-chimere

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach to air quality modeling for megacities, focusing on the Paris region for the year 2009. The simulation is conducted by coupling the transport, energy demand, and emission model OLYMPUS with the atmospheric chemical transport model CHIMERE. OLYMPUS's emission calculations are based on the representation of an urban configuration, the simulation of a synthetic population, and the calculation of transport demand and energy consumption in buildings using an activity-based statistical approach. Emissions derived from this simulation, along with biogenic and additional industrial emissions, were used as input data in the CHIMERE model to predict pollutant concentrations. CHIMERE outputs were compared with observations from the local AIRPARIF air quality monitoring network, and with a reference simulation conducted using a benchmark bottom-up emission inventory. The results indicate that the platform provides a comprehensive representation of emissions and the resulting air quality. They also highlight the excellent representation of the spatial and temporal distribution of urban pollutant concentrations in comparison with both model and observational data. OLYMPUS tends to emit more primary pollutants than the reference emission inventory in the dense urban center. However, this often improves model scores for NO2, and these deviations remain within the uncertainty margins set for emission inventories. The approach to emission production, rooted in the connection between urban configuration and individual behaviors, allows for the exploration of innovative air quality scenarios centered on energy consumption practices. The validation of our results furnishes the OLYMPUS-CHIMERE coupling with a dependable framework for addressing numerous research inquiries related to the impact of urban policies on air quality.