Integrated Modelling Project Research Articles

Exploratory Study on Modelling Agricultural Carbon Emissions in Ireland

In 2020 Ireland missed its EU climate emissions target and without additional measures will not be on the right trajectory towards decarbonisation in the longer 2030 and 2050 challenges. Agriculture remains the single most significant contributor to overall emissions in Ireland. In the absence of effective mitigating strategies, agricultural emissions have continued to rise. The purpose of the review is to explore current research conducted in Ireland regarding environmental modelling within agriculture to identify research gap areas for further research. 10 models were selected and reviewed regarding modelling carbon emissions from agriculture in Ireland, the GAINS (Air pollution Interactions and Synergies) model used for air pollutants, the JRC-EU-TIMES, (Joint Research Council-European Union-The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System) and the Irish TIMES model used for energy, the integrated modelling project Ireland (GAINS & TIMES), the environmental, economic model ENV-Linkages and ENV-Growth along with the IE3 and AGRI-I models. The review found that data on greenhouse gas emissions for 2019 reveals that emissions can be efficiently lowered if the right initiatives are taken. More precise emission factors and adaptable inventories are urgently needed to improve national CO2 reporting and minimise the agricultural sector’s emissions profile in Ireland. The Climate Action Delivery Act is a centrally driven monitoring and reporting system for climate action delivery that will help in determining optimal decarbonisation from agriculture in Ireland. Multi-modelling approaches will give a better understanding of the technology pathways that will be required to meet decarbonisation ambitions.

The European Transport Solver

The status of the European Transport Solver, a new 1-D core transport code that is being developed by the members of Integrated Modelling Project 3 (“Transport Code and Discharge Evolution”) of the EFDA Task Force on Integrated Tokamak Modelling (ITM), is described. The approach taken by the ITM is to couple codes so that the only exchange is via well-specified data structures (Consistent Physical Objects), with the aim of having the workflow managed by Kepler, a scientific workflow engine.

Modeling Performance and Emissions from Aircraft in the Aviation Integrated Modelling Project

A new computational method has been developed that simulates the performance of a civil aircraft and determines the fuel consumption and emissions throughout the flight trajectory by linking the main aircraft aerodynamic characteristics with a model of engine performance. The performance emission simulation of aircraft operations model responds to the needs of the Aviation Integrated Modelling project by delivering a computationally fast and reliable model able to simulate aircraft performance, fuel use, and emissions. The methodology implies that the airframe aerodynamic characteristics and the performance of the engine are modeled by generic nondimensional relationships and related through the equations of motion. These nondimensional characteristics are sufficient to enable accurate determination of the forces acting on the aircraft, the fuel burn of the engine, and the key parameters that determine the emissions of pollutants such as nitrous oxides. Within this paper, this nondimensional approach is demonstrated and validated using comparisons with flight data from commercial aircraft operations. The results show that the model can accurately simulate civil aircraft performance for a range of f light conditions and operating procedures. In future work with the Aviation Integrated Modelling project, the method will be further developed and applied to investigate novel aircraft technologies, new operating procedures, and the use of alternative fuels.

MODUS: The integrated modelling system

This paper explores some of the background to the development of MODUS by the Integrated Modelling Project (a collaboration between The Advisory Unit, Hatfield and King's College London) and illustrates some of the features which the software will incorporate. The growing interest in computer based modelling for school pupils has highlighted that current modelling software often tends to be limited by its user interface and its restriction to only one modelling domain. MODUS is a general purpose modelling system which uses an object oriented metaphor for modelling and is a response to this need.

What is the modelling curriculum?

This paper describes the benefits which might accrue from modelling as an activity for learners. Some approaches taken to teach modelling are discussed and criticised. The learners' purpose modelling is suggested to be critical in engaging them in this formal and theoretic field and it is suggested that presentation and communication of ideas in the context of project work may be appropriate. An analysis of parts of the modelling process is presented to highlight some of the hidden steps which appropriate modelling software may usefully expose. Finally some prototype software developed by the Integrated Modelling Project to explore these problems is described.