BackgroundBy the authors Janicke (IBJparticle, Eine Implementierung des Ausbreitungsmodells. Bericht IBB Janicke, 2000; AUSTAL2000, Programmbeschreibung, Dunum, 2002), Germany, for the calculation of the dispersion of air pollutants under the designation AUSTAL2000 a “Model-based assessment system for the plant-related pollution control” is developed. This propagation model is declared binding in the Federal Republic of Germany for application. All other model developers have to validate their algorithms on the provided reference solutions. However, for example, Schenk (AUSTAL2000 ist nicht validiert. Immissionsschutz 01.15, pp 10–21, 2015a; Replik auf den Beitrag “Erwiderung der Kritik von Schenk an AUSTAL2000 in Immissionsschutz 01/2015”. Immissionsschutz 04.15, pp 189–191, 2015b; Environ Ecol Res 5(1):45–58, 2017), Germany, demonstrates that these reference solutions are flawed. Main sentence and mass conservation theorem are violated. In various publications and other statements by Trukenmüller et al. (Erwiderung der Kritik von Schenk an AUSTAL2000 in Immissionsschutz 01/2015. Immissionsschutz 03/2015, S. 114–126, 2015); Trukenmüller (Äquivalenz der Referenzlösungen von Schenk und Janicke. Abhandlung Umweltbundesamt Dessau-Rosslau, IBS Archiv, S. 1, 2016; Stellungnahmen Umweltbundesamt vom 10.02.2017 und 23.03.2017. Dessau-Rosslau, IBS Archiv, S. 1–15, 2017), Umweltbundesamt Deutschland, the objections raised by Schenk (AUSTAL2000 ist nicht validiert. Immissionsschutz 01.15, pp 10–21, 2015a; Replik auf den Beitrag “Erwiderung der Kritik von Schenk an AUSTAL2000 in Immissionsschutz 01/2015”. Immissionsschutz 04.15, pp 189–191, 2015b; Environ Ecol Res 5(1):45–58, 2017), Germany, are denied and it is vehemently disputed.ResultsIn this paper, the identified contradictions are analyzed in depth and the results of all studies are summarized. The correct reference solution is specified. The authors of the AUSTAL invoke an allegedly universal agreement {text{F}}_{text{c}} = c_{0} cdot v_{d} , which was approved by Venkatram and Pleim (Atmos Environ 33:3075–3076, 1999), USA; should be justified. However, it turns out to be embarrassing that they can not be read there. Moreover, it is shown that in Venkatram and Pleim (Atmos Environ 33:3075–3076, 1999), USA; described relationship between deposition and sedimentation is not applicable. A correction is required. There is also evidence that because of a lack of physical basics soil concentrations must be calculated in a tricky way. Because of the undisputed importance of the agreement {text{F}}_{text{c}} = c_{0} cdot v_{d} , this relationship is referred to here as the Janicke Convention.ConclusionsIn summary, the author of this paper concludes that the propagation model AUSTAL is not validated and is not suitable for the calculation of pollutant propagation processes. Deposition, sedimentation and immission are calculated incorrectly. One understands by deposition loss and not storage. Statements of importance for health and safety, such as safety analyzes and hazard prevention plans are to be checked with physically justified model developments.