Simple atmospheric models

References:

Barry RG, Chorley RJ (1998) Atmosphere, weather &

climate: 148 ff.
Graedel TE, Crutzen PJ (1994) Chemie der Atmosphäre:
pp. 335–369
Jacob DJ (1999) Introduction to atmospheric chemistry:
pp. 22–39
Seinfeld JH, Pandis SN (1998) Atmospheric chemistry
and physics: pp. 1193–1244
 Simple atmospheric models
Processes to be considered:

Emissions: Anthropogenic – biogenic – geogenic

Chemistry: reactions within atmosphere
Transport: wind related
Deposition: dry – wet – interception – scavenging

Mathematical model
 Elements
of a
mathematical
atmospheric
transport
model

from Seinfeld & Pandis

(1998)
 Model scales

model domain scale (km) Typical resolution

microscale 0.2 x 0.2 x 0.1 0.005 km

mesoscale (urban) 100 x 100 x 5 2 km

regional 1,000 x 1,000 x 10 20 km

synoptic (continental) 3,000 x 3,000 x 20 80 km

global 65,000 x 65,000 x 20 5° x 5°

from Seinfeld & Pandis (1998)

 Lagrange – Euler – Puff

Langrangian model:
Simulation of changes in
chemical composition of an
air parcel on its way
through the atmosphere.
Variable locations and
times; no mass exchange
(trajectories)
Eulerian model:
Simulation of changes
in an array of fixed Puff model:
computation cells. a) Puff embedded in field
Calculation of all with smaller turbulent
locations at all times eddies
b) Puff embedded in larger
eddies
c) Puff in equal sized eddies

after Seinfeld & Pandis (1998)

Box models

Limnology Atmospheric sciences

from Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

 Box model equations (1)
 i  u  i  0   i  
  Si  C i 
 
0 
wv  i    i   wi  i 
t l h
Well mixed box with length l and height h

i species with concentration [i]

after Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

u: air velocity
[i]0: upstream concentration of i
Si: emission source term
Ci: chemical loss or production of i
wv: ventilation (mixing) velocity (exchange with outside)

[i]0: concentration of i above box
wi: surface deposition velocity
 Box model equations (2)
Ci: chemical loss or production of i
C i  Pi  Qi  i 
Pi: production of species
Qi: species chemical lifetime

Pi: production of species

Pi   k jl  j  l   
ji
k j  j kjl: reaction coefficients of species j with l or i with j
ji
l i
kj: photolysis rates by solar radiation

Qi: species chemical lifetime

Qi   k jl  j   k j
j kjl: reaction coefficients of species j with l or i with j
kj: photolysis rates by solar radiation

after Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

Box models
a) 0-dimensional model: concentrations
are equal everywhere, and therefore a
function of time only; ci(t)
b) 1-dimensional column model:
concentrations are functions of height
and time – horizontally homogenous;
ci(z, t)
c) 2-dimensional model: species
concentrations are uniform along one
dimension, variable with time and other
dimension; ci(x, z, t) Often applied for
global models assuming equal conditions
in longitude, but variable in latitude and
altitude
d) 3-dimensional model: most complex
ci(x, y, z, t)

after Seinfeld & Pandis (1998)

 1D-Box column model

Ozone concentration change scenaria – dependent on CFCl3 and Cl2CF2 emissions

after Brühl and Crutzen 1988 in Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

2D-Box regional model

after Graedel and Schiavone 1982 in Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

Ozone concentration (ppbv)
at three times of day (08:00,
12:00, 24:00) within an urban
tropospheric chemistry 2D-
model.
Note development over daily
cycle.
 3D-Box global model
a)
b)

a) Average zonal mixing in October; dependency on latitude and height (conc. in

ppbv).
b) Calculated isoquotes for N2O on September 14, dependent on latitude and
longitude at a scale height of 31 km (conc. in ppbv).

after Mahlmann et al. 1986 in Graedel & Crutzen (1994)

 3D-Box Puff model

Dissipation and concen-

tration changes of the
conservative tracer
Perfluoromethylcyclo-
hexane, emitted over
three hours at a single
point source.
Observations at 86
stations in NE USA
blue line shows
observation results in
10-14 mol tracer mol-1
Black lines: Puff model
calculations
after Brost et al. 1988 in Graedel & Crutzen (1994)
General (Global) Circulation model (GC)
Interactions among relevant physical processes

from Druyan et al. 1975 in Barry & Chorley (1998)

GC model – coupling types

from Meehl 1992 in Barry & Chorley (1998)

Swamp ocean

Mixed layer, slab ocean

Ocean GCM

SST: sea surface temperature

Atmosphere—ocean interaction processes

from NASA in Barry & Chorley (1998)

 3D-GC model

after Saltzman 1983 in Barry & Chorley (1998)

 Statistical models
a) Receptor modelling
a) Chemical mass balance (CMB)
b) Factor analysis
b) Probability distribution for air pollutant concentration
a) Log-normal distribution
b) Non-normal distribution

after Seinfeld & Pandis (1998)

c) Parameter estimation
a) Which is the appropriate distribution?
d) Exceedance of critical levels
e) Other forms of air quality standards
a) Averages
b) maxima
 Critical loads and
levels – decision
pathway

Convention on long-range
transboundary air pollution; Task
force on mapping critical levels/loads
Critical loads and
levels – types of
crit. load maps

Convention on long-range
transboundary air pollution;
Task force on mapping critical
levels/loads