Monte Carlo simulation of daily regional sulfur distribution: Comparison with SURE sulfate data and visual range observations during August 1977

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1981)020<0404:MCSODR>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6193455

Patterson, D E; Husar, R B; Wilson, W E; Smith, L F

The daily distribution of sulfate concentration over the eastern United States during August 1977 is simulated by a Monte Carlo model using quantized emissions, positioned in accordance with the 1973 EPA SO/sub 2/ emission inventory. Horizontal advection within a single well-mixed vertical layer is driven by observed surface winds, speeded by a factor of 2.5 and veered 20/sup 0/. Direct simulation of regional diffusion is implemented by random perturbation of each quantum's trajectory over each 3 h time step, corresponding to K = 10/sup 5/ m/sup 2/ s/sup -1/. First order kinetics of SO/sub 2/ to SO/sub 4//sup transformation and deposition of SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4//sup are simulated by probabilistic choice among the chemical and physical pathways over each step. The simulated spatial distributions are compared on a daily basis to measured sulfate concentration from the Sulfate Regional Experiment (SURE) and midday visual range observations, indicating the primary role of airmass residence time over the eastern United States in producing regional pollution. The light extinction coefficient, b/sub ext/ and SURE SO/sub 4//sup show remarkable spatial and temporal agreement throughout the month. The correlations of daily average SO/sub 4//sup concentration and b/sub ext/ over the SURE region with the Monte Carlo simulation are 0.63 and 0.67, respectively. The correlation between daily average b/sub ext/ and measured SO/sub 4//sup is 0.84.

• Research Organization: Center for Air Pollution Impact and Trend Analysis (CAPITA), Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
• OSTI ID: 6193455
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States), Vol. 20:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CENTRAL REGION
AIR POLLUTION
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
SULFATES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ADVECTION
CORRELATIONS
DIFFUSION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
QUANTITY RATIO
SULFUR DIOXIDE
TRAJECTORIES
WIND
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport- (-1989)