An assessment model for sulfur in Asian megacities
- Univ. of Milano (Italy)
- Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (United States)
Concern about urban air quality problems in large Asian cities is growing due to high pollution levels combined with substantial population increase and rapid economic growth. The number of people exposed to concentrations exceeding WHO guidelines is large, and in most of the cases major urban areas generate also a substantial portion of pollutants responsible of regional environmental degradation. A preliminary modeling study on Southeast Asian megacities has been initiated, in the frame of RAINS-Asia project, sponsored by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other Asian and international institutions. The purpose is to provide the modeling support to evaluate health problems in major urban areas and their surroundings, coherently within an integrated assessment of acidification in the whole region. As a first step, a Lagrangian multi-level trajectory model (UR-BAT) has so been set up, simulating transport and diffusion of sulfur near urban areas. Emissions from area and largest point sources are considered, placed in a proper vertical layer and transported by the corresponding wind. Vertical mass exchange among layers is also taken into account, according to meteorological and day/night conditions. Preliminary long-term simulations of ambient concentrations at the resolution needed for health effects assessment have been performed for a few megacities by using available emission figures. Model results and comparison with monitoring data will be illustrated in the full paper.
- OSTI ID:
- 466061
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9606185--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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