Sensitivity of a complex urban air quality model to input data

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1981)020<1020:SOACUA>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:5811292

Seigneur, C; Tesche, T W; Roth, P M; Reid, L E

In recent years, urban-scale photochemical simulation models have been developed that are of practical value for predicting air quality and analyzing the impacts of alternative emission control strategies. Although the performance of some urban-scale models appears to be acceptable, the demanding data requirements of such models have prompted concern about the costs of data acquistion, which might be high enough to preclude use of photochemical models for many urban areas. To explore this issue, sensitivity studies with the Systems Applications, Inc. (SAI) Airshed Model, a grid-based time-dependent photochemical dispersion model, have been carried out for the Los Angeles basin. Reductions in the amount and quality of meteorological, air quality and emission data, as well as modifications of the model gridded structure, have been analyzed. This paper presents and interprets the results of 22 sensitivity studies. A sensitivity-uncertainty index is defined to rank input data needs for an urban photochemical model. The index takes into account the sensitivity of model predictions to the amount of input data, the costs of data acquistion, and the uncertainties in the air quality model input variables. The results of these sensitivity studies are considered in light of the limitations of specific attributes of the Los Angeles basin and of the modeling conditions (e.g., choice of wind model, length of simulation time). The extent to which the results may be applied to other urban areas also is discussed.

• Research Organization: Systems Applications, Incorporated, San Rafael, CA 94903
• OSTI ID: 5811292
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States) Vol. 20:9; ISSN JAMOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500100* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR QUALITY
CALIFORNIA
CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
LOS ANGELES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SIMULATION
STATISTICAL MODELS
USA
WESTERN REGION