An integrated acid rain assessment model for Canada using the RAISON for windows system
- National Water Research Inst., Burlington, Ontario (Canada); and others
Over the past decade, a variety of mathematical models have been developed in Canada and elsewhere to simulate the long-range atmospheric transport, geochemical pathways and ecological impacts of acidifying chemicals such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides. While these models have been applied successfully within disciplinary domains, the solution to environmental issues such as acidification requires the integration of these models across disciplines. In addition, socio-economic constraints, in terms of both the control and damage costs, have to be considered in the same integrated framework, because they are an integral part of the solution. The approach adopted uses the PC/Windows-based environmental information system, RAISON, developed by Environment Canada. The system allows data and model results to be displayed in a Geographical Information System (GIS) format and presented in a tightly linked and interactive system. It offers a generic set of software tools to connect databases, spreadsheets, maps, models, expert systems and optimization procedures. Its strength lies in its ability to meet the needs of team members who want to bring simple to complex disciplinary models into the Integrated Assessment Model (IAM). There are three general ways of incorporating component models: (a) connect the model {open_quotes}as is{close_quotes} to the IAM, (b) replace the model with a simpler version such as an input-output model and (c) rewrite the entire code in the RAISON system. We have been successful with all three approaches, as circumstances dictated. For example, wildlife and fishery ecological models were used {open_quotes}as is{close_quotes} by directly linking their input and output files to RAISON; a complex air pollutant trajectory model was modified to a much shorter source-receptor version; and steady-state geochemical models were completely rewritten.
- OSTI ID:
- 466065
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9606185-; TRN: 96:005931-0014
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. international conference on atmospheric sciences and applications to air quality, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-20 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of The 5th international atmospheric sciences and applications to air quality conference; PB: 322 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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