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Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 3695-3730, 2012
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/12/3695/2012/ doi:10.5194/acpd-12-3695-2012 © Author(s) 2012. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. |
Regional air-quality forecasting for the Pacific Northwest using MOPITT/TERRA assimilated carbon monoxide MOZART-4 forecasts as a near real-time boundary condition
1Washington State University, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Washington, USA
2National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
Abstract. Results from a regional air quality forecast model, AIRPACT-3, were compared to AIRS carbon monoxide column densities for the spring of 2010 over the Pacific Northwest. AIRPACT-3 column densities showed high correlation (R>0.9) but were significantly biased (~25 %) with significant under-predictions for spring months with significant transport from Asia. The AIRPACT-3 CO bias relative to AIRS was eliminated by incorporating dynamic boundary conditions derived from NCAR's MOZART forecasts with assimilated MOPITT carbon monoxide. Changes in ozone-related boundary conditions derived from MOZART forecasts are also discussed and found to affect background levels by ±10 ppb but not found to significantly affect peak ozone surface concentrations.
Citation: Herron-Thorpe, F. L., Mount, G. H., Emmons, L. K., Lamb, B. K., Chung, S. H., and Vaughan, J. K.: Regional air-quality forecasting for the Pacific Northwest using MOPITT/TERRA assimilated carbon monoxide MOZART-4 forecasts as a near real-time boundary condition, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 3695-3730, doi:10.5194/acpd-12-3695-2012, 2012.