Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 5 2 2005 10.5194/acpd-5-1797-2005 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/5/1797/2005/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/5/1797/2005/acpd-5-1797-2005.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/5/1797/2005/acpd-5-1797-2005.pdf 1797 1828 2005-03-21 Modelling photochemistry in alpine valleys G. Brulfert C. Chemel E. Chaxel J. P. Chollet Laboratory of Geophysical and industrial Fluid Flows, University J. Fourier, INP Grenoble, CNRS, BP53, 38041 Grenoble cedex, France Road traffic is a serious problem in the Chamonix Valley, France: traffic, noise and above all air pollution worry the inhabitants. The big fire in the Mont-Blanc tunnel made it possible, in the framework of the POVA project (POllution in Alpine Valleys), to undertake measurement campaigns with and without heavy-vehicle traffic through the valley, towards Italy (before and after the tunnel re-opening). Modelling in POVA should make it possible to explain the processes leading to episodes of atmospheric pollution, both in summer and in winter. <br><br> Atmospheric prediction model ARPS 4.5.2 (Advanced Regional Prediction System), developed at the CAPS (Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms) of the University of Oklahoma, enables to resolve the dynamics above a complex terrain. <br><br> This model is coupled to the TAPOM 1.5.2 atmospheric chemistry (Transport and Air POllution Model) code developed at the Air and Soil Pollution Laboratory of the Ecole Polytechnique F&#233;d&#233;rale de Lausanne. <br><br> The numerical codes MM5 and CHIMERE are used to compute large scale boundary forcing. <br><br> Using 300-m grid cells to calculate the dynamics and the reactive chemistry makes possible to accurately represent the dynamics in the valley (slope and valley winds) and to process chemistry at fine scale. <br><br> Validation of campaign days allows to study chemistry indicators in the valley. NO<sub>y</sub> according to O<sub>3</sub> reduction demonstrates a VOC controlled regime, different from the NO<sub>x</sub> controlled regime expected and observed in the nearby city of Grenoble.