Abstract
The MM5-CHIMERE regional modelling system is implemented over Italy and validated against available ground-based observations of atmospheric composition in summer. MM5 meteorological model is run on two nested domain covering Europe and Italy at respectively 36 and 12 km horizontal resolution. CHIMERE chemistry transport model is used to simulate gas and aerosol composition on the two domains at 0.5° and 0.15° horizontal resolution. Anthropogenic hourly emissions of primary pollutants over Italy are derived from the CTN-ACE inventory developed by national environmental agencies. Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions are calculated with MEGAN model driven by MM5 radiation and temperature fields. Ozone (O3) daily maxima are simulated with good correlation (0.76) and overestimated by 10%. Model overestimation decreases with increasing observed O3, while correlation increases. PM10 is underestimated by 30–40% and reproduced with a correlation >0.5. Over Italy, the model capture enhanced level of O3, but not that of PM. Model skills in the 3-day ahead forecast do not degrade rapidly. Graphical output of forecast is operationally available on the ForeChem web site: http://pumpkin.aquila.infn.it/forechem/.
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Acknowledgments
The work is part of the Pilot Project QUITSAT, funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), contract I/035/06/0 – http://www.quitsat.it.
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Curci, G. (2011). An Air Quality Forecasting Tool over Italy (ForeChem). In: Steyn, D., Trini Castelli, S. (eds) Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXI. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1359-8_67
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1359-8_67
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