Air quality simulations for London using a coupled regional-to-local modelling system

Hood, Christina; MacKenzie, Ian; Stocker, Jenny; Johnson, Kate; Carruthers, David; Vieno, Massimo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7741-9377; Doherty, Ruth. 2018 Air quality simulations for London using a coupled regional-to-local modelling system. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 18 (15). 11221-11245. 10.5194/acp-18-11221-2018

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Abstract/Summary

A coupled regional-to-local modelling system comprising a regional chemistry–climate model with 5km horizontal resolution (EMEP4UK) and an urban dispersion and chemistry model with explicit road source emissions (ADMS-Urban) has been used to simulate air quality in 2012 across London. The study makes use of emission factors for NOx and NO2 and non-exhaust emission rates of PM10 and PM2.5 which have been adjusted compared to standard factors to reflect real-world emissions, with increases in total emissions of around 30% for these species. The performance of the coupled model and each of the two component models is assessed against measurements from background and near-road sites in London using a range of metrics concerning annual averages, high hourly average concentrations and diurnal cycles. The regional model shows good performance compared to measurements for background sites for these metrics, but under-predicts concentrations of all pollutants except O3 at near-road sites due to the low resolution of input emissions and calculations. The coupled model shows good performance at both background and near-road sites, which is broadly comparable with that of the urban model that uses measured concentrations as regional background, except for PM2.5 where the under-prediction of the regional model causes the coupled model to also under-predict concentrations. Using the coupled model, it is estimated that 13% of the area of London exceeded the EU limit value of 40µgm−3 for annual average NO2 in 2012, whilst areas of exceedances of the annual average limit values of 40 and 25µgm−3 for PM10 and PM2.5 respectively were negligible.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.5194/acp-18-11221-2018
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	1680-7316
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	14 Aug 2018 11:53 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520701

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