Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment

Abstract Fine particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen oxides are forecasted using a three-dimensional atmospheric meteorology-chemistry model (WRF-Chem) and a triple-nesting configuration over the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula focusing on the hot desert climate of Qatar. We analyze the impact...

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Main Authors: Christos Fountoukis, Yasir Mohieldeen, Luis Pomares, Ivan Gladich, Azhar Siddique, Adam Skillern, Mohammed A. Ayoub
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2022-04-01
Series:Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220001
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author Christos Fountoukis
Yasir Mohieldeen
Luis Pomares
Ivan Gladich
Azhar Siddique
Adam Skillern
Mohammed A. Ayoub
author_facet Christos Fountoukis
Yasir Mohieldeen
Luis Pomares
Ivan Gladich
Azhar Siddique
Adam Skillern
Mohammed A. Ayoub
author_sort Christos Fountoukis
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Fine particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen oxides are forecasted using a three-dimensional atmospheric meteorology-chemistry model (WRF-Chem) and a triple-nesting configuration over the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula focusing on the hot desert climate of Qatar. We analyze the impact of a local anthropogenic emission inventory (EI) on model predictions, compared to the most commonly used EDGAR global emissions. The model’s forecast accuracy was assessed against measurement data from five ground air quality monitoring stations in the greater metropolitan area of Doha over a one-month period. The footprint of the Doha metropolitan area on the geographical distribution of the anthropogenic emissions is much more realistically represented in the new version of emissions, which includes major differences in the magnitude of emission rates, locally, compared to the base case. The use of the local emissions allowed for a significant improvement in the representation of air quality levels in the city. The overall forecast error decreased from –51% to 8% for PM2.5 and from –88% to 20% for NOx while a significant improvement was observed in the diurnal profile of predicted ozone. The ability of the model to forecast the air quality health index in this urban, coastal, hot desert climate is encouraging for future applications of this modeling platform as an early warning system (EWS).
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institution Kabale University
issn 1680-8584
2071-1409
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publishDate 2022-04-01
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series Aerosol and Air Quality Research
spelling doaj-art-871b5fe43a0a44c982ab3a12c571e8782025-02-09T12:17:15ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092022-04-0122611510.4209/aaqr.220001Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert EnvironmentChristos Fountoukis0Yasir Mohieldeen1Luis Pomares2Ivan Gladich3Azhar Siddique4Adam Skillern5Mohammed A. Ayoub6Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationQatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationAbstract Fine particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen oxides are forecasted using a three-dimensional atmospheric meteorology-chemistry model (WRF-Chem) and a triple-nesting configuration over the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula focusing on the hot desert climate of Qatar. We analyze the impact of a local anthropogenic emission inventory (EI) on model predictions, compared to the most commonly used EDGAR global emissions. The model’s forecast accuracy was assessed against measurement data from five ground air quality monitoring stations in the greater metropolitan area of Doha over a one-month period. The footprint of the Doha metropolitan area on the geographical distribution of the anthropogenic emissions is much more realistically represented in the new version of emissions, which includes major differences in the magnitude of emission rates, locally, compared to the base case. The use of the local emissions allowed for a significant improvement in the representation of air quality levels in the city. The overall forecast error decreased from –51% to 8% for PM2.5 and from –88% to 20% for NOx while a significant improvement was observed in the diurnal profile of predicted ozone. The ability of the model to forecast the air quality health index in this urban, coastal, hot desert climate is encouraging for future applications of this modeling platform as an early warning system (EWS).https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220001WRF-ChemArabian desertPM2.5EDGAR emissions
spellingShingle Christos Fountoukis
Yasir Mohieldeen
Luis Pomares
Ivan Gladich
Azhar Siddique
Adam Skillern
Mohammed A. Ayoub
Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
Aerosol and Air Quality Research
WRF-Chem
Arabian desert
PM2.5
EDGAR emissions
title Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
title_full Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
title_fullStr Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
title_short Assessment of High-resolution Local Emissions and Land-use in Air Quality Forecasting at an Urban, Coastal, Desert Environment
title_sort assessment of high resolution local emissions and land use in air quality forecasting at an urban coastal desert environment
topic WRF-Chem
Arabian desert
PM2.5
EDGAR emissions
url https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220001
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