Validation of a 3-D hemispheric nested air pollution model

Abstract. Several air pollution transport models have been developed at the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark over the last decade (DREAM, DEHM, ACDEP and DEOM). A new 3-D nested Eulerian transport-chemistry model: REGIonal high resolutioN Air pollution model (REGINA) is based on modules and parameterisations from these models as well as new methods.

The model covers the majority of the Northern Hemisphere with currently one nest implemented. The horizontal resolution in the mother domain is 150 km × 150 km, and the nesting factor is three. A chemical scheme (originally 51 species) has been extended with a detailed description of the ammonia chemistry and implemented in the model. The mesoscale numerical weather prediction model MM5v2 is used as meteorological driver for the model. The concentrations of air pollutants, such as sulphur and nitrogen in various forms, have been calculated, applying zero nesting and one nest. The model setup is currently being validated by comparing calculated values of concentrations to measurements from approximately 100 stations included in the European Monitoring and Evalutation Programme (EMEP).

The present paper describes the physical processes and parameterisations of the model together with the modifications of the chemical scheme. Validation of the model calculations by comparison to EMEP measurements for a summer and a winter month is shown and discussed. Furthermore, results from a sensitivity study of the model performance with respect to resolution in emission and meteorology input data is presented. Finally the future prospects of the model are discussed.

The overall validation shows that the model performs well with respect to correlation for both monthly and daily mean values.