ARL News

NOAA Division at U.S. EPA to Sponsor Air Quality Model Evaluation Workshop

May 3, 2007

NOAA’s Atmospheric Sciences Modeling Division of ARL, located at U.S. EPA, in conjunction with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) is sponsoring a Workshop on the Evaluation of Regional-Scale Air Quality Modeling Systems in Research Triangle Park, NC during August 7-8, 2007. Regional-scale models are being used in the air quality management process and for forecasting air quality. To build confidence in the model predictions, these models need to be critically evaluated to assess whether they are properly simulating the spatial and temporal features imbedded in the observations on the scale to which the model is resolved, as well as to assess whether the physical and chemical processes are simulated correctly in the model, leading to proper model response to changes in meteorology and/or emissions. The Workshop will include keynote speakers, and panel and small group discussions on meteorological model evaluation for air quality, atmospheric chemistry and aerosol diagnostic evaluation methods, and new emerging evaluation techniques. It is anticipated that a white paper describing the Workshop findings and recommendations regarding the best methods for assessing model performance will be developed for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Contact information:
S. T. Rao
Phone: (919) 541-4542
e-mail: st.rao@noaa.gov