Applications of a Global Atmospheric Model to Analyze ACP Measurement Campaigns and Assess Energy Use Impacts on Tropospheric Oxidants

C.S. Atherton
Atmospheric Science Division
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
L-103
P.O. Box 808
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 422-1825
fax 925-423-4908
atherton2@llnl.gov

We are using our global, three-dimensional, atmospheric chemistry model, IMPACT, to analyze how energy use affects the concentrations of key tropospheric species, including ozone (O3), hydroxyl radical (OH) and others. We are interpreting observations and simulating present and future global oxidant distributions.

IMPACT contains both a prognostic stratosphere and troposphere. This allows it to realistically simulate the two most important sources of tropospheric ozone: in-situ photochemical production and transport from the stratosphere. IMPACT can be "driven" by actual analyzed meteorology or "climatologically-averaged" meteorology (for example, from a General Circulation Model, GCM). Using analyzed meteorology allows us to directly simulate and interpret results from field measurement programs. Using climatologically averaged meteorology allows us to simulate past, current, and future energy use scenarios.

Our current work consists of:

  1. Applying IMPACT to analyze and interpret results from measurement campaigns (DOE/ACP, as well as NOAA, NCAR, and others).
  2. Using IMPACT to provide background concentrations, initial conditions, and inflow boundary conditions for use by other scale models (urban, regional, continental) within the DOE/ACP program.
  3. Conducting IMPACT simulations to predict how tropospheric species will be impacted by:
  1. reducing energy use emissions,
  2. increasing energy use emissions (future scenarios without controls), and
  3. redistributing energy use emissions.

IMPACT is a useful tool to understand and interpret results from current measurement campaigns, as well as predicting future atmospheric composition.

 

Some further information can be found in the viewgraphs from a presentation at the Atmospheric Sciences Program Annual Meeting held in February 2001. Additional information can be found in the viewgraphs from a presentation at the Atmospheric Sciences Program Annual Meeting held in March 2002.