Background and the Activities of  
  Working Group 2
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Air quality research at the FMI.

Last update:
January 3rd 2003



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background

Urban pollution meteorology is characterised by a number of fundamental parameters and their evolution in time, which all have specific problems as to their monitoring, representativeness, parameterisation and modelling. 
Within COST-715, WG2 addresses the specific problems in describing the surface energy balance and the mixing height. The surface energy balance and the surface temperature and heat fluxes determine the hydrostatic stability conditions in the lower atmosphere and regulate its strength for mixing pollutants, the mixing height parameter determines the available volume for pollutants mixing.

The activities of WG2:

  1. To review theoretical concepts of the structure of the urban boundary layer.
  2. To review and assess pre-processors, schemes and models for determining the mixing height, the surface energy budget and the stability that are available to the participants. Cases of strong stability and/or windless conditions are of special interest.
  3. To review theoretical models together with available field measurements and LES for calculation of the minimum friction velocity and the heat transfer coefficient. Conditions of shear free convection over high roughness are of main importance
  4. To identify and review suitable data sets within and outside the group that could be used to test and validate the pre-processors and models.
  5. To carry out intercomparisons and to summarise comparisons of different schemes against each other and against data under specific conditions.
  6. To assess the influence of the model outputs of certain specific effects such as complex topography, strong heterogeneity, slope effects and canopy trapping on radiative fluxes.
  7. To assess the suitability of remote sensing tools to estimate canopy characteristics and surface fluxes.
  8. To provide recommendations for the improvement of existing pre-processors and models and for the development of new schemes.
  9. To provide recommendations for planning and conducting field campaigns in order to fill the important existing gaps for empirical data of key parameters for urban air pollution.
  10. To promote co-ordination of related activities in Europe of presently scattered works, objectives, and responsibilities.



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What is the FMI ?
Air quality research at the FMI.

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