GEM-MACH10: Implementation of a New Version of the Canadian Operational Air Quality Forecast Model for North America
Abstract
GEM-MACH15 has been Environment Canada's operational regional air quality forecast model since November 2009. GEM-MACH15 is a limited-area configuration of GEM-MACH, an on-line chemical transport model that is embedded within GEM, Environment Canada's multi-scale operational weather forecast model. It is run twice daily to produce 48 hour forecasts of hourly O3, PM2.5, and NO2 fields over a North American grid with 15 km horizontal grid spacing, 58 vertical levels from the surface to 0.1 hPa, and a 450 s time step. A new model version, called GEM-MACH10, has been developed for operational implementation. It uses 10 km horizontal grid spacing, 80 vertical levels, a 300 s time step, updated model source code, and updated anthropogenic emissions. The computational cost of GEM-MACH10 is roughly a factor of four larger than that of GEM-MACH15 due to the increased spatial resolution. The improved forecast performance resulting from these changes will be described by means of a number of evaluation metrics and analysis techniques. Some of the challenges encountered in developing this new model version will also be discussed.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.A43E0202P
- Keywords:
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- 0345 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Pollution: urban and regional