Atmospheric Modeling Group

Project MOHAVE:
Measurement of Haze and Visibility Experiment

TITLE:Comparison between the Predicted Tracer Trajectories and Observed Tracer Concenterations in Summer 1992
P.I.:Darko Koracin
Sponsor:ENSR - Southern California Edsion
Duration:1996 - 1997

The main objective of the program was to investigate and identify possible short- and long-term transport and dispersion of atmospheric pollutants from major urban areas and industrial sources to the Grand Canyon and its vicinity. We have developed a method that utilizes tracer measurements to compare and evaluate wind fields as predicted by different atmospheric models or obtained from interpolation and extrapolation of measurements.

A cost function, tracer potential, is defined to account for separation between each segment of the simulated or measurement-derived trajectory and each of the tracer receptors, as well as for the magnitude of the tracer concentration. Since the success of a wind field trajectory is directly proportional to the magnitude of tracer concentration and inversely proportional to the distance from this concentration, this cost function resembles a general expression for a physical potential.


Streamlines at 200m AGL Simulated by MM5
Cross Section Showing Winds Simulated by MM5

Contact: model@dri.edu

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