16/11/2020 AERMOD - Wikipedia

AERMOD
The AERMOD atmospheric dispersion modeling system is an integrated system that includes three
modules:[1][2][3]

Modelization result using AERMOD

A steady-state dispersion model designed for short-range (up to 50 kilometers) dispersion of air
pollutant emissions from stationary industrial sources.

A meteorological data preprocessor (AERMET) that accepts surface meteorological data, upper air
soundings, and optionally, data from on-site instrument towers. It then calculates atmospheric
parameters needed by the dispersion model, such as atmospheric turbulence characteristics,
mixing heights, friction velocity, Monin-Obukov length and surface heat flux.

A terrain preprocessor (AERMAP) whose main purpose is to provide a physical relationship

between terrain features and the behavior of air pollution plumes. It generates location and
height data for each receptor location. It also provides information that allows the dispersion
model to simulate the effects of air flowing over hills or splitting to flow around hills.

AERMOD also includes PRIME (Plume Rise Model Enhancements) [4] which is an algorithm for
modeling the effects of downwash created by the pollution plume flowing over nearby buildings.

History of the development of AERMOD

AERMOD was developed by the AERMIC (American Meteorological Society (AMS)/United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulatory Model Improvement Committee), a collaborative
working group of scientists from the AMS and the EPA.[1] The AERMIC was initially formed in 1991.

The AERMIC developed AERMOD in seven steps:

Initial model formulation

Developmental evaluation

Internal peer review and beta testing

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Revised model formulation

Performance evaluation and sensitivity testing

External peer review

Submission to the EPA for consideration as a regulatory model.

On April 21 of 2000, the EPA proposed that AERMOD be adopted as the EPA's preferred regulatory
model for both simple and complex terrain.[5] On November 9 of 2005, AERMOD was adopted by
the EPA and promulgated as their preferred regulatory model, effective as of December 9 of 2005.[6]
The entire developmental and adoption process took 14 years (from 1991 to 2005).

Features and capabilities of AERMOD

Some of the primary features and capabilities of AERMOD are:[2][7][8]

Source types: Multiple point, area and volume sources

Source releases: Surface, near surface and elevated sources

Source locations: Urban or rural locations. Urban effects are scaled by population.

Plume types: Continuous, buoyant plumes

Plume deposition: Dry or wet deposition of particulates and/or gases

Plume dispersion treatment: Gaussian model treatment in horizontal and in vertical for stable
atmospheres. Non-Gaussian treatment in vertical for unstable atmospheres

Terrain types: Simple or complex terrain

Building effects: Handled by PRIME downwash algorithms

Meteorology data height levels: Accepts meteorology data from multiple heights

Meteorological data profiles: Vertical profiles of wind, turbulence and temperature are created

See also

Air pollution dispersion terminology

Atmospheric dispersion modeling

Bibliography of atmospheric dispersion modeling

List of atmospheric dispersion models

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Useful conversions and formulas for air dispersion modeling

References

1. AERMOD:Description of Model Formulation

2. Prater, E.T. and Midgley, C., A new air dispersion modeling system is helping create more
accurate industrial source models, Environmental Protection, Vol. 17, No. 3, Stevens Publishing

3. Brode, R.W., AERMOD Technical Forum, EPA R/S/L Modelers Workshop , San Diego, California,
April 16, 2006

4. Development and Evaluation of the PRIME Plume Rise and Building Downwash Model

5. Federal Register: April 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 78) Proposed Rule

6. Federal Register: November 9, 2006 (Volume 70, Number 216) Archived November 5, 2006,
at the Wayback Machine Final Rule

7. AERMOD:Latest Features and Evaluation Results (EPA-454/R-03-003)

8. McVehil-Monnet Associates Air Quality Newsletter

Further reading

For those who are unfamiliar with air pollution dispersion modelling and would like to learn more
about the subject, it is suggested that either one of the following books be read:

Turner, D.B. (1994). Workbook of atmospheric dispersion estimates: an introduction to dispersion

modeling (2nd ed.). CRC Press. ISBN 1-56670-023-X. www.crcpress.com

Beychok, M.R. (2005). Fundamentals Of Stack Gas Dispersion (4th ed.). self-published. ISBN 0-
9644588-0-2. www.air-dispersion.com

De Visscher, Alex (2014). Air Dispersion Modeling, foundations and applications (1st ed.). Wiley.
ISBN 978-1-118-07859-4. [1]

External links

The EPA's download site for AERMOD (Model code, User's Guide and other material)

Brode, R.W., Implementation and Evaluation of the AERMOD-PRIME Model (AMS Conference,
May 21, 2002)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AERMOD 3/3