Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling
Atmospheric Dispersion Models
Contact
Silvia Trini Castelli
MILORD
MILORD is a 3-D long-range Lagrangian particle model. Transport and dispersion of pollutants or tracers are simulated by following the trajectories of virtual particles, each representing a finite mass and/or activity of the substance considered, in a three dimensional wind field (ECMWF analyses). Diffusion due to turbulence is prescribed by integrating the Langevin equation for displacement. Depletion of the mass particle by dry and wet deposition and radioactive decay or chemical transformation are accounted for by exponential reduction equations. A post-processing analysis package allows calculating concentration and deposition over specific locations or over a grid. The model is designed to work requiring the minimum information available from typical data sets: topography, 3-D wind at standard pressure levels and precipitation. It can use any kind of gridded input data, having any time and space resolution and source configuration. It is able to treat area, line or point sources, time and space depending emissions, where a plume rise can be assigned.
SPRAY
SPRAY is a three dimensional model designed to simulate the airborne pollutant dispersion, able to take into account the spatial and temporal inhomogeneities of both the mean flow and turbulence. Concentration fields generated by point, areal or volume sources can be simulated by the model. The trajectory of the airborne pollutant is simulated through virtual particles: the mean motion is defined by the local wind and the dispersion is determined solving the Langevin stochastic differential equations for the velocity fluctuations, reproducing the statistical characteristics of the turbulent flow. Different portions of the emitted plumes can therefore experience different atmospheric conditions, allowing realistic reproductions of complex phenomena, such as low wind-speed conditions, strong temperature inversions, flow over topography, landuse and terrain variability. ISAC-Torino has a long-term collaboration with Arianet srl in Spray development: Spray is now a commercial model licensed by Arianet. Spray can be driven by a diagnostic mass-consistent model (SWIFT, developed at Aria Technologies, Paris) and by the atmospheric model RAMS (in the modelling suite RMS developed at ISAC-Torino).
RMS and MicroRMS
RMS and MicroRMS are modelling suites composed by the known atmospheric model RAMS, the boundary-layer parameterization code MIRS and the Lagrangian particle model (Micro)Spray. MIRS (Model for Interfacing RAMS and SPRAY) processes the meteorological RAMS output fields or, alternatively, other kinds of data fields deriving by observations or diagnostic models, then calculates the boundary-layer quantities and the Lagrangian turbulence fields. In our suites, RAMS has been modified including alternative turbulence closure schemes, also for specific simulations at the microscale (RAMS6_Mod). MicroRMS is the microscale version of RMS suitable for the simulation of the flow and dispersion at high spatial resolution (order of 1 m) in presence of obstacles and buildings. In MicroRMS, MIRS is specifically modified to process and transfer the information about the presence of the obstacles as used in RAMS to the approach implemented in MicroSPRAY
MicroSpray
MicroSpray is a microscale Lagrangian particle model derived from SPRAY code and able to take into account the presence of obstacles. Microspray is especially oriented to deal with gas dispersion in urban environment and industrial sites. It is a flexible tool including the treatment of several features: plume without initial momentum and with initially arbitrarily oriented momentum, negative or positive buoyancy, elevated and ground level emissions, instantaneous and continuous emissions, time varying sources, cloud spread at the ground due to gravity, bouncing against obstacles and particle reflection at the domain bottom in presence of a dense cloud. Modules treating the phase changes liquid – vapour that may occur at the source, and the latent heat processes in the dispersing cloud, such as aerosol evaporation, have been recently implemented. MicroSPRAY is applied in the frames of MSS (MicroSwift-Spray) and MicroRMS (RAMS-MIRS-SPRAY) modelling systems.
SPRAY-WEB
SPRAY-WEB is the research-version of the Lagrangian particle model SPRAY. A consortium has been established and the partners consider of general utility that the model SPRAY could be made available to a wider researcher community, which contributes to its development, update and to a more disseminated use for environmental problems. SPRAY-WEB is particularly suitable for studying the atmospheric pollution processes under complex meteorological and orographic conditions (typical of the Italian regions), avoiding the impact assessment errors obtained by more simplified models, which are not able to reproduce the dispersion under non-stationary and non-uniform conditions. The model can then be effectively used both in the impact assessment of plants and infrastructures and in the analysis of very severe configurations in terms of air quality alteration (e.g., urban centres, industrial sites, …). The complexity of the atmospheric dispersion makes necessary the continuous improvement of the algorithms implemented. The partners (called “developers”) are responsible for intervening and maintaining the code; they have personnel suitable for orienting and verifying the developments which might be useful and necessary. SPRAY-WEB site is at http://sprayweb.isac.cnr.it/
SMART
SMART – Spray-Moloch Atmospheric Regional Tool
A new modelling system, SMART, is under development for the simulation of the dispersion by accidental releases of pollutant in the atmosphere. It can be applied also for the assessment of continuous releases from known sources. In the new modelling suite SMART, the non-hydrostatic atmospheric model MOLOCH and the Lagrangian stochastic dispersion model SPRAY are interfaced by the boundary-layer and turbulence parameterization code ARAMIS (Atmospheric Regional Algorithm for Moloch Interfaced to Spray).
Based on the MOLOCH meteorological forecasts, ARAMIS and SPRAY models can be run to simulate the pollutant dispersion and to forecast affected areas and ground-level concentration patterns.
SMART is planned to be adopted as a tool for emergency response purposes in any part of the Italian territory at any time.
References
MILORD: Long range simulation of transport, dispersion and deposition (radioactive decay or first order chemical reactions are included) of tracers for continuous or accidental releases. Typical simulations cover regional to long-range area scale, from hundreds to thousand kilometres, and time period ranging from one day to months
- Ferrarese S. and Trini Castelli S., 2019. Detection of CO2 source areas using two Lagrangian particle dispersion models, at regional scale and long range. Proceedings of the 19th Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes, Bruges, Belgium, 3-6 June 2019, 5 pages
- Boetti M., Trini Castelli S., Ferrero E., 2018. Reviving MILORD long-range model for simulating the dispersion of the release during Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Chapter 62 in Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXV, C. Mensink and G. Kallos (eds.) Springer Proceedings in Complexity, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 387-391
- Trini Castelli S., 2012. MILORD – reload. Model for the Investigation of Long Range Dispersion. Internal Report ISAC-TO/02-2012, 10 September 2012, pages 28
- Anfossi D., S. Trini Castelli, E. Ferrero, G. Tinarelli, 1998. Results of MILORD simulations of ETEX-I. ATMES II – Evaluation of Long-range Dispersion Models using 1st ETEX Release. S. Mosca, R. Bianconi, R. Bellasio, G. Graziani and W. Klug editors. EUR 17756 EN, 519-522
- Desiato F., D.Anfossi, S. Trini Castelli, E. Ferrero, G. Tinarelli, 1998. The role of wind field, mixing height and horizontal diffusion investigated through two Lagrangian particle models. Atmospheric Environment, 32, 4157-4165
- Desiato F., D.Anfossi, S. Trini Castelli, E. Ferrero, G. Tinarelli, 1998 Intercomparison of two Lagrangian particle models with ETEX tracer data. Air Pollution Modelling and its Applications XII, S.E. Gryning and N. Chaumerliac eds., Plenum Press, New York, 267-273
- Anfossi D., F. Desiato, S. Trini Castelli, E. Ferrero, G. Tinarelli, 1997. The role of horizontal diffusion and mixing height parameterization in the ETEX long-range dispersion modelling. Proceedings of ETEX Symposium on Long-range Atmospheric Transport, Model Verification and Emergency Response, Vienna (Austria), 13-16 May, 1997, 187-190
- Anfossi D., Sacchetti D., Trini Castelli S., 1995. Development and Sensitivity Analysis of a Lagrangian Particle Model for Long Range Dispersion. Environmental Software
SPRAY: Simulation of the dispersion of airborne pollutants through the stochastic motion of virtual particles in the turbulent atmospheric flow in complex topography, from the local scale (1 to 5 km) to the mesoscale (100 km).
- Trini Castelli S., Tinarelli G., Uboldi F., Malguzzi P., Bonasoni P., 2021. Developments of SPRAY Lagrangian particle dispersion model for tracing the origin of odour nuisance. In Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXVIII, C. Mensink and O. Jorba Casellas (eds.) Springer Proceedings in Complexity, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, in press
- Trini Castelli S., Tinarelli G., Mortarini L., Radice P., Carlino G., Pozzi C., Anfossi D., 2018, Modelling the dispersion of ship emissions in different scenarios and sensitivity analysis. Chapter 42 in Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXV, C. Mensink and G. Kallos (eds.) Springer Proceedings in Complexity, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 269-274
- Anfossi D., Alessandrini S., Trini Castelli S., Ferrero E., Oettl D. and Degrazia G., 2006. Tracer dispersion simulation in low wind speed conditions with a new 2-D Langevin equation system. Atmospheric Environment, 40 (37)
- Tinarelli G., Anfossi D., Bider M., Ferrero E. and Trini Castelli S., 2000. A new high performance version of the Lagrangian particle dispersion model SPRAY, some case studies. Air Pollution Modelling and its Application XIII, Gryning S.E.and Batchvarova E. Eds., Plenum Press, New York, 23, 499-506. ISBN: 0-306-46188-9
- Tinarelli G., Anfossi D., Brusasca G., Ferrero E., Giostra U., Morselli M.G., Moussafir J., Tampieri F., Trombetti F., 1994. Lagrangian particle simulation of tracer dispersion in the lee of a schematic two-dimensional hill. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 33, N. 6, 744-756.
- Anfossi D., Ferrero E., Brusasca G., Marzorati A., Tinarelli G., 1993. A simple way of computing buoyant plume rise in Lagrangian stocastic dispersion models. Atmospheric Environment 27A, 1443-1451.
- Tinarelli G., Giostra U., Ferrero E., Tampieri F., Anfossi D., Brusasca G., Trombetti F., 1992. SPRAY, a 3-D particle model for complex terrain dispersion. Proc. of 10th Symposium on Turbulence and Diffusion, American Meteorological Society, Portland, Oregon (USA), 29-Sept. – 2 Oct, P2.9, 147-150.
- Brusasca G., Tinarelli G., Anfossi D. 1992. Particle model simulation of diffusion in low windspeed stable conditions. Atmospheric Environment 26, 707-723.
MicroSPRAY: Simulation of the dispersion of airborne pollutants trough the stochastic motion of virtual particles in the turbulent atmospheric flow in complex topography and presence of obstacles at the microscale (100 m, up to 1 km), for buoyant or non-buoyant release.
- Carissimo B., Trini Castelli S., Tinarelli G, 2021. JRII Special sonic anemometer study: a first comparison of building wakes measurements with simple and high resolution numerical modelling. Atmospheric Environment Special Issue “Comparison of Widely-Used Dense Gas Dispersion Models using Observations from the 2015-2016 Jack Rabbit II Field Experiment”, 244:117798
- Tinarelli G.L., Trini Castelli S., 2019. Assessment of the sensitivity to the input condition with a Lagrangian Particle Model in UDINEE Project. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 171(3), 491-512
- Trini Castelli S., Armand P., Tinarelli G., Duchenne C., Nibart M., 2018. Validation of a Lagrangian particle dispersion model with wind tunnel and field experiments in urban environment. Atmospheric Environment, 193, 273-289
- Mortarini L., Tinarelli G., Trini Castelli S., Carlino G., Anfossi D., 2014. Two-Phase Accidental Dense Gas Releases Simulations with the Lagrangian Particle Model Microspray Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXIII, D.G. Steyn and R. Mathur Eds., Springer Publishers, 367-371
- Tinarelli G., Mortarini L., Trini Castelli S., Carlino G., Moussafir J., Olry C., Armand P. and Anfossi D., 2012. Review and Validation of MicroSpray, a Lagrangian Particle Model of Turbulent. In: Dispersion Lagrangian Modeling of the Atmosphere, AGU Geophysical Monograph, Lin J.C., D. Brunner, C. Gerbig, A. Stohl, A. Luhar, and P. Webley Eds., 200: 311-327
- Anfossi D., Tinarelli G., Trini Castelli S., Nibart M., Olry C., Commanay J., 2010. A new Lagrangian particle model for the simulation of dense gas dispersion. Atmospheric Environment, 44 (6):753-762
- Tinarelli G., Anfossi D., Trini Castelli S., Albergel A., Ganci F., Belfiore G., Moussafir J., 2008. Development of a Lagrangian Particle Model for Dense Gas Dispersion in Urban Environment. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XIX, Springer Publishers, 28-36.
- Tinarelli G., Brusasca G., Oldrini O., Moussafir J., Anfossi D., Trini Castelli S., 2007. Micro Swift-Spray (MSS), a new modelling system for the simulation of dispersion at microscale. Air Pollution Modelling and its Applications XVII, Borrego C. and Norman A.L. Eds., Springer Publishers, 449-458
RMS and MicroRMS: Simulation of the atmospheric circulation and dispersion of any type of airborne pollutants, passive, buoyant or non-buoyant, in the turbulent atmospheric flow in complex topography and presence of obstacles at all scales, microscale (up to 1 km, MicroRMS), local scale (1-5 km, RMS) and mesoscale (100 km, RMS).
- Mangia C., Bisignano A., Cervino M., Mortarini L., Trini Castelli S., 2019. Modeling air quality impact of pollutants emitted by an oil/gas plant in complex terrain in view of a health impact assessment. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 12(4), 491-502
- Trini Castelli S., Tinarelli G., Reisin T.G., 2017. Comparison of atmospheric modelling systems simulating the flow, turbulence and dispersion at the microscale within obstacles. Environmental Fluid Mechanics, 17, 879-901
- Trini Castelli S., Falabino S., Tinarelli G., Anfossi D., 2014. Effect of the turbulence parameterizations on the simulation of pollutant dispersion with the RMS modelling system. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXII, D.G. Steyn and P. Builtjes Eds., Springer Publishers, 529-534
- Trini Castelli S., Reisin T. G. and Tinarelli G., 2012. Comparison of RAMS, RMS and MSS modelling systems for high resolution simulations in presence of obstacles for the MUST field experiment. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXI, D.G. Steyn and S. Trini Castelli Eds., Springer Publishers, 9-14. ISBN: 978-94-007-1358-1
- Trini Castelli S. and Reisin T.G., 2010. Evaluation of the Atmospheric RAMS Model in an Obstacle Resolving Configuration. Environmental Fluid Mechanics, 10, 555-576.
- Trini Castelli S., Reisin T. G. and Tinarelli G., 2008. Development and Application of MicroRMS Modelling System to Simulate the Flow, Turbulence and Dispersion in the Presence of Buildings. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XIX, Borrego C. and Miranda A.I. Eds., Springer Publishers, 81-89. ISBN: 978-1-4020-8451-5
- Carvalho J., Anfossi D., Trini Castelli S., Degrazia G., 2002: Application of a model system for the study of transport and diffusion in complex terrain to the TRACT experiment. Atmospheric Environment, 36, n. 7, pp. 1147-1161
- Trini Castelli S. 2000. MIRS: a turbulence parameterisation model interfacing RAMS and SPRAY in a transport and diffusion modelling system. Rap. Int. ICGF/CNR No 412/2000 T
- Trini Castelli S. and Anfossi D. 1997. Intercomparison of 3-D turbulence parameterizations for dispersion models in complex terrain derived from a circulation model. Il Nuovo Cimento C. 20:287-313
SMART: Simulation of the atmospheric circulation and dispersion of any type of airborne pollutants, passive, buoyant or non-buoyant, in the turbulent atmospheric flow in complex topography; aimed at potential emergency response tool over Italy.