A modelling system for predicting air pollution_ comparison of model predictions with the data of an.pdf

*Corresponding author. Fax: #358-9-1929-5403. E-mail address: ari.karppinen@fmi. (A. Karppinen). Atmospheric Environment 34 (2000) 3735}3743 A modelling system for predicting urban air pollution: comparison of model predictions with the data of an urban measurement network in Helsinki A. Karppinen!,*, J. Kukkonen!, T. ElolaK hde, M. Konttinen!, T. Koskentalo !Finnish Meteorological Institute, Air Quality Research, Sahaajankatu 20 E, 00810 Helsinki, Finland Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, Opastinsilta 6 A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland Received 24 November 1999; accepted 1 December 1999 Abstract We have developed a modelling system for predicting the tra$c volumes, emissions from stationary and vehicular sources, and atmospheric dispersion of pollution in an urban area. A companion paper addresses model development and its applications. This paper describes a comparison of the predicted NO x and NO 2 concentrations with the results of an urban air quality monitoring network. We performed a statistical analysis concerning the agreement of the predicted and measured hourly time series of concentrations, at four monitoring stations in the Helsinki metropolitan area in 1993. The predicted and measured NO 2 concentrations agreed well at all the stations considered. The agreement of model predictions and measurements for NO x and NO 2 was better for the two suburban monitoring stations, compared with the two urban stations, located in downtown Helsinki. ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Urban air quality; Testing; Modelling system; Monitoring network 1. Introduction A companion paper presented an integrated urban pollution modelling system, and discussed some applica- tions. The individual models in this system have been validated against results from experimental eld cam- paigns (for instance, Walden et al., 1995). This modelling system is an important regulatory assessment tool for the national environmental authorities; it has been applied, for i