Evaluating Predicting Aerosol PM10 Concentrations with the WRF-Chem Model, in Lima, in February 2018

Sánchez-Ccoyllo O.; Llacza A.; Castesana P. · World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering (2021) · DOI: 10.11159/iceptp21.lx.105

Resumen

Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters equal to or less than 10 µm (PM10) concentration in the Metropolitan Area of Lima – Callao (MALC) frequently exceeds the daily Peruvian National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM10 (100 µg/m3) and the daily World Health Organization Guideline (50 µg/m3). The aim of this study was to simulate the hourly PM10 concentration and evaluate the model performance. The prediction of PM10 concentration was done using the “Weather Research and Forecasting Model Coupled with Chemistry” (WRF-Chem) air pollution modeling system. Therefore, in this study, WRF-Chem (version 4.0) was applied to simulate PM10 concentrations from January 30, 2018 to February 28, 2018. The first 2 days were used as spin-up in order to minimize the influence of the initial conditions with a 5-km-by-5-km grid over MALC. This PM10 concentrations prediction was validated against ground-based observations. For validating the aerosol PM10 simulations, hourly PM10 in-situ measurements from two traffic air quality monitoring stations named Ate and Puente Piedra in the MALC were used. The results showed that the prediction of PM10 mass concentration at the (Ate and Puente Piedra) traffic air quality monitoring stations reasonably captures the observed PM10 temporal. However, PM10 concentrations estimated were under-estimated by the WRF-Chem model.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur