Calibration of background concentrations versus the use of grid sources in air pollution dispersion modelling

The aim of this research paper is the comparison of an approach to calibrate background air pollution concentrations to the use of grid air pollution sources for improving the performance of air pollution models. Using the Dunkirk area of the City of Nottingham in the UK as a case study, an air pollution model in ADMS-Urban was created for this comparison. First, air pollution dispersion in the study area was modelled using grid sources and rural background concentrations. Then, it was modelled using calibrated background concentrations. For the two model set-ups, the air pollution model was validated by comparing both the hourly and annual means, of monitored and calculated concentrations by the model. The output hourly and annual mean results of the air pollution model with calibrated background concentrations were more accurate than those of the air pollution model with grid sources and rural background concentrations. The runtime of the air pollution model with calibrated background concentrations was much less than that of the air pollution model with grid sources and rural background concentrations.