Abstract |
The MIMS Spatial Allocator was originally designed (and has since been expanded) as a tool to help prepare emission inventory information without the use of commercial Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Emissions inventories are generally created based on political boundaries or attached to specific locations (e.g., railways), but most models require emissions to be located within specific grid cell boundaries. In conjunction with the Sparse Matrix Operating Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) system, the Spatial Allocator compares model grid boundaries with the geographic boundaries of inventories to distribute activity and emissions data properly over the modeling grid. The Spatial Allocator was designed to prepare the AGPRO, MGPRO, and BGPRO surrogate inputs required by the SMOKE system. |