Impact/Purpose:

This task has the following objectives:

Improve modelers' ability to focus on scientific and policy issues in modeling studies by providing software that supports composing, applying, and evaluating complex systems of models.

Improve the understanding of the interaction of the atmosphere and the underlying surface, especially the flux of mass in both directions, and EPA's ability to simulate that interaction.

Contribute to multimedia studies and assessments by applying state-of-the-art atmospheric models, estimating atmospheric contributions to multimedia issues and the sources of those contributions, and evaluating the models' strengths and weaknesses.

Description:

This task addresses a number of issues that arise in multimedia modeling with an emphasis on interactions among the atmosphere and multiple other environmental media. Approaches for working with multiple types of models and the data sets are being developed. Proper software tools will help modelers apply, bring together and evaluate model outputs and data sets so they can more effectively develop insights into scientific and policy issues. This will facilitate the conduct of complex studies. A prototype Multimedia Integrated Modeling System (MIMS) framework has been developed. The framework provides a testbed for research on how to structure future compartmental models to improve model integration and interchangeability to better study issues such as toxic pollutants. A coupled model of deposition, plants, and soil will be developed that should provide a testbed not only for MIMS but also for examining the effects that some simplifying assumptions have on current simulations. Software tools will be developed to support linkage of models across media, including statistical aggregation of atmospheric deposition simulations to construct climatological seasonal and annual averages. Software tools will be developed for specialized environmental data analysis applications, such as linking atmospheric deposition fields to watersheds, to support environmental research and management.

The interaction between the atmosphere and the underlying surface is increasingly being recognized as an important factor in multimedia issues. Several efforts are exploring that interaction, developing new approaches for modeling it, and exploring scientific issues related to integrating atmospheric models with models of other media. Field work and model development that will eventually improve predictions of chemical flux from the atmosphere to plants will continue. New algorithms for computing acidifying and eutrophying deposition will be incorporated into EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality model. Early work on developing a multimedia model of mercury will also be performed. All of these activities will help modelers better understand how to predict the atmosphere's role in the ecosystem.

Finally, state-of-the-art models of nitrogen transport and surface exchange will be applied in several regions to evaluate the model's ability to represent important processes, determine how to further improve the model, and support ongoing environmental assessments. Programs that will be supported include the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Tampa Bay Region Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT

Start Date:07/01/1998

Completion Date:09/30/2004

Record ID: 56136

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Project Information:

Progress :Mathur, R. and R.L. Dennis, 2003. "Seasonal and annual modeling of reduced nitrogen compounds over the eastern United States: Emissions, ambient levels, and deposition amounts," Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 108, No D15, 4481, doi:10.1029/2002/JD002794, 2003

Cohen, Y. and Cooter, E., 2002. "Multimedia Environmental Distribution of Toxics (MEND-TOX). I: Hybrid compartmental-spatial modeling framework," Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management, 6(2): 70-86.

Cohen, Y. and Cooter, E., 2002. "Multimedia Environmental Distribution of Toxics (MEND-TOX). II: Software implementation and case studies," Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management, 6(2): 87-101.

H.W. Paerl, R.L. Dennis, D.R. Whitall, 2002. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: Implications for nutrient over-enrichment of coastal waters, Estuaries, Vol. 25, No. 4B, 677-693.

Software architecture prototype of MIMS to demonstrate feasibility of new paradigms for modeling pollutants that travel through more than one media, September, 2002.

Created new aggregation case meteorology for a CMAQ 12-km nest over the Chesapeake Bay airshed in FY02 and FY03.

Created new, 40-case 36-km continental aggregation meteorology for CMAQ capable of estimating seasonal deposition in FY02.

Field study covering Tampa Bay and the local region to support CMAQ evaluation with both surface and aloft measurements completed for May 2002 with leadership by HEASD, FDEP and AMD.

R.L. Dennis and R. Mathur, 2001. Airshed domains for modeling atmospheric deposition of oxidized and reduced nitrogen to the Neuse/Pamlico System of North Carolina, Hydrological Science and Technology, Vol. 17, No. 1-4, 107-117.

R.L. Dennis, 2001. "Ammonia deposition and airsheds and their relation to inorganic nitrogen deposition (ammonia budget)," Presentation at the N2001, The Second International Nitrogen Conference, Potomac Maryland, October 14-18, 2001.

R. Cohn, B.K. Eder, S.K. LeDuc, and R.L. Dennis, 2001. Development of an aggregation and episode selection scheme to support Models-3 CMAQ, Journal of Applied Meteorology, vol. 40, 210-228.

Produced four future scenarios and State contribution analyses in FY01 with Extended RADM for Chesapeake Bay Watershed model and Bay Program analysis.

Internal report: "Multimedia Modeling: Review and Modeling Issues." September, 2001.

Internal report: "Proposed System for Integrated Environmental Multimedia Modeling (SIEMM): Model Development Approach." September, 2001.

Demonstration of execution of Community Multiscale Air Quality Model and Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions model in MIMS framework, July 2001.

Organize special conference session on MIMS and multimedia integrated modeling: American Institute of Hydrology (AIH) Annual Conference, RTP, NC, November, 2000.

Presentation: "Determination of the airshed domains for modeling atmospheric deposition of oxidized and reduced nitrogen to the Neuse River basin," AIH Annual Conference, RTP, NC, November, 2000.

Workshop on multi-discipline ecosystem modeling, August, 2000

Presentation: Cooter, E.J. and Y. Cohen, "Modeling Flux Pathways for Volatile and Semi-volatile Organic Compounds in a Multimedia Environment," 6th International Conference on Air-Surface Exchange of Gases and Particles, July, 2000, Edinburgh, UK.

Maps of reduced nitrogen airsheds for Chesapeake Bay and Neuse/Pamlico Sound, June, 2000.

Relevance :The models developed in this task will improve estimates of the fate and distribution of nutrients and chemicals that are key to multimedia environmental issues, providing valuable information to support well informed policy decisions affecting TMDLs, atmospheric emissions, and coastal management.

The assessments in this task will contribute to improved understanding of the significance of various sources of nitrogen in the environment and of intermedia processes and will contribute to improved management and protection of the Chesapeake and Tampa Bays.

This work supports both long-term goals of the diagnosis and forecasting section of the ecological research MYP: (1) Managers and researchers understand links between human activities, natural changes, and ecological stressors and between multiple stressors and valued resources at the appropriate level or ecological organization. (2) Environmental managers will be able to predict in a scientifically sound manner multimedia, multistressor outcomes of alternative management practices for valued resources, uncertainties in predictions, and sensitivity to change.

The software tools developed by this project are in use by several organizations. For instance, OAQPS is using data analysis tools as part of its Total Risk Integrated Methodology system. Groups within and outside of the Agency use the spatial allocator tool to compute emissions surrogates and to regrid data. These tools allow EPA to conduct its work more effectively and efficiently and/or at lower cost than alternatives.

Clients :EPA Office of water, EPA Regions, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, State of Florida, Chesapeake Bay Program Office

Project IDs:

ID Code :3868

Project type :OMIS