When modeling with source groups in the AERMOD air dispersion model, it is not always obvious how much each source contributes to a calculated concentration. To facilitate source contribution analyses, AERMOD contains a routine called the EVENT model which can analyze user-specified events (e.g., design concentrations, threshold violations) and print each source’s contribution to the short-term (i.e., = 24 hours) event.
There are many reasons why it may be necessary to create a copy of a modeling project. You may want to make edits to a scenario without overwriting previous results, or you need to re-run the project using a different set of meteorological data while maintaining the rest of the inputs.
Did you know that a single license of AERMOD View allows you to perform multiple concurrent AERMOD runs on multiple computers? It’s true! When you install AERMOD View, several additional utility programs are included, and one of these – Batcher – allows modelers to set up a queue of model runs. Batcher can be executed from any computer where AERMOD View is installed even if the full application is not licensed.
The CALPUFF air dispersion modeling system is extremely powerful and contains many refined features for users to conduct air modeling. A consequence of the model’s refined nature means some calculations can take a very long time to complete, however. Some situations may call for a modeler to conduct multiple model runs thus compounding the runtimes.
Contour plots are one of the most common forms of output from air dispersion models. They are useful in quickly identifying maximum concentration as well as trends in the data, but they also require a careful eye to ensure proper interpretation.
The AERMOD model features default units for emission inputs and concentration or deposition outputs. Emissions are presented as grams per second (g/s), and concentrations are calculated as micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). However, there may come a time when these default units need to be changed to better represent project data. This change can be easily made via the Source Pathway options.