### UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

## RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC 27711


# AUG 3 

# 1

# 2009 MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: ClarificationonEPA-FLM Recommended Settings for CALMET TO: Regional Modeling Contacts FROM: Tyler J Fox, Group Leader

# y~)-~ Air Quality Modeling Group, C439-m OFFICE OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND STANDARDS



# Thepurpose ofthis memorandum is to updatethe draft recommendations for CALMET settings that wereprovided previouslywiththe draft Reassessmentof theInteragency Workgroup onAir QualityModeling (JWAQM) Phase 2 SummaryReport: Revisions to Phase 2 Recommendations 

# (EPA, 2009). OnMay 15, 2009, the EPA Model Clearinghouse issued a memorandum addressing a number of issues related to the operation ofthe CALMET diagnostic meteorological model in regulatory modeling applications for long-range transport (LRT). Additionally, a draft version ofrevisions to the existing IW AQM Phase 2 guidance was released onMay 27, 2009 to provide technical context for the Clearinghouse memorandum. This draft document outlined a series of recommendations for CALMET settings that were intended to facilitate the direct "pass-through" ofprognostic meteorological datato the CALPUFF modeling systemusing the same horizontal and vertical grid structureofthe parent**pro~nostic** 

# data set. This purpose is consistent withone ofouroverarching goals expressed at the 81 

# Conference onAir QualityModeling promoting the use ofprognostic meteorological model products in regulatory dispersion modeling applications. Dueto the time sensitive nature ofthe Clearinghouse memorandum, it was not possibleto complete extensivetesting oftherecommended CALMET operational settings priorto release of thememorandum and draft IWAQMreassessment report. Subsequent testing ofthe CALMET model withthe proposed settings against mesoscaletracer databases indicates that CALMET/CALPUFF performance using the draft recommendations deteriorates somewhat in comparisonto other MM5/CALMET horizontal grid configurations that were tested. Specifically, testing against the Cross-Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX) mesoscale tracer study dataset showed that when MM5 and CALMET were run onthe same horizontal grid resolution, performance was poorerthan other MM5/CALMET grid configurations tested. Whilethe performance deterioration was not drastic, it was significant. These results have caused us to reconsider our interim guidancebecause it is inconsistent with ourdesire to promote theuse ofboththebest meteorologicalproducts and prognostic data in general. The use of
1 Internet Address (URL) • http://www.epa.gov RecyclediRecyclable • Printed wHh Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 25% Postconsumer)

## CALMETas. a vehicleto "pass-through;' MMS orothernumerical weatherprediction (NWP) 

## model datais no longer considered viable. TheEPAhas dedicated considerable time and resourcesto the evaluation ofthe use ofNWP data in conjunctionwiththe CALMET/CALPUFF modeling system. As discussed inthe draft IWAQM reassessment report, there aretechnical limitations to the applicability ofdiagnostic wind field models that together with advances inNWP modeltechnology and resolution make the fuller use ofNWP model data an attractive alternative. The draft IW AQMreassessment document also discusses EPA's intentionto transitionto the full use ofNWP model datarather than continuereliance upon wind fields from DWMs for LRT applications. Therefore, rather than continueto dedicate time and resources to evaluating configurations for CALMET that wouldfacilitate a direct "pass-through" ofNWP data, EPA will focus its effortstoward expediting the testing and review ofits MMS/WRF-to-CALPUFF softwareprototype discussed at the 9thConference onAir QualityModeling in anticipation ofan early 2010 release. Inthe interim, a revised series ofrecommendations for CALMET settings were agreed upon during a recent meeting with modelers from EPA and the Federal Land Manager (FLM) community
.. Therefore, as discussed during the EPA modelers' conference call onAugust 19t\
. the EPA Model Clearinghouse is providing all ofthe Regional Modeling Contacts withthe attachedrevised list ofrecommended switch settings for CALMET. These recommendations are based in large partuponthe understanding wehavedeveloped from the numerous tracer evaluations we have conducted in addition to the collective experience ofthe National Park Service, Forest Service, and US Fish and Wildlife from the BART process. In generalthe recommendations arebased upon values from theVISTAS BART modeling protocol with limited modificationsbased on ourinternal testing. ·**~** . 

### . 

## As attached, theseupdated recommendations supersede the recommendations from the draft IW AQMreassessment report. Whilethe draftIWAQMrecommendations intended to configure CALMET to facilitate a direct "pass-through" ofMMS data are no longer considered viable, our positionregarding grid resolutionpresented inthe May 15, 2009, Model Clearinghouse \ - I
. ( • 

## memorandumhave not changed. ·Inparticular, we wishto callto your attentionthat in most circumstances it is considered inappropriate to consider CALMET horizontal grid resolutions of less than four (4) kilometers, consistentwithourdiscussion in the May 15, 2009 Model
· Clearinghouse memorandum. It is anticipated thatthe FLMs will likewiserequire adherenceto

these recommendations for modeling conductedpursuant to the Class I AQRV requirements of the PSD program. Inthose cases, itis 

## important to rememberthatthe FLMs have the affirmative responsibility for AQRV related studies, and usuallytake the lead innegotiating the protocol for model settings (per Section 6.2.3 ofthe 

## Guideline onAir QualityModels, Appendix W to 40 CFRPart 51). \

2

## REFERENCES 

# USEPA, 2009: Reassessment ofthe InteragencyWorkgroup onAir Quality Modeling (IWAQM) Phase 2 

# Summary Report: Revisions to Phase 2 

# Recommendations (Draft). EPA- EPA-454/B09-XXX, Research Triangle Park, NC, 56 pp.

cc: Richard Wayland 

# Bill Harnett Raj Rao DanDeroeck RogerBrode Bret Anderson John Vimont TimAllen JohnNotar RickGraw

3Input Group Subgroup 0 -lilputand a outputfile names



# -

-
b
c d ' e f 

# EPA-FLM Recommended CALMET Input File Values August28,2009

Variable Description Default GEODAT Input filename of geophysical data rGEO.DAT SRFDAT Input filename of hourly meteorological data SURF.DAT CLDDAT Inputfilename of giidded cloud data CLOUD.DAT ./ PRCDAT Inputfilename of hourly precipitation data PRECIP.DAT WTDAT Inputfilename of gridded fields ofterrain weighting factors WT.DAT METLST Outputfilename of 

### list file CALMET.LST METDAT Output filename of generated gridded metfields CALMET.DAT PACDAT Output filename of generated gridded met files (MESEOPUFF II) PACOUT.DAT LCFILES Convert names to upper or lower case User defined**-~** NUSTA Number of upper air stations 

# ' User defined NOWSTA
.Number of overwater met stations User defined ' NM3D Number of MM4/MM5/3D.DATfiles User defined NIGF Numberof coarse grid CALMET fields

### a~ initial gueSs fields User defined UPDAT Input filenames of upper air data UPn.DAT (n'=1,2,3
...) SEADAT Inputfilename of over water stations SEAn:DAT (n=1,2,3;
..) · M3DDAT Input filename of MM4/MM5i3D.DAT 

### - MMSOn.DAT IGFDAT Input filename of IGF-CALMET files IGFn.DAT (n=1,2,3
...) DIAOAT Inputfilename of**preprocess~** sfc/UAdata DIAG.DAT PRGDAT Input filename of prognostic gridded wind fields PROG.DAT TSTPRT Output filename of intermediate winds, and misc
...etc TEST.PRT


## 4 EPA-FLM User defined User defined

User defined

User defined User defined

T User defined (>0) User defined User defined (>0) 0 userdefined User defined User defined



# -- Input Group Subgroup Variable 

# - Description Default EPA-FLM TSTOUT ·Outputfilename offinal wind fields TEST.OUT / 

# '

- TSTKIN Output filename ofwind fields after kinematic winds TEST.KIN I TSTFRD Output filename ofwinds after Froude Number effects 

# - TEST.FRD / ' TSTSLP 

### - Output filename winds after slope effects TEST.SLP

- DCSTGD- Output filename ofdistance land internal variables DCST.GRD 

## ·. 1- General ._IBYR Beginning year User defined User defined run and / C:ontrol IBMO Beginning month User defined User defined**param~ers** 

# - IBDY Beginning day User defined User defined



## . _; IBHR Beginning hour User defined .Userdefined IBTZ Basetime zone User defined User defined IRLG Length of run (hours) User defined User defined IRTYPE Output typeto create**~** 1 ' LCALGRD Requirefields forCALGRID T T ITEST · Flag to stop run after setup phase 2 2 MREG Conformity to regulatory values User defined 1 2- Map PMAP·. Map projection UTM LCC projection and grid FEAST False Easting at projection origin {km)· 

### 0.0 0.0 control parameters FNORTH False northing at projection origin (km) 

### 0.0 0:0 .· IUTMZN UTM zone User defined 

### -999

.' UTMHEM
. Hemisphere 

### of UTM projection N· N



### . . . RLATO Latitude of projection origin (decimal degrees- Nf User defined User defined RLONO Longitude ofprojection origin (decimal degrees- W) User defined User defined· XLAT1 Matching latitudefor projection (decimal degrees- N)
.User defined User defined 

## 5**~**

"- Input Group Subgroup Variable Description Default EPA-FLM

. XLAT2 Matching latitude of projection (decimal degrees- N) User defined User defined ' Datum Datum-region of output coordinates WGS-84 User defined NX Number of east to west orX grid cells User defined User defined**~** NY



### - Number of north to south or Y grid cells User defined · User defined DGRIDKM Grid spacing in kilometers (km) User defined User defined (**~km** ) XORIGKM Southwest corner ofgrid cell (1,1), X-coordinate (km) User defined User defined YORIGKM Southwest corner ofgrid cell (1,1}, Y-coordinate (km) User defined User defined NZ Nu'mber of vertical layers User qefined 10 ZFACE Cell face heights in arbitrary vertical grid (ZFACE (NZ+1)) (m) User defined 0,20,40,80,160,320,

--- 640,1200,2000,3000, 4000 3- Output LSAVE Save metfields in unformatted file T T options IFORMO Type of unformatted output file
. 1 1 ./. LPRINT Print met fields F F IPRINF Print interval in hours 1 1 IUVOUT Layers of U, V wind components to print (IUVOUT (NZ)) NZ*O 10*0 IWOUT Levels ofW wind component to print (IWOUT (NZ)) NZ*O 10*0

j !TOUT Levels of 3-D temps to print (ITOUT (NZ)) NZ*O 10*0 STABILITY Print PGT Stability 0 0 USTAR Print friction velocity 0 0 MONIN Print Monin-Obukhov 

# " 0 0 MIXHT Print mixing height 0 

# . 0 

### I 

## I WSTAR Print convective velocity scale 0 0 PRECIP Print precipitation·rate / 0 0 

## 6'-- Input Group Subgroup Variable Description Default EPA-FLM SENSHEAT Print sensible heat flux 0 0 CONVZI / Print convective mixing height (Zic) 0 0 LOB Print met data and Internal variables) 

### .F F NN1 Test and debug print options: first time step 1 1 NN2 Test and debug print options: lasttime step 1 1 LOBCST Test and debug print options: distanceto land internal variables F F I IOUTO Test and debug print options: control**v~riables** for writing winds 0 0 I I NZPRN2 Test and debug printoptions: number oflevels starting at sfc 1 0
- ' IPRO Test and debug print options: interpolated winds 0 0 IPR1 Test and debug prir:Jt options: terrain adjusted surface wind 0 0 !

' IPR2 Test and debug print options: smoothed wind and diverge fields 0 0

,"----.._ IPR3 Test and debug print options: final wind speed and direction 0 0



## . •.. IPR4 Test and debug print options: final divergence 0 0 IPR5 Test and debug print options: winds after Kinematic effects 0 0 IPR6 Test and debug print options: winds after Froude No. adjustment 0 0 IPR7 Test and debug print options: winds afterslope flow 0 0 IPR8 Test and debug print options: final winds 0 0 4- NOOBS Noobservation mode 0 J 0Meteorological data NSSTA Number of surfacestations User.defined · User defined ( >0 ) options NPSTA Number 

### ofprecipitation stations User defined User defined ( >0 ) I CLOUD Gridded cloud fields 0 0 IFORMS Surface met data file format 2 

### ' 2**~** IFORMP Precipitation data file format 2 2

---- - 

## 7Input Group Subgroup Variable Description Default EPA-FLM**~** IFORMC Cloud dataformat 2 2**~** 5- Wind IWFCOD Wind model options 1 1 field options and IFRADJ Compute Froude number adjustment effects**~,** 1 1 parameters IKINE Compute Kinematic effects 0 0 IOBR Use O'Brien procedures for adjust vertical velocity 0 0 ISLOPE Computeslope effects 1 1 IEXTRP Extrapolate sfc;: wind obs to upper levels -4 -4 I CALM Extrapolate sfc winds even ifcalm 

### ' 0 0 BIAS Surface/upper weighting factors (BIAS (NZ)) NZ*O 10*0 RMIN2 Minimumdistance for extrapolation ofwinds 4 -1 IPROG Use prognostic model winds as input to diagnostic wind model 0 14**,~** ISTEPPG Timestep (hours) of prognostic model data 1 1 IGFMET Use**coars~CALMET** fields as initial guess 0 0 LVARY Use varying radius of influence F F RMAX1 Maximum radius of influence in surface layer (km) User defined 100 RAMX2 Maximum radius of influence over land aloft (km) User defined 200 RMAX3 

## ' Maximum radius ofinfluence over**wat~r** (km) User defined 200
' RMIN Minimum**r~dius** of influence in wind field interpolation (km) 0.1 0.1 ' TERRAD Radius of influence ofterrain features (km) User defined 15 R1 Relative weight at surface of 1"1guess fields and obs (km) User defined 50

/ R2 Relative weight aloft of 1"1guess fields and obs (km)**-~** User defined 100 i ! RPROG Weighting factors of prognostic wind field data (km) User defined 0**~** ' 

# ' ' DIVLIM Maximum acceptable divergence 5.0E-06 5.0E-06 

## 8Input Group Subgroup Variable ' Description Default 

### EPA,FLM NITER Maximum number of iterations in divergence minimum 50 50 ' NSMTH Number

### of passes insmoothing (NSMITH (NZ)) 2, (nxnz-1)*4 2, 9*4 NINTR2 Maximum number of stations**fo~** interpolation (NINTR2(NZ)) 99 10*99 CRITFN Critical Froude Number 1 1 I ALPHA Empirical factor controlling influence of kinematic effects 0.1 0.1 FEXTR2 Multiplicative scaling factor for extrap of sfc obs to upper layers NZ*O.O 10*0 (FEXTRS(NX))

\ NBAR Number of barriers to interpolation ofwind fields 0 0 KBAR Level (1 to NZ) up to which barriers apply NZ 10



### - XBBAR (NBAR>O) X coordinate of beginning of each barrier (km) User defined 0 ' YBBAR (NBAR>O) Y coordinate of beginning 

### of each barrier (km) User defined 0 XEBAR (NBAR>O) X coordinate of ending of each barrier (km) User defined 0 YEBAR (NBAR>O) Y coordinate of ending of each

## barrie~ (km) User defined ·0
'- IDIOPT1 Computesurfacetemperature 0 0 ISURFT b Sfc met station to usefor sfctemp User defined User defined IDIOPT2 Domain-averaged temp lapse rate 

## or 0 IUPT (IDIOPT2=0) b UAstation to useforthe domain-scale lapse rate User defined User defined ZUPT (IDIOPT2=0) Depth through which domain-scale lapse rate is computed (m) 200 200
v IDIOPT3 Domain-averaged wirid component 0 0 !UPWIND (IDIOPT3=0) UAstation to usefor domain-scale winds -1 "1 ZUPWIND (IDIOPT3=0) Bottom and top of layerthru which domain winds computed (m) 1., 1000 1.! 1000 IDIOPT4 Read observed surface. wind components/ 0 0 IDIOPT5 Read observed upperwind components 0 0


## 9_j

Input Group Subgroup Variable 

# - Description Default**~c** EPA-FLM LLBREZE Use lake breeze module F F NBOX Number of lake breeze regions User defined 0
,,, XG1 X grid line 1 defining the region of interest User defined 0
j '· ., XG2 X grid li'ne 2 defining the region ofinterest User defined 0 YG1 

### y grid line 1 defining the region of interest User defined 0
/' YG2 Y grid line2 defining the region of interest User defined 0 XBCST X point defining the coastline (km) User defined 0 YBCST · Y point defining the coastline (km) User defined 0 XECST X point defining the.coastline (km) User defined 0 YECST Y point defining the coastline (km) User defined 0 NLB Number ofstations in the region (sfc +upper air) User defineid 01 METBXID Station ID's in the region (METBXID (NLB)) User defined 0 

### ' 6- Mixing CONSTB Mix ht constant: neutral, mechanical equation 1.41 1.41. height, temperature CONSTE Mix ht constant: convective equation 0.15 0.15' and precipitation CONSTN Mix ht constant: stable equation 2400 2400 parameters CONSTW Mix ht equation: over water 0.16 0.16**~** .... 

### .. FCORIOL Absolute value ofCoriolis parameter 1.0E-04 1.0Ec04 IAVEZI Spatial averaging of Mix ht: conduct spatial averaging 1 1 MNMDAV Spatial averaging of Mix ht: Max,search radius(# ofgrid cells) 1 1 HAFANG Spatial avg'n of Mix ht: 0.5-angle of upwind conefor avg (deg)**30~** 30 ILEVZI Spatial averaging of Mix ht:. Layer ofwinds used in upwind 1 1 IMIXH Zic Mix Ht Options: Method to compute Mixht 1 -1**~-**


## 10Input Group Subgroup Variable Description Default EPA-FLM ·**~** THRESHL Zic Mix Ht Options: Threshold buoyancy flux reqrd to sustain 0.05 0.0 over land (W/m3) THRESHW Zic Mix Ht Options: Threshold buoyancy flux reqrd sustain over 0.05 0.05 water 

### (W/m3) ITWPROG Zic MiX-Ht Options: Overwater lapse rates used in Zic growth 0 0 ILUOC3D Zic Mix HtOptions: Land use category in 3D.DAT 16 16 DPTMIN Min potential

## ~mp lapse rate in stable layer above Zic (deg- 0.001 0.001 Kim) ' DZZI Depth of computing capping lapse rate (m) 200 200 ZIMIN Minimum over land mixing .height (m) 50 50 ZIMAX Maximum over land mixing height (m) 3000 3000 ' ZIMINW Minimum over water mixing height (m) 50 J 50 ZIMAXW Maximum over water mixing height (m) 3000 3000 ICOARE Overwater surfacefluxes methods and parameters 10 0 DSELF Coastal/shallow water length scale (km) -, 0 0 ' ' IWARM COARE warm layer computation 0 0 ' J ICOOL COARE cool skin layer computation 0 ., 0 I I ITPROG 3D temp from obs orfrom prognostic data 0 0 I I IRAD Temp interpolation type • 1 1 TRADKM Radius of influence oftemp interpolation (km) 500 500 NUMTS Max number of stations to. include in interpolation 5 5 lA

VET Conduct spatial averaging oftemp 1 1 TGDEFB Defaulttemp gradient below mix ht over water (deg-K/m) -0.0098 -0.0098. ' TGDEFA Defaulttemp gradient above mix ht over water (deg-K/m) -0.0045 -0.0045


## 11Input Group Subgroup Variable Description Default EPA-FLM

.· JWAT1 Beginning land use categories fortemp interpolation overwater User defined - 999 

### 55 JWAT2 Ending land usecategories fortemp interpolation over water User defined - 999. 

### -55 NFLAGP Method of precipitation interpolation

- 2 2 SIGMAP Radius ofinfluence for precipitation (km) 100

- 100 CUTP Minimum precipitation rate cutoff (mm/hr) 0.01 .01 7 -Surface CSNAM Station name User defined User definedmeteorological station IDSSTA Station identification number User defined User defined parameters XSSTA X-coordinate (km) User defined User defined YSSTA Y-coordinate (km) User defined User defined / XSTZ Time zone User defined User defined ZANEM Anemometer.height (m) User defined User defined 8- Upper air CUNAM Station name User definedmeteorologcal station IDUSTA Station identification number User defined parameters XUSTA X-coordinate (km)**~** User defined ' YUSTA Y-coordinate (km) User defined UUTZ Time zone User defined 9-. CPNAM Station name User defined User defined Precipitation station IDPSTA Station identification number User defined User defined parameters XPSTA X-coordinate (km) · User defined User defined YPSTA Y-coord.inate (km) User defined User defined



## 12