Emission patterns of urban air pollution

Abstract

The estimation of air quality and greenhouse emissions at urban centres is based on detailed source inventories, pollution and meteorological monitoring data and an adequate modelling capability. These inventories are normally assembled either in a top-down or bottom-up approach, depending on the available information and the desired spatial and temporal resolution. In this paper we fi rst present the inventories calculated under both methods, for the city of Mendoza, Argentina. The emission estimations are spatially distributed using a geographical information system leading to an urban emission pattern or grid. This emission grid is used to compute the air pollutant concentrations, which are calculated using two dispersion algorithms: ISC3P and CALPUF. Finally the results are compared with data from monitoring stations.

Keywords

• urban air quality
• atmospheric dispersion
• greenhouse emissions
• area sources
• geographical information system