Meteorologische Zeitschrift (Apr 2013)
Detection of odor sources and high concentrations of pollutants in the Ore Mountains by modeling of air mass paths
Abstract
Since decades odor pollutions are a well-known problem in the Ore Mountains and Vogtland, especially areas close to the border to the Czech Republic. Many facilities in North Bohemia are considered as the main polluters. Most notably these contaminations occur during autumn and winter in conjunction with high pressure weather situations and inversions. In the last years the amount of registered complaints decreased gradually due to manufacturing and shutdown of factories. However, in 2011 there was an exceptional high amount of complaints by the inhabitants. This was connected with a long-lasting stable high pressure weather condition over Central Europe. Prescriptive limits of air pollutants were not exceeded in most cases, though. The used trajectory model TRAJEK can be run with high-resolution reanalysis data of the COSMO (Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling) model by Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) to simulate traces of air mass paths. Hereby backward trajectories of polluted areas and forward trajectories of assumed sources are computed. Moreover, the model system COSMO-MUSCAT (Multi-Scale Chemistry Aerosol Transport) is used to simulate tracer propagation so that present flow structures and emitter plumes can be visualized. At reported accidents the source is doubtlessly detected by using trajectory and tracer analysis. A central result of the present study is the fact of the accumulation of air masses in the North Bohemian Basin, which occurs in most cases. Thus, many potential sources of odor problems can come into question. Those can be related to a larger industrial area at its best.
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