ARS | Publication request: Incorporating the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) Into a Regional Air Quality Modeling System for the Pacific Northwest

Submitted to: Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 3, 2009
Publication Date: December 3, 2009
Citation: Chung, S., Lamb, B., Vaughan, J., Feng, G., Sharratt, B.S. 2009. Incorporating the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) Into a Regional Air Quality Modeling System for the Pacific Northwest. Workshop Proceedings.

Technical Abstract: In the Pacific Northwest, wind storms intermittently cause massive dust events that reduce visibility along roadways and jeopardize health as a result of extremely high concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter less than or equal to 10µm in diameter). An early warning dust forecast system is needed in this region to safeguard human health and welfare. Therefore, the overall objective of our research is to integrate the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) into the AIRPACT-3 regional air quality forecasting system for the Pacific Northwest. To accomplish this objective, we have incorporated the WEPS EROSION submodel into the WRF-CMAQ modeling framework for the AIRPACT-3 domain; evaluated the model by testing sensitivity of model-predicted windblown PM10 emissions and concentrations to treatment of soil properties, simulation resolutions, and other input parameters; and evaluated the model performance using observational data. The model successfully forecast the onset of two dust storms in eastern Washington; however, model results vary by two orders of magnitude depending on assumptions used for soil surface properties and modeled wind speed. Further testing will be performed using other historic dust storm data in the region.