Chapter 43
Assimilation of Meteorological Data
in Online Integrated Atmospheric
Transport Model—Example of Air
Quality Forecasts for Poland
Maciej Kryza, Małgorzata Werner and Jakub Guzikowski
Abstract In this work we analyse the impact of meteorological data assimilation
on the performance of the air quality forecasting system for the area of Poland
(Central Europe). The forecasting system uses the WRF-Chem model, which is
online integrated meteorology and air chemistry transport model. The forecasts are
run each day for the next 48 h, using two nested domains of 12 km × 12 km (Europe)
and 4 km × 4 km (Poland) and 35 vertical levels. In this work we analyse the period of
11–25 February 2017, during which poor air quality was observed at the beginning,
followed by unusually warm days with low concentrations of pollutants. Two sets
of forecasts are compared. In the first group, we use the forecasts with no data
assimilation. Secondly, we use the community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation
system (GSI) to assimilate surface and radiosonde meteorological data. Both sets of
forecasts are compared with hourly measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 for Poland.
Assimilation of meteorological data overall improves the air quality forecasts, but
not always leads to better representation of high-concentration episode.
43.1 Introduction
Poland is among the several European countries that have severe problems with air
quality. The number of days with exceeded threshold value for 24 h mean concentrations of PM10 each year is larger than allowed 35 at many locations [2]. Long-term
exposure to atmospheric aerosols is often linked with health problem, including
M. Kryza (B) · M. Werner (B) · J. Guzikowski (B)
Department of Climatology and Atmosphere Protection, Institute of Geography and Regional
Development, Wrocław University, Wrocław, Poland
e-mail: Maciej.kryza@uwr.edu.pl
M. Werner
e-mail: malgorzata.werner@uwr.edu.pl
J. Guzikowski
e-mail: jakub.guzikowski@uwr.edu.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Mensink et al. (eds.), Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXVI,
Springer Proceedings in Complexity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22055-6_43
273
Assimilation of Meteorological Data
in Online Integrated Atmospheric
Transport Model—Example of Air
Quality Forecasts for Poland
Maciej Kryza, Małgorzata Werner and Jakub Guzikowski
Abstract In this work we analyse the impact of meteorological data assimilation
on the performance of the air quality forecasting system for the area of Poland
(Central Europe). The forecasting system uses the WRF-Chem model, which is
online integrated meteorology and air chemistry transport model. The forecasts are
run each day for the next 48 h, using two nested domains of 12 km × 12 km (Europe)
and 4 km × 4 km (Poland) and 35 vertical levels. In this work we analyse the period of
11–25 February 2017, during which poor air quality was observed at the beginning,
followed by unusually warm days with low concentrations of pollutants. Two sets
of forecasts are compared. In the first group, we use the forecasts with no data
assimilation. Secondly, we use the community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation
system (GSI) to assimilate surface and radiosonde meteorological data. Both sets of
forecasts are compared with hourly measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 for Poland.
Assimilation of meteorological data overall improves the air quality forecasts, but
not always leads to better representation of high-concentration episode.
43.1 Introduction
Poland is among the several European countries that have severe problems with air
quality. The number of days with exceeded threshold value for 24 h mean concentrations of PM10 each year is larger than allowed 35 at many locations [2]. Long-term
exposure to atmospheric aerosols is often linked with health problem, including
M. Kryza (B) · M. Werner (B) · J. Guzikowski (B)
Department of Climatology and Atmosphere Protection, Institute of Geography and Regional
Development, Wrocław University, Wrocław, Poland
e-mail: Maciej.kryza@uwr.edu.pl
M. Werner
e-mail: malgorzata.werner@uwr.edu.pl
J. Guzikowski
e-mail: jakub.guzikowski@uwr.edu.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Mensink et al. (eds.), Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXVI,
Springer Proceedings in Complexity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22055-6_43
273