Web-Based Resources for Atmospheric Dispersion Studies

At the ADMLC meeting of 21 February 2001 it was agreed that NRPB would set up and maintain a list of useful websites, academic institutions and regulators involved in atmospheric dispersion. A list of available software would also be collated.

Wherever possible, the links given are directly to the resource cited.

While the content of this web page is checked regularly, it would be appreciated if users would report broken links or out of date material to the ADMLC Secretary at admlc@phe.gov.uk.

Users should note that a link to another website does not necessarily imply any endorsement by ADMLC or the organisations represented on it of the products, policies or views of another organisation.

Discussion lists
Literature
Conferences
Meteorological data sources
Academic institutions
Government organisations
Other organisations
Software and sources of software
Atmospheric Dispersion Information Resource

Discussion lists

Discussion list on atmospheric dispersion of chemicals
http://listserv.surfnet.nl/archives/atmosphericdispersion.html
Postings to the list can concern announcements, questions and discussions regarding atmospheric dispersion. If you wish to make a posting on the list, then send the message to atmosphericdispersion@nic.surfnet.nl The website includes a searchable archive of all postings. Anyone can subscribe (and unsubscribe) to the list through the home page.

Literature

Reports of the Committee
http://www.admlc.org.uk/publications.htm
Reports of the Committee and its earlier Working Group on Atmospheric Dispersion are listed, including a link to the latest published ADMLC annual report.
Elsevier Science
http://earth.elsevier.com/atmospheric/
Provides access to the following atmospheric science journals (and other resources): Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Atmospheric Environment, Atmospheric Research, Climate Policy, Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans and Journal of Aerosol Science.
Air Quality Management
www.air-quality-management.co.uk
Milton R Beychok. Fundamentals of Stack Gas Dispersion
www.air-dispersion.com
This book covers many aspects of atmospheric dispersion calculations including atmospheric stability classes, buoyant plume rise, Gaussian dispersion calculations and modelling, wind velocity profiles, time-averaged concentrations, fumigations, trapped plumes, flare stack plumes and more.
Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Resources
www.bnl.gov/scapa/atmos.htm
This report includes descriptions, information about points of contact, and other details about ninety-four dispersion models. It was developed by the Subcommittee on Consequence Assessment and Protective Action (SCAPA), of the Emergency Management Advisory Committee, of the US Department of Energy. The second edition of the report, published in 1995, can be downloaded.

Conferences & Meetings

Initiative on "Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes"
http://harmo.org/
Details from US EPA / DEFRA / EA Meeting:

Meteorological data sources

Met Office
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/environment
This section covers services for business (environment), including weather services for industry and government that shed new light on air quality issues, consultancy, dispersion modelling, forecasts and data sets.
WebMET
www.webmet.com
WebMET is a repository of meteorological data for air dispersion models such as ISCST3, ISC-PRIME and AERMOD, as well as for digital elevation terrain data. The data covers the entire USA and can be downloaded free of charge. The site is sponsored by Lakes Environmental located in Ontario, Canada.
Finnish Meteorological Institute
www.fmi.fi/en/index.htm
The main objective of the Institute is to provide the best possible information about the atmosphere above and around Finland for ensuring public safety relating to atmospheric and airborne hazards.
Climatology of the British Isles
www.met.rdg.ac.uk/~brugge/ukclimate.html#REngland
The Department of Meterology of the University of Reading hosts this listing of pointers to sources of Internet-based climatological data for the British Isles. This is still being compiled.
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
www.smhi.se/en/index.htm
The Institute provides a range of consulting service as well as access to meteorological records and publications.

Academic institutions

Atmospheric Research and Information Centre (ARIC)
www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/index.htm
Based at the Manchester Metropolitan University, ARIC is a research centre for study of atmospheric pollution issues caused by industrial, power generation, and transportation sources. ARIC focuses on the basic elements of the science: emission characterisation and estimation; ambient air monitoring; predictive modelling; control technologies.
University of Hong Kong
www.hku.hk
The research website of the University of Hong Kong includes a description of the research programme in the Mechanical Engineering Department that led to the development of a comprehensive air dispersion model for use in coastal zones and complex terrain such as exist in the Hong Kong area.
- Dispersion model for coastal zones and complex terrain
  www.hku.hk/rss/res_proj/16/16.htm
Air Quality Management (AQM) Resource Centre
www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/centre/model.htm
The Centre is maintained at the University of the West of England in Bristol. It provides much useful information, including brief descriptions of many UK and American air dispersion models.

Government organisations

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (UK)
www.defra.gov.uk
- Review and assessment: Selection and use of dispersion models
  www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/laqm/tg300/index.htm
  Published by DEFRA (formerly published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions); see in particular section 7.21 on the accuracy of a dispersion model.
See also the entry for Stanger Science and Environment
US Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
- Support Centre for Regulatory Air Models (USA)
  www.epa.gov/scram001
- Site Consequence Analysis Guidance (USA)
  http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb.nsf/content/EPAguidance.htm#OCA
Environment Agency Air Quality Modelling Assessment Unit (AQMAU) (UK)
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/airquality/236092
The Environment Agency has established a special unit in Cardiff which gives support and advice to Agency staff who assess air quality throughout England and Wales using computer modelling. Please note that the link is to the Environment Agency home page; use search for AQMAU.

Other organisations

The European Association for the Science of Air Pollution (EURASAP).
www.eurasap.org/AboutEURASAP.html
EURASAP Objectives:
Facilitate the collaboration among scientists from different European countries.
Support the scientific development of students and young scientists.
Organise small Workshops on specific topics in order to clarify and solve scientific problems.
Facilitate the distribution of information among scientists in the field of air pollution - through the EURASAP Newsletter and a Web site.

National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (NSCA)
www.nsca.org.uk
The objectives of the NSCA are to promote clean air and environmental protection through the reduction of air, water and land pollution, noise and other contaminants, while having due regard for all aspects of the environment. The NSCA examines environmental policy issues and aims to place them in a broader social and economic context.
www.stanger.co.uk/default.asp?page=airqual/modelhlp/helpline.htm
This firm of environmental consultants operates a twenty-four hour telephone helpdesk, on behalf of DEFRA, to assist local authorities with dispersion modelling and stack height calculations for review and assessment. The helpdesk may be accessed via e-mail (modelhelp@stanger.co.uk) or by telephone (+44 (0)20 7902 6119). The service is free to local authorities, the staff of which can also download the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) screening model as an Excel spreadsheet from www.stanger.co.uk/airqual/modelhlp. A spreadsheet which provides supplementary assistance for the caculation of chimney heights can be obtained from the same address. The development of this method was also funded by DEFRA.

Software and sources of software

Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd
www.cerc.co.uk
This company developed the ADMS range of software.
International Energy Agency Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC)
www.aivc.org
This site includes information on air concentrations in buildings, multi-zonal airflow models.
HGSYSTEM
www.hgsystem.com
HGSYSTEM is a suite of programs for assessing the dispersion of vapor from gas, liquid or two-phase releases. HGSYSTEM was first developed to model the release of hydrogen fluoride and ideal gases, and then extended to include multicomponent mixtures. The original development work was led by Shell Research Ltd as part of a consortium of twenty petroleum and chemical companies.
Danish Rimpuff and Eulerian Accidental Release Model (DREAM)
www.dmu.dk/AtmosphericEnvironment/WEPTEL/DREAM
The DREAM model, developed by the National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) of Denmark, is a high-resolution, three-dimensional tracer model for short and large scale atmospheric transport, dispersion, and deposition (wet and dry) of radioactive air pollution from a single strong source.
Atmospheric Transport Modelling for Professional Applications (ATM-PRO)
http://users.skynet.be/www.ATM-PRO.com
A distributor of air dispersion modelling and other environmental software located in Nivelles, Belgium.
AirWare
www.ess.co.at/AIRWARE
Environmental Software and Services GmbH, a software development and research company based in Austria, offers the AirWare integrated system which includes an emissions database, data management for inputs from external meteorological and air quality monitors, the American EPA ISC2 and ISC3 short-term and long-term air dispersion models, a geographical information system (GIS) module, and assessment and reporting modules.
ImmProg2000 Dispersion Models
www.airinfo.ch/indexe.htm
This set of dispersion models was developed by AirInfo GmbH, Switzerland, to meet the recommendations of the Swiss and German meteorological services. All of the models are Gaussian and they include a point-source model, a line-source model for vehicles on roads in open terrain and in city street canyons, and an odour dispersion model.
Indic-Airviro System
www.indic-airviro.smhi.se/frames/index.htm
The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) developed this modularised air dispersion modelling system, which has a module for receiving input data from monitoring stations, an emission data base module, and a dispersion modelling module. The dispersion module has a Gaussian model for small-scale applications, a grid model for large-scale regional applications, a street canyon model for emission sources surrounded by buildings, and a dense gas module for heavier-than-air gases.
OML Model
www.dmu.dk/AtmosphericEnvironment/oml/OMLlong.htm
This Gaussian plume model was developed by the National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) of Denmark and is recommended for environmental impact assessments of any planned new industrial sources. The model can be used at distances up to 20 kilometres for high or low sources, one or more point sources, or area sources. It is not suitable for complex terrain and it requires input data on emissions and meteorology on an hourly basis.
SCREEN3 Model
www.eyeol.com/screen3/screen3.cfm
This site is maintained by Pacific Environmental Services (with nationwide offices in the USA) which developed an online version of the American EPA SCREEN3 air dispersion model. This is freely available for use by any visitor to the site.
Disperse
www.pidesign.co.uk/disperse.htm
The chemical engineering and environmental management consultancy P & I Design Ltd, located in Stockton-on-Tees, England, has developed the Disperse basic Gaussian dispersion model,implemented with Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet program.

Atmospheric Dispersion Information Resource

Wiki on Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling
http://atmosphericdispersion.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
The purpose of this website is to pool experiences gained by dispersion modellers during their work.