AERMAP Training

Roger W. Brode & James Thurman

U.S. EPA/OAQPS/AQAD
Air Quality Modeling Group

NESCAUM Permit Modeling Committee

Annual Meeting
Mystic, Connecticut
June 24, 2009
Presentation Outline

AERMOD Terrain Algorithm

Types of Terrain Data
Terrain Processing Issues
Recent AERMAP Updates
AERMOD Terrain Treatment
Uses
CDTMPLUS dividing streamline
height concept
Portion of plume above dividing streamline goes
over the hill (terrain-responding plume)
Portion of plume below dividing streamline
impacts or goes around hill (horizontal plume)
Requires representative Hill Height Scale
for each receptor
AERMAP determines Hill Height Scale
based on highest terrain above a 10:1 slope
AERMOD Terrain Treatment
AERMOD Terrain Treatment

Critical dividing streamline height, Hcrit, defined as

streamline at which kinetic energy (KE) and potential
energy (PE) balance, i.e. Froude number = 1:

KE > PE

u hhill
/Z
Hcrit KE < PE
AERMOD Terrain Treatment
AERMOD Hill Height Scale
AERMAP Receptor Elevations

Based on terrain formulation, AERMAP receptor

elevation should reflect best estimate of actual
elevation at receptor location
AERMAP uses simple 2-dimensional, bilinear interpolation
based on four closest terrain nodes
ISCST3 method of using maximum elevation within
grid cell containing receptor not appropriate, may
not be conservative
Focus should be on using adequate receptor
resolution to capture significant terrain features
Types of Terrain Data

1-Degree Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Data

USGS files cover 1-degree latitude by 1-degree
longitude domain one-half of 1:250,000 scale
topographic map
Terrain data nodes spaced every 3 arc-seconds
(approximately 90 meters)
7.5-Minute DEM Data
USGS files cover 7.5-minute by 7.5-minute domain
one 1:24,000 scale topographic map
Terrain data nodes spaced every 30 meters or every
10 meters
Types of Terrain Data

15-Minute DEM Data

Available for Alaska spacing varies with latitude
National Elevation Dataset (NED)
Seamless dataset for full U.S.
Uniform 30-meter (1-arcsecond) or 10-meter (1/3rd-
arcsecond) spacing
Uniform horizontal datum (NAD83)
Supported by AERMAP (version 09040)
1-Degree DEM Data
7.5-Minute DEM Data
National Elevation Dataset (NED)
Terrain Processing Issues

Horizontal reference datum conversions

NAD27 vs. NAD83 reference datum
Use of ANCHORXY keyword to specify reference datum
of source and receptor coordinates
Use of DEM data with inconsistent reference
datums
May result in gaps between adjacent DEM files or
overlapping DEM files
Inconsistent Reference Datums
Terrain Processing Issues

Suggestions for unknown reference datum

First try to ascertain reference datum for sources
If coordinates are from previous application that dates
back several years (mid-1990s or earlier) or have
been derived from printed USGS 7.5-minute (1:24,000
scale) topographic maps, then best to assume NAD27
as the reference datum
If coordinates are from a recent application and are
likely to have been derived from a global positioning
system (GPS) device or a geographic information
system (GIS), then the reference datum is more likely
to be NAD83
Terrain Processing Issues

Quality/accuracy of DEM data

Accuracy of DEM data should not be accepted blindly
some independent verification of important elevations
should be made
Cases of 7.5-minute DEM elevations reflecting tops of
buildings and/or trees
More recent 10-meter resolution 7.5-minute data
appears to be more reliable
Data quality of NED data may also be more reliable
since it is continually updated
Terrain Processing Issues

Use of AERMAP for source elevations

Accuracy of DEM elevations generally more important
for source elevations, so caution should be used
Relative elevations between sources and buildings and
between sources and nearby receptors are most
important discrepancies in relative elevations could
have significant impact on results
May be better to use plant survey data or topographic
maps for source elevations to avoid potential problems
In any case, method used to estimate elevations should
be clearly documented
Recent AERMAP Update:
Version 09040

Fixed problems with processing AK DEM files (1-deg, 15-min and 7.5 min
data; non-uniform longitude spacing of nodes
Support for National Elevation Dataset (NED), available from USGS
Seamless Data Server in GeoTIFF format
Allow mixed DEM files (1-deg, 7.5-min, and 15-min for AK); can be
used to fill gaps in 7.5-min coverage, such as over water grids; however,
no support for mixed DEM and NED data
Domain Keywords (DOMAINXY/DOMAINLL) are now optional; will use
all available data if omitted
Support for INCLUDED keyword on RE and SO pathways
Improved handling and reporting of non-standard (non-USGS) terrain
data, including identification of receptors located in gaps between
terrain files or inside terrain files
Recent AERMAP Update Continued

Allocatable array storage at runtime

Modified to use standard convention of negative for West
longitude
Simplifies code structure and inputs
Consistency with other tools (e.g., AERSURFACE)
Improves applicability beyond the U.S.
Code included to convert DOMAINLL inputs to new convention for
backward compatibility
Update to AERMOD Implementation Guide with new sections
to discuss issues regarding sources of terrain data (DEM,
NED, SRTM, etc.) and use of AERMAP to estimate source
elevations, posted on SCRAM March 19, 2009
Example

Cross UTM zone

Gaps and overlapping files due to use of
non-standard DEM files
UTM zones
Receptor in gap between overlapping
files

File 2 File 1

Receptor
 Receptor in gap between overlapping
files
Preliminary elevation: 2059 m
When gap found for file #1
Final elevation: 2060.7 m
Using data from file #2

Gap

Overlap
Receptor

File 2 File 1
Non-standard file
Standard file
Non-standard DEM files
Questions