Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution

Heavy Metals

MSC-E continued cooperation with the EMEP Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (TF HTAP). Particularly, the Centre participates in the intercomparison study of hemispheric and global models organised in the framework of TF HTAP. The aim of the study is assessment of intercontinental source-receptor relationships for different pollutants including mercury and selected POPs, evaluation of current models variability and uncertainties, and guidance of future model developments.

The Centre co-ordinates activity on collection and processing of the modelling results for the TF HTAP mercury multi-model comparison. The results of the model intercomparison were presented at the TF HTAP Workshop in St.Petersburg, Russia in April 2009 and plans for the extension of the multi-model experiment were discussed. Besides, the multi-model assessment of the mercury dispersion on a global scale along with estimates of the intercontinental transport will be included into the HTAP 2010 assessment.

MSC-E participated in the joint TFHTAP/ TFMM workshop on Regional-Global and Air Quality-Climate Linkages held in Paris, France in June 2009. The workshop included several sessions devoted to the discussion of methodological issues in linking of regional and global scale air quality modelling and impacts of climate change. The session on linking of regional and global scale models considered recent progress and challenges for the work in this direction. MSC-E contributed to the work of this session and presented the information on the on-going development of the EMEP global multi-scale modelling framework. In particular, basic features of the modelling framework including nesting capabilities were described. Preliminary results on modelling of mercury on global and regional levels including application of one-way nesting were reported.

It was stressed that further progress in the multi-scale HM modelling significantly depended on the availability of fine resolution emission data and global HM emission inventories. The workshop participants recognized that linking EMEP regional modelling with global and local scale modelling was an important direction for further refinement of evaluation of HM pollution levels.

Persistent Organic Pollutants

This year MSC-E was actively involved in cooperation with TF HTAP. The main fields of activities were connected with POP model intercomparison exercises led by MSC-E, passive sampling campaigns, linking of local, regional and global scales modelling.

MSC-E contributed to the Workshop “Focusing on Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Arctic” (St. Petersburg, Russia, April 2009) and chaired a special POP session held in the framework of the Workshop. The session was focused on progress on the model intercomparison and evaluation work, and prospects directed for the preparation of the POP part of the TF HTAP Assessment Report 2010.

An overview of recent results on TF HTAP POP model itercomparison study was presented by MSC-E. Three models took part in the intercomparison for the time being: MSCE-POP (EMEP), SimpleBox (the Netherlands), and BETR-Global (Switzerland). Other experts in POP modelling were invited to join this study and to contribute to the TF HTAP Assessment Report.

The Workshop was also informed about availability of POP measurements at hemispheric/global scales including regular measurements and passive sampling campaigns. The methodology of using passive sampling results for the evaluation of POP contamination was considered. In particular, it was recognized that measurement-modelling approach was required for better understanding of pollution levels at regional and global scales.

MSC-E participated in the joint workshop of TF MM and TF HTAP on Regional-Global and Air Quality-Climate Linkages held in Paris, France in June 2009. The workshop included several sessions devoted to the discussion of methodological issues in linking of regional and global scale air quality modelling and impacts of climate change. The session on linking of regional and global scale models considered recent progress and challenges for the work in this direction. MSC-E contributed to the work of this session and presented the information on the on-going development of the EMEP global multi-scale modelling framework. In particular, basic features of the modelling framework including nesting capabilities were described. Preliminary modelling results on global and regional levels including application of one-way nesting were presented. Current limitations in linking of global modelling of POPs with regional within EMEP domain and local scale modelling were characterized and requirements for further progress were discussed. It was stressed that further progress in the multi-scale POP modelling significantly depended on the availability of fine resolution emission data and global POP emission inventories.