Second EMEP expert meeting on intercomparison of POP models

Minutes

Agenda

Wednesday 10
9.30 Introduction - Sergey Dutchak
9.40 Brief information from participants:
Arthur C. Baart
Dirk van de Meent
Gerhard Petersen
Michiel G.M Roemer

10.30 State of the art of Stage I MSC-E
11.00 Coffee break
11.15 Overview of the calculation experiments MSC-E
11.45 - 18.00 Discussion - All participants
- Gas/particle partitioning
13.00-14.30 Lunch
- Dry and wet deposition
16.00-16.15 Coffee break
- Gaseous exchange processes
- Comparison with measurements (optional) MSC-E
18.00 Closing
19.00 Social event

Thursday 11

9.30 - 13.00 Draft report on Stage I: All participants
- Overview of model descriptions, parameterizations, and descriptions
of main processes
11.00 - 11.15 Coffee break
- Conclusions
13.00 Lunch
14.30 - 18.00 Work programme of Stage II - All participants
- Goals, subjects, input information
16.00 Coffee break
- Calculation experiments
- Time-schedule
18.00 Closing of the meeting

List of participants

Arthur BAART - Delft Hydraulics, The Netherlands
Paul BARTLETT - CBNS, Queens College Research Associate, University Research Center CBNS, USA
Knut BREIVIK - NILU, Norway
Sunling GONG - ARQM, Canada
Sergey DUTCHAK - MSC-E, Russia
Mikhail FEDYUNIN - MSC-E, Russia
Elena MANTSEVA - MSC-E, Russia
Dirk van de MEENT - RIVM, The Netherlands
Gerhard PETERSEN - GKSS-Research Centre, Germany
Michael ROEMER - TNO-MEP, The Netherlands
Viktor SHATALOV - MSC-E, Russia
Judith STOCKER - Institute for Chemistry and Bioengineering Swiss Federal Institute of Technology,
Switzerland
Boris STRUKOV - MSC-E, Russia
Noriyuki SUZUKI - National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
Andy SWEETMAN - Environmental Science Dept.Lancaster University, The United Kingdom

Technical report 1/2004 "POP model intercomparison study"

Draft Programme on Stage II of POP model intercomparison study

Stage II is aimed at the comparison of mass balance estimates (relative contents and concentrations of POPs in different environmental compartments, total amounts of a pollutant degraded in media and intermedia fluxes). Computational experiments are focused on the evaluation of partitioning of a pollutant among the following environmental compartments: atmosphere, soil, sediments, seawater, and vegetation (optional) and on the comparison of the results produced by models which use equilibrium, steady-state and/or dynamic approaches to the description of partitioning. These experiments are performed on the basis of agreed input data (emission data scenario or initial concentrations of a pollutant in the atmosphere) and artificial environmental characteristics (e.g. volumes of environmental compartments, their parameters, temperature regime, etc.). The output of this stage are to be presented in the second intermediate report and/or scientific paper.

Pollutants considered:

At Stage II the following pollutants selected for the intercomparison study: PCB-153 (first priority), PCB-28, PCB-180, B[a]P, and g-HCH (second priority) are included into computational experiments.

For PCBs, computational experiments are performed on the "standard parameterization" (prepared at Stage I of the intercomparison) and on individual parameterizations of the models participated. For other selected pollutants, computational experiments are carried out on the basis of physical-chemical parameters used in the models.

Input data:

Emissions scenario: Time period and area specification is considered to be out of importance for calculation experiments at this stage. Thus, existing expert estimates on emissions of the considered POPs (for example: [Pacyna et al., 1999; Breivik et al., 2002]) are used in calculation experiments so that to keep conventional emission fluxes at the realistic level. All amount of emissions is assumed to be released into the atmosphere.

Initial concentrations of a pollutant in the atmosphere: Initial concentrations of the considered pollutants in the atmosphere are taken from POP measurements campaigns to be close to the reality.

Artificial environmental characteristics

To perform calculation experiments at Stage II of the intercomparison study, a conventional calculation domain (not connected with concrete geographic location) will be set. The list of artificial environmental characteristics needed for these experiments will be compiled taking into account the descriptions of main processes of POP behaviour in different environmental compartments from the participating models. Approximate set of such data can be presented in the form shown in table. Numerical values of these parameters will be proposed later and agreed between the participants.

Computational experiments

The following computational experiments are performed for equilibrium, steady-state and/or dynamic distribution of the considered pollutants between the atmosphere, soil, sediments, seawater, and vegetation (optional) at given input data (emission scenario and atmospheric concentrations):

- Calculations of relative contents of POPs in the considered environmental compartments;
- Calculations of concentrations of POPs in the considered environmental compartments;
- Calculations of total amounts of a pollutant degraded in media;
- Calculations of intermedia fluxes (as additional information)*.

* - such calculation output is considered to be convenient for the comparison of results which can be obtained by purely atmospheric models and results obtained by participating multi-media models.

Time-table

Mathematical descriptions of mass balance approaches used in the participating models for equilibrium, steady-state and/or dynamic distribution of a pollutant among different environmental compartments will be submitted by the participants to MSC-E till February 2004.

The agreed set of artificial environmental characteristics and input data (emission and concentration scenarios) will be distributed by MSC-E between modellers by March 2004.

Then a number of computational experiments will be carried out on the "standard parameterization" and individual parameterizations used in the participating POP models. Calculation results will be submitted by the participants to MSC-E by June 2004.

Then the results of the computational experiments will be compared. The second intermediate report and/or scientific paper will be prepared on the basis of this comparison.