Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1208
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1208
08 Nov 2022
 | 08 Nov 2022

Coupled mesoscale-LES modeling of air quality in a polluted city using WRF-LES-Chem

Yuting Wang, Yong-Feng Ma, Domingo Muñoz-Esparza, Jianing Dai, Cathy W. Y. Li, Pablo Lichtig, Roy C. W. Tsang, Chun-Ho Liu, Tao Wang, and Guy P. Brasseur

Abstract. To perform realistic high-resolution air quality modeling in a polluted urban area, the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model is used with an embedded large-eddy simulation (LES) module and with online chemistry. As an illustration, a numerical experiment is conducted in the megacity Hong Kong, which is characterized by multi-type pollution sources as well as complex topography. The multi-resolution simulations from mesoscale to LES scales are evaluated by comparing to ozone sounding profiles and surface observations. The comparisons show that both mesoscale and LES simulations reproduce well the mean concentrations of the chemical species and their diurnal variations at the background stations. However, the mesoscale simulations largely underestimate the NOX concentrations and overestimate O3 at the roadside stations due to the coarse representation of the traffic emissions. The LES simulations improve the agreement with the measurements near the road traffic, and the LES with the highest spatial resolution (33.3 m) provides the best results. The LES simulations show more detailed structures in the spatial distributions of chemical species than the mesoscale simulations, highlighting the capability of LES to resolve high-resolution photochemical transformations in urban areas. Compared to the mesoscale model results, the LES simulations show similar evolutions in the profiles of the chemical species as a function of the boundary layer development over a diurnal cycle.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

30 May 2023
Coupled mesoscale–microscale modeling of air quality in a polluted city using WRF-LES-Chem
Yuting Wang, Yong-Feng Ma, Domingo Muñoz-Esparza, Jianing Dai, Cathy Wing Yi Li, Pablo Lichtig, Roy Chun-Wang Tsang, Chun-Ho Liu, Tao Wang, and Guy Pierre Brasseur
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5905–5927, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5905-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5905-2023, 2023
Short summary

Yuting Wang et al.

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208', Anonymous Referee #1, 12 Jan 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Mar 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023
  • AC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208 (track-change&supplement)', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208', Anonymous Referee #1, 12 Jan 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Mar 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023
  • AC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1208 (track-change&supplement)', Yuting Wang, 14 Apr 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Yuting Wang on behalf of the Authors (14 Apr 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (01 May 2023) by Mathias Palm
AR by Yuting Wang on behalf of the Authors (02 May 2023)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

30 May 2023
Coupled mesoscale–microscale modeling of air quality in a polluted city using WRF-LES-Chem
Yuting Wang, Yong-Feng Ma, Domingo Muñoz-Esparza, Jianing Dai, Cathy Wing Yi Li, Pablo Lichtig, Roy Chun-Wang Tsang, Chun-Ho Liu, Tao Wang, and Guy Pierre Brasseur
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5905–5927, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5905-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5905-2023, 2023
Short summary

Yuting Wang et al.

Yuting Wang et al.

Viewed

Total article views: 617 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
386 213 18 617 7 6
  • HTML: 386
  • PDF: 213
  • XML: 18
  • Total: 617
  • BibTeX: 7
  • EndNote: 6
Views and downloads (calculated since 08 Nov 2022)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 08 Nov 2022)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 631 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 631 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 30 May 2023
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Air quality in urban areas is difficult to simulate in coarse resolution models. This work exploits the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model coupled with a large-eddy simulation (LES) component and with online chemistry to perform very high resolution (33.3 m) simulations for air quality in a large city. The evaluation of the simulations with observations shows that increased model resolution improves the representation of the chemical species near the pollution sources.