Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1713
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1713
27 Jun 2024
 | 27 Jun 2024

FLEXPART version 11: Improved accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility

Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl

Abstract. Numerical methods and simulation codes are essential for the advancement of our understanding of complex atmospheric processes. As technology and computer hardware continue to evolve, the development of sophisticated code is vital for accurate and efficient simulations. In this paper, we present the recent advancements made in FLEXPART, a Lagrangian particle dispersion model, which has been used in a wide range of atmospheric transport studies over the past three decades, extending from tracing radionuclides from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, to inverse modelling of greenhouse gases, and to the study of atmospheric moisture cycles.

This version of FLEXPART includes notable improvements in accuracy and computational efficiency. 1) By leveraging the native vertical coordinates of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) instead of interpolating to terrain-following coordinates, we achieved an improvement in trajectory accuracy, leading to a ∼ 8−10 % reduction in conservation errors for semi-conserved quantities like potential vorticity. 2) The shape of aerosol particles is now accounted for in the gravitational settling and dry deposition calculation, increasing the simulation accuracy for non-spherical aerosol particles such as microplastic fibers. 3) Wet deposition has been improved by the introduction of a new below-cloud scheme, a new cloud identification scheme, and by improving the interpolation of precipitation. 4) Functionality from a separate version of FLEXPART, the FLEXPART-CTM model, is implemented, which includes linear chemical reactions. Additionally, the incorporation of Open Multi-Processing parallelisation makes the model better suited for handling large input data. Furthermore, we introduced novel methods for the input and output of particle properties and distributions. Users now have the option to run FLEXPART with more flexible particle input data, providing greater adaptability for specific research scenarios (e. g., effective backward simulations corresponding to satellite retrievals). Finally, a new user manual and restructuring of the source code into modules will serve as a basis for further development.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

30 Oct 2024
FLEXPART version 11: improved accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility
Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 7595–7627, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7595-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7595-2024, 2024
Short summary
Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CEC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Juan Antonio Añel, 09 Jul 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on CEC1', Lucie Bakels, 10 Jul 2024
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Pieter De Meutter, 27 Jul 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024
  • RC2: 'Review of “FLEXPART version 11: Improved accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility”', Anonymous Referee #2, 31 Jul 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Helen Webster, 02 Aug 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC3', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CEC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Juan Antonio Añel, 09 Jul 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on CEC1', Lucie Bakels, 10 Jul 2024
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Pieter De Meutter, 27 Jul 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024
  • RC2: 'Review of “FLEXPART version 11: Improved accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility”', Anonymous Referee #2, 31 Jul 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1713', Helen Webster, 02 Aug 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC3', Lucie Bakels, 30 Aug 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Lucie Bakels on behalf of the Authors (30 Aug 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (10 Sep 2024) by Slimane Bekki
AR by Lucie Bakels on behalf of the Authors (11 Sep 2024)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

30 Oct 2024
FLEXPART version 11: improved accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility
Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 7595–7627, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7595-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7595-2024, 2024
Short summary
Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl
Lucie Bakels, Daria Tatsii, Anne Tipka, Rona Thompson, Marina Dütsch, Michael Blaschek, Petra Seibert, Katharina Baier, Silvia Bucci, Massimo Cassiani, Sabine Eckhardt, Christine Groot Zwaaftink, Stephan Henne, Pirmin Kaufmann, Vincent Lechner, Christian Maurer, Marie D. Mulder, Ignacio Pisso, Andreas Plach, Rakesh Subramanian, Martin Vojta, and Andreas Stohl

Viewed

Total article views: 1,144 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
809 297 38 1,144 72 23 16
  • HTML: 809
  • PDF: 297
  • XML: 38
  • Total: 1,144
  • Supplement: 72
  • BibTeX: 23
  • EndNote: 16
Views and downloads (calculated since 27 Jun 2024)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 27 Jun 2024)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,167 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,167 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 30 Oct 2024
Download

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

Short summary
Computer models are essential for improving our understanding of how gases and particles move in the atmosphere. We present an update of the atmospheric transport model FLEXPART. FLEXPART 11 is more accurate due to a reduced number of interpolations and a new scheme for wet deposition. It can simulate non-spherical aerosols, and includes linear chemical reactions. It is parallelised using OpenMP and includes new user options. A new user manual details how to use FLEXPART 11.