Modelling photochemical air pollutants from industrial emissions in a constrained coastal valley with complex terrain

Abstract

In order to assess the potential change in ambient concentrations of ozone and its precursors that may arise from the construction of large industrial facilities in the Terrace-Kitimat valley (TKV), we conducted a study using the WRF, SMOKE and CAMx models for two periods in 2010. We developed and applied control and test cases for each period, the former for model evaluation and the latter to assess pollutant change. Model evaluation showed that CAMx is able to emulate O3 peaks in an adjacent valley (where monitoring occurred) for both the spring and summer periods. Results for the spring period suggest that the addition of NOX from industrial sources may lead to modest O3 production outside of the main plume trajectory and on valley walls during afternoon hours as well as overnight O3 titration along low elevations of the TKV upwards of 80 km downwind of sources. Results from the summer period suggest that the addition of O3 precursors may at times contribute to a greater than 100 % increase in O3 production under certain meteorological conditions up to 50 km downwind of sources.