Atmospheric plume modeling with a three-dimensional refinement adaptive grid method

Abstract

We present a three-dimensional fully-adaptive grid algorithm for chemical transport models. The method is designed to refine vertical and horizontal resolution by dynamically concentrating grid nodes within a region of interest. Exceptionally high grid resolution can be achieved in Eulerian air quality models using the method. Here the algorithm’s main operations are described. In addition, advection tests are used to demonstrate the algorithm’s ability to better capture concentration gradients in atmospheric plumes.