Central California Ozone Study (CCOS) - Desert Research Institute

CCOS Field Operations Plan Version 2: 5/31/00
f. Perform operational evaluation of the air quality model.
g. Evaluate and improve the performance of emissions, meteorological, and air quality
simulations. Apply simulation methods to estimate ozone concentrations at receptor sites
and to test potential emissions reduction strategies.
h. Identify the limiting precursors of ozone and assess the extent to which reductions in
volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, would be effective in reducing ozone
concentrations.
Objective M-2. Determine the relative contributions of ozone generated from emissions in one
basin to federal and state exceedances in neighboring air basin.
a. Characterize the structure and evolution of the boundary layer and the nature of regional
circulation patterns that determine the transport and diffusion of ozone and its precursors
in northern and central California.
b. Identify and describe transport pathways between neighboring air basins, and estimate the
fluxes of ozone and precursors transported at ground level and aloft under differing
meteorological conditions. Reconcile results with flux plane measurements.
c. Determine the contribution of ozone generated from emissions in one basin to federal and
state exceedances in neighboring air basin through emission reduction sensitivity
analysis.
Objective M-3. Provide improve understanding of the role of thermal power plant plumes in
contributing to regional air quality problems in central California.
a. Conduct measurements during CCOS Intensive Operational Periods (IOPs) in plumes
from one or more power plants to allow reactive plume or plume-in-grid model to be
evaluated.
b. Provide operational evaluation of a state-of-the-science reactive plume model component
using data collected during the CCOS field study.
c. Using the modeling system developed by CCOS, provide a technical analysis appropriate
to support the development of interbasin/intrabasin as well as interpollutant offset rules
that could be applied to the central California region.
d. Run model simulations to estimate the air quality implications of different energy
policies.
Objective M-4. Assess the reliability associated with air quality model inputs and formulation,
and reconcile model results with observation-based and other data analysis methods.
a. Perform diagnostic evaluation of model results.
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1-6