WRAP/WAQS 2014v1 Shake-Out Study
Introduction
The objectives of the WRAP/WAQS 2014 Platform Development and Shake-Out Study (“Shake-Out Study”) is to develop regional photochemical grid model (PGM) modeling platforms for the western U.S. and 2014 calendar year using existing information. The Shake-Out Study 2014 PGM modeling platforms will be used for regional haze State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and potentially other air quality issues in the western states. The first two phases of the Shake-Out Study were performed during the first four months of 2019 and culminated in version 1 (2014v1) of the annual CMAQ and CAMx PGM 2014 base case simulations, model performance evaluation and documentation as described below.
2014v1 Shake-Out Study Modeling Plan
The initial draft Modeling Plan for the 2014 Shake-Out Study was dated December 31, 2018 and distributed to State, Federal and Local agencies who provided comments that were implemented in a second draft Modeling Plan that was also reviewed. The final 2014 Shake-Out Study Modeling Plan was dated March 9, 2019 and represented the implementation of two rounds of comments. The final Modeling Plan and Response-to-Comments documents can be found at the following links:
- Response-to-Comments on First Draft Modeling Plan (2019-02-02)
- Response-to-Comments on Second Draft Modeling Plan (2019-03-09) Final Modeling Plan (2019-03-09)
2014v1 Shake-Out Study Final Report
The 2014v1 Shake-Out Study Draft Final Report was dated May 21, 2019 and documents the first phases of the WRAP Shake-Out Study. The Draft Final Report provides details on the 2014v1 PGM platform development, sensitivity modeling for Boundary Conditions (BCs), meteorology and emissions and documents the final annual 2014v1 CMAQ and CAMx 36/12-km Shake-Out simulations and model performance evaluation. The draft final report can be found at the following link:
2014v1 PGM Platform Development
The existing information used to develop the 2014v1 Shake-Out Study PGM modeling platforms was primarily based on EPA’s 2014 PGM Modeling Platform and 2014 WRF meteorological modeling conducted by the Western Air Quality Study (WAQS).
2014 Meteorological Data
There are two existing 2014 Weather Research Forecast (WRF) meteorological model databases that were available for developing 2014 meteorological input for the two PGMs: (1) the EPA 2014 WRF 12-km database for the 12US2 continental U.S. domain; and (2) the WAQS 2014 36/12-km database for the 36-km 36US continental U.S. and 12-km 12WUS2 western U.S. modeling domains. Figure 1 displays the PGM modeling domains that were developed using the WAQS 36-km 36US and 12-km 12WUS2 and EPA 12-km 12US2 WRF data.
