SoundPLAN

SoundPLAN AirPLANs

Introduction to
air pollution modeling with
SoundPLAN Air Pollution Modules

Development Headquarters International Headquarters

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GERMANY USA
Tel: ++49.7191.9144-0 Tel: +1-360-432-9840
Fax: ++49.7191.9144-24 Fax: +1-360-432-9821
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Your local distributor:

2 | Comments
Results of air pollution calculations use a lot of disk
space, making it impossible to create a small demo
project with sensible in- and output for all the Air-
PLAN models and modules. Users want to save time,
too, so they will also simplify project data. Our
demo shows what SoundPLAN does, how to use it,
and how to correctly simplify projects.
Demo projects are stored on our FTP server with
slides and a short project description and a sum-
mary of the results. Download projects and analyze
how we have accomplished different tasks.
Open SoundPLAN in the demo mode in order to have
all air pollution modules available. In this mode you
can do everything except store files. For more exten-
sive investigations, order a temporary trial license
from your local distributor. Distributor information is
found at www.soundplan.com.

Rough Estimation or Detailed Analysis?

Remember the three levels of investigation when you begin modeling:
Prediction Dont be fooled by the illusion that air pollution concentrations can
be exactly foreseen if you were to buy the right calculation model. Such a model
would be too complex to even start from a PC! You will discover that it is nearly
impossible to get the complete data needed for a good prognosis. You must
create scenarios based on a few estimations instead of the many local mea-
surements actually needed for precise work. This makes sense when you con-
sider that forecasting air pollution concentrations cant be easier than forecast-
ing weather because air pollution dispersion depends, in part, on weather con-
ditions.
Detailed analysis (we call it, fine screening) allows you to simplify a model as
much as needed. However, all that is gained from a simplified scenario is a good
estimation of concentrations. How accurate can a detailed analysis be? You
have to combine complex wind fields and dispersion conditions with a reliable
emission scenario. What if the scenario doesnt work? Is there a simpler way to
get reliable results? Of course! Rough estimation!
Rough estimation (or, rough screening) seems a simple task to beginners who
have unreliable results, but this is not true! Experienced users carefully refine
their tasks and choose rough estimation methods to save calculation time and
win reliability and accuracy. They simplify models in ways that guarantee mod-
erate, but secure overestimations. Using a rough screening model correctly, is
simply not as easy as it seems! Thoughtfully operating outside the borders of
reality requires a lot of skill to read reliable information from the results.

Will limit values be exceeded? The answer yes or no requires

is a difficult question to answer, even
using a fine screening model for de-
tailed analysis.
evaluating the probability of error.
This value can be estimated for
measurement based validation
calculations, but not for estima-
tions based on freely defined sce-
narios.

Can exceeded limits be excluded? The answer yes is based on a

is easily answered. A rough estimation
is needed for a definitive no answer.
specific overestimation, so it is re-
liable. No is not reliable. It re-
quires either an alternate plan or
refinement of input data and finer
screening.
Rough screening: Gauss(TA Luft86) | 3
GAUSS (TA Luft86)
(German national standard TA Luft 1986-2002)
Gauss was part of the official German standard "TA Luft
86" which was released to estimate the impact of new
industrial air pollution sources, especially high emitting
point sources like smoke stacks. It is a simplified version of
the Gauss model defined in the VDI code 3782-1. The vali-
dation is associated to the evaluation of the VDI standard.
It has a tendency to overestimate close to the source.
Gauss models calculate very quickly. That means they can,
and should, handle wind statistics with a very high resolu-
tion. They calculate a plume with a statistical pollutant
distribution for each wind flow situation before evaluating
statistics like mean, max and percentiles.
The German model is not very sophisticated, but it brings
solid results at least for comparable climate zones. We
suggest looking for test data to compare if it fits your re-
gional conditions and requirements.
Because Gauss models are statistical models, use them
only to analyze representative time periods. Dont use
them for single case interpretations.

Rough screening: Austal2000

AUSTAL2000
(German standard TA Luft since 2002)
In 2002, TA Luft 02, which favors a diagnostic wind field
and a Lagrange model to calculate the air pollution disper-
sion, replaced TA Luft 86. The reference model AUS-
TAL2000 (Dr. Janicke, Dunum, Germany) was developed
for the German Environmental Agency.
AUSTAL2000 has three advantages:
It calculates a wind field which can regard terrain up to
an inclination of 20%
It has the reputation of the German government
It is freeware; you pay only for the SoundPLAN inter-
face.
Austal2000 is very rudimentary, based on ASCII-input-text
files and ASCII-output-text files. The SoundPLAN interface
allows you to work in a comfortable program environment.
You can apply your experience with the SoundPLAN Libra-
ries, Geodatabase, Calculation Kernel and Graphics, plus
you have full SoundPLAN support for the interface.
Working with freeware does have some disadvantages:
There is no international support for the original AUS-
TAL2000 calculation kernel. SoundPLAN supports you as
much as possible, but as we are not the authors of
AUSTAL2000, our help is limited to our interface.
You have no claim on reparations if AUSTAL2000 does
not work or produces implausible results.
The results are limited to the German/European require-
ments. If your national standards are more restrictive or
require additional statistics, Austal2000 isnt suitable.
4 | Fine Screening: MISKAM
When we talk about fine screening, we talk first about calculating wind fields which can include turbulent
effects between buildings. Then we talk about the spreading based on these precalculated wind fields. That
means we need three dimensional grids with high resolution in x, y, AND z directions, which are calculated
from the ground to a height far above the rooftops. MISKAM and AUSTAL2000 have different wind field
models and also different pollution dispersion equations and are therefore used for different prognosis.

MISKAM (Dr. Eichhorn, University of Mainz, Germany)

is a fine screening model with a respected international reputation. The
model was carefully verified and validated while revising the code. The
test calculations are mainly oriented to the guidelines of the VDI-Code
3783/9, Environmental meteorology - Prognostic microscale wind field
models - Evaluation for flow around buildings and obstacles.
Prognostic wind fields solve the physical equations describing the tur-
bulent wind flow instead of matching physics with empirical assump-
tions as do the diagnostic models. This precision consumes a lot of
time! Most highly developed CFD-programs are too oversized for a
common planning job. They require a lot of input not available for an
environmental impact study, because they are made for research or
product development.
To find the best compromise between the quality of prognosis of a CFD
program and the time budget of a common planning job, MISKAM sets
strict boundaries for its application scope: The turbulences caused by
obstacles should be so dominant that thermal and terrain effects can
be ignored.
MISKAM does not regard terrain and is best used with neutral atmos-
pheric stability. Calculating in stable conditions is possible, but requires
much more calculation time. Unstable conditions are automatically set
to neutral stability. If your investigation area allows these restrictions,
MISKAM is one of the best models you can use!
If you are not a meteorological expert, MISKAM's scope of application
should be restricted to inner city simulations like street canyons, park-
ing lots or situations where pollution sources are located close to the
recipients and where local changes of wind speed and turbulence have
to be regarded in a very high resolution. MISKAM is used for hot spots,
not for entire cities!
MISKAM allows simplifications: It is not necessary to calculate with
high resolved wind statistics, because the building structures cause
canalization effects. Also, it is not sensible to calculate with annual
meteorological time rows to correlate emissions and meteorology,
because all the single flow situations have to be calculated and stored.
We found different approaches get an acceptable compromise.
Never save time by exceeding the parameters of the model. Generate a
sensible inflow by regarding a huge belt of buildings around your inves-
tigation area. Dont save time using rough calculation grids which cant
simulate the physical conditions within a street canyon. SoundPLAN
version 7.1 allows you to distribute calculations to several computers
and multi-threading is available so you can use several calculation ker-
nels on one computer to save time.
The dispersion calculation uses an Eulerian approach. Pollution concen-
trations are transported from steadily emitting sources, one cell to the
next, until the concentrations reach a steady state. Then these single
wind flow situations are aggregated to statistical parameters like mean,
max, percentiles, frequency of limit exceeding, etc. The single case
results, concentrations as well as wind fields, can also be displayed as
maps.
 Fine Screening: Austal2000 | 5
Austal2000 allows fine screening and rough screening. Adding buildings to an Austal2000 run automatically
starts a fine screening calculating a much more detailed wind field and regarding all buildings. Take time to
learn about this because it is not a less expensive alternative to MISKAM calculations for street canyons,
even if you find examples of this misuse of Austal2000 in other software advertising and on the internet.
Correct results require using the correct model for a specific situation.

Austal2000 (Dr. Janicke, Dunum, Germany)

uses an easier approach than calculating an entire prognostic wind
field. It matches known properties of simplified wind fields. Overlaying
the general wind flow with the generally known behavior of flow dis-
tortions around an obstacle quickly derives a quite realistic wind field.
However, if you have several obstacles close together, this approach
works too quickly to preserve accuracy.
The Austal2000 evaluation report, unfortunately only available in
German, shows good accordance between calculations and wind
channel data for single buildings. The comparisons for dense building
structures are not very encouraging. Therefore, Austal2000 clearly
defines its scope of application.
Austal2000 rough screening, using roughness length to represent ob-
stacles, can be used for sources with a height more than 17 times the
roughness length (1,7 times the average obstacle height). Under free
flow conditions, rough screening can also include ground level sources.
Austal2000 is the standard model used for odor problems at animal
farms. It is often sufficient to create an emission box instead of model-
ing buildings located on free terrain with receptors approximately 100
m distance. The box height replaces the initial vertical dispersion.
Austal2000 fine screening is limited to sources between 1,2 and 1,7
times the average building height.
Austal2000 should not be used for ground level sources between
building structures. Comparisons with the well validated MISKAM
model show grave differences. Use MISKAM instead.
Even though Austal2000 was partly evaluated using MISKAM wind
fields, the models are suited for different purposes because Aus-
tal2000 uses different turbulence assumptions. For example, it regards
all neutral, stable and unstable atmospheric conditions. The decision
to use MISKAM or Austal2000 for fine screening will usually be deter-
mined by the source height and if unstable conditions are regarded.
Another point to consider is that usually the meteo data cant be re-
ceived from a local measurement within the calculation area. Aus-
tal2000 requires an anemometer position within the calculation area
to calibrate the standard wind field according to the real conditions. If
an outside measurement is transferred in a calculation area using ter-
rain information which does not fit with the meteo data (insufficient
area size, data measured in different terrain), the results can be very
strange.
Fine screening requires not only a highly developed calculation model
and a high end computer, but also excellent input data, and most im-
portantly, an idea what the model does with the data. To model every-
thing as detailed as possible and assign responsibility for the results to
a highly developed program, is not the right approach. Rather, know
the scope of each model, and choose the correct model for the job in
order to achieve accurate, beneficial results.
 6 | When are terrain effects negligible?
Everybody knows terrain has an influence on wind
speed and wind direction even though most models
dont consider terrain. Is it too complex to take ter-
rain into account or is its influence overestimated?
The answer is yes to both questions. The size of
the investigation area and the source height deter-
mine if terrain is needed.
Terrain is not only an obstacle, it also influences the
heat radiation balance and it produces local wind
effects. An extreme expansion of the modeled inves-
tigation area is often needed (but not usually paid
for), or local measurements with a much higher pre-
cision for these effects.

Rough screening for smoke stacks

fig. 1: Gauss flat terrain
fig. 2: Austal2000 flat terrain
fig. 3: Austal2000 undulated
terrain
fig. 4: Gauss flat terrain
fig. 5: Austal2000 undulated
terrain
Which to use: Gauss flat, Austal2000 flat, or Austal2000 regarding terrain?
When comparing results of a Gauss flat calculation (fig. 1) with an Austal2000 terrain re-
garding calculation (fig. 3), you probably expect to see big differences. Now calculate Aus-
tal2000 flat (fig. 2) and compare results again. You learn the big differences between fig. 1
and fig. 3 are not just a result of terrain effects, but are also determined by which calcula-
tion model was used. How can that be when the evaluation of both models is partly based
on the same measured data?
A statistical Gauss model uses a simplified plume shape, whereas the Lagrange model
uses a wind field. Therefore, dont expect a Gauss model to calculate with Lagrange
precision. In fig. 1, Gauss shows a high overestimation close to the source. This is easily
explained because the models require a different number of calculation parameters. In
other words, there are different assumptions made and built into the different models.
Even though the Lagrange model is more sophisticated, it isnt always better. The
more sophisticated a model, the more its sensitivity to errors! In fig. 2, the Austal2000
results show errors caused by too rough a wind classification which are completely
hidden in the Gauss results. The results in fig. 3 show a high influence from the terrain,
but dont show the terrain inclinations cross the boundaries of a diagnostic wind field
nor do they show the wind statistics used do not fit the terrain model.
To help determine which model to use, let yourself become the smoke stack. Envision the
area around you and the anemometer position. With some background knowledge (and
maybe some test calculations), you will quickly recognize if regarding terrain is important.
In general, tall stacks arent affected by small undulation, but ground level sources will
have an effect.
Austal2000 is based on a diagnostic wind field. That's a problem when vertical dispersion
is influenced by stalls. Stalls are outside the realm of a diagnostic wind fields and cause an
interruption of the calculation. However, using Austal2000 with steeper slopes than al-
lowed prevents a plume leaving a valley too early. Be aware that this exceptional use is a
work-around which requires modeling experience to avoid Austal2000 terminating the
calculation or computing a wrong wind field. It also requires experience to extract a relia-
ble statement from the results!
Rough screening for bypass roads:
When compared to other model results, Gauss results greatly overestimate the first
30-50 m and show a moderate overestimation between 50-200 m. After 200 m the results
can be underestimated, but limits aren't usually exceeded.
Embankments cause turbulences. They also cause problems in modeling. This is because
they are not mentioned by the Gauss model and their inclination is too steep for Aus-
tal2000. If the air is already well mixed at the first buildings in the model area, road em-
bankments and single obstacles lose importance. Otherwise a prognostic wind field model
should be used.
Rough screening for animal farms:
It is often appropriate to use Austal2000 rough screening for Farms near communities.
This model includes a special smell evaluation. It is the standard used in Germany. In un-
dulated terrain you need local wind statistics because the model does not process local
thermals and cold air flows.
 When are obstacles negligible? | 7
In impact studies, building usually represent reci- Wind speed has a big influence on the initial concen-
pients. This does not mean building details must al- tration of pollutants close to the source. Low wind
ways be taken into account. The calculation of wind speed means a small air volume has to pick up the
fields around buildings is only important if there is a released exhaust. In contrast, high wind speed pro-
small distance between source and recipient. If there motes lower concentrations. On the other hand, high
is a big distance, usually there is very little influence. ground turbulence counteracts these effects by pro-
Why is this true? ducing a good vertical exchange.

Gauss (TA Luft86) No buildings needed

This model ignores buildings and has no entry to adjust the vertical exchange except the
thermal effects represented by the Klug/Manier stability classes (which included a rough-
ness effect in 2009). This seems a very rough approach to include buildings. The Gauss
model does use a statistically derived plume shape, but cannot mention detailed local
effects like other, more sophisticated model types. Therefore, Gauss results are best
when the source is far above any roughness influence and the recipients are not too close
to the stack.
If there is a bypass road with noise barriers, approximate the situation by lifting the
source to the barrier height. Remember, this is a rough approach! Release the emission at
a height where a higher wind speed exists. This is not appropriate close to barriers be-
cause re-circulations are ignored, but farther away, the results are reliable. If more exact
results are needed, use MISKAM to model the barrier.

Austal2000
Austal2000 lets you choose to regard buildings or use a rough building effect. Without
buildings, use roughness length and displacement height as parameters to adjust
wind speed and ground turbulence. Unfavorable roughness length and displacement
height uses one value for the entire area. As the highest influence of ground roughness is Buildings required
close to the source, you must especially examine the area close to the source in order to
find an appropriate value.
If you were to choose to regard buildings, you would add buildings to your calculation and
reduce roughness length and displacement height to represent the roughness between
the buildings. Austal2000 would then calculate a much more sophisticated wind field li-
brary, which might take days to complete. Therefore, it is wise to consider if an approach
without buildings would be reliable enough! Also, remember that Austal2000, in combi-
nation with buildings, is limited to source heights between 1,2 and 1,7 times the average
obstacle height and it does not support street canyons!
Austal2000 is very useful for calculating smell from animal farms. Typically, there is a
group of barns around the source, then a long distance of free terrain, and then more
houses. For this situation it is usually OK to ignore the buildings because the focus is on
the odor near the houses. Model the vertical exchange around the farm buildings by
creating an emission box with an estimated vertical expansion to define the initial turbu-
lent dispersion. Turbulences within the community have little influence on the concentra-
tions because the air arrives already well mixed. The roughness length for such a calcula-
tion without buildings usually corresponds to the space between farm and community.

MISKAM
Because MISKAM is considered the best model, people often choose it, but then use a
crudely rough grid without buildings because they cant spend time on modeling and cal-
culation. This is nonsense and a misuse of MISKAM! MISKAM is a powerful, fine screening
model for street canyons and hot spots. Don't misuse it for rough screening. It needs
buildings to unfold its strength thats what it is made for and validated for!
It requires an initial roughness length value for the space between buildings, which can be
adjusted by adding local roughness areas if desired. Remember, the right model for the
right situation equals correct results!
 8 | Perspectives
Because of our extensive noise prognosis background, we developed synergy effects between air pollution
tasks and noise prognosis tasks. All noise control software producers do this because many authorities re-
quire it. However, SoundPLAN does even more: We provide support for people working with air pollution
prognosis full time! We continually search for and develop new ideas to compliment our air pollution suite.
We are implementing a long list of SoundPLAN tools and have two interesting ideas for new models to inter-
face or include in SoundPLAN.

Outlook: Rough Screening

IMMIS
IVU-Umwelt GmbH in Freiburg, Germany, offers a GIS based suite to search for
hot spots in cities, to analyze the impact of redirected traffic connections and to
analyze traffic emission variants.
The emission data are taken from the HBEFA, already standard in several Euro-
pean countries, which includes thousands of emission factors. IMMISem helps
users compose national fleets or local fleet variations and connects emission fac-
tors with localized traffic data. IMMISluft combines road emissions with street
canyon characteristics and local meteorology to get a rough screening of ex-
pected pollutant concentrations and one average value for an entire road section.
The concentrations are derived from a huge database a box model creates. For a
small fee, IVU-Umwelt GmbH adjusts meteorology to specific regional require-
ments. The first adjustment is even included in the sales price.
With the first purchase order, SoundPLAN will create an interface and a tool to
divide the street canyons into sensible road sections while regarding the road
geometry and building structures. Let us know of your interest in the interface!

Outlook: Fine Screening

GRAMM/GRAL
GRAMM was developed at the Technical University of Graz and is highly res-
pected in the scientific world. Both GRAMM and the dispersion model GRAL are
validated by many international comparisons and studies and both are recom-
mended by the Austrian authorities. GRAMM utilizes a prognostic approach to
calculate wind fields on large areas in complex terrain. The basin of Graz, on the
southern side of the Alps, poses a very challenging evaluation area. The system
has been used under different climate conditions, so it is a world wide solution.
GRAL, the Lagrangian particle model of the University of Graz, completes GRAMM
for air pollution calculations. GRAL, however, is all that is needed when working in
less complex terrain areas. Because GRAMM calculations require solid meteoro-
logical understanding and a lot of time, SoundPLAN, together with the Technical
University would like to offer a wind field calculation service for GRAL customers.
GRAL has the best reputation for ground level sources in complex terrain flow
conditions. Different roughness length can be used for rough calculations without
buildings, plus there are other features, like a comfortable source receptor mod-
eling approach, which Austal2000 does not have. GRAL is also one of only a few
models validated for low wind speed conditions.
If buildings are also to be considered, the quality of modeling is similar to micro
scale models. The combination of GRAMM/GRAL/MISKAM in one software inter-
face would meet the challenges of almost any task of urban and rural planning
projects. SoundPLAN is working with the authors to create just such an interface
within our AirPLAN suite.
 Library Tools | 9
All air pollution modules implemented in SoundPLAN need wind statistics. SoundPLAN has a Meteorologi-
cal Station Library. It is a user defined library to edit, store and classify measurement data. Its elements can
be used with Gauss (TA Luft 86) and MISKAM. Austal2000 requires statistics in several allowed ASCII-
formats, which are provided by the German weather services. Even if Austal2000 doesnt read SoundPLANs
library, this tool is very useful to make the ASCII files visible or to export user data to the required file for-
mats.
To import free data formats, just arrange the columns in a spread sheet as required in the SoundPLAN li-
brary and copy them via clipboard to SoundPLAN.

Meteorological raw data

SoundPLAN stores raw measurement data in a table. Data
can be organized as time rows or as classified statistics. We
have started implementing a set of tools to transform data,
with a special focus on atmospheric stability classifications.
You can already calculate Klug/Manier classes from cloud
covering, transpose them from one station to another,
convert to Monin/Obukhov length, etc. Version 7.1 will
introduce filter options to analyze meteorological data and Wind rose classification
(Klug/Manier-Class: all - cumulative percentage)

related time series of pollutant background measurement.

315 45

Classified view
To show data in a diagram, a temporary classification to Wind classes [m/s]
< 1,4

sectors and wind speeds is needed. Use the settings for the
1,4 - 1,8
1,9 - 2,3
2,4 - 3,8
3,9 - 5,4
Wind rose classification 5,5 - 6,9

graphics display and to create a new, classified raw data (Klug/Manier-Class: all - cumulative percentage) 50

100
7,0 - 8,4
8,5 - 10,0
> 10,0

set. 315 45
150

200

The diagram can be copied to the clipboard as Windows 225

250
135

metafile (scalable vector graphics and text). You can paste Wind classes [m/s]
< 1,4
1,4 - 1,8

it into the project documentation text. 1,9 - 2,3

2,4 - 3,8
3,9 - 5,4
5,5 - 6,9
100 7,0 - 8,4

The classification is temporary. For calculations, Sound- 200

8,5 - 10,0
> 10,0

PLAN always uses the raw data table, but it takes only a 300

400 41
click to create a new, really classified raw data set or an 225 500 135

00
ASCII file for Austal2000.
600

Sometimes it is necessary to correlate a meteorological time row with an emission time row. This procedure
increases calculation time, so is only sensible for Gauss or Austal2000. Version 7.0 allows only an emission
day histogram for Gauss calculations. Version 7.1 offers a sophisticated library concept with easily defined
hourly emission variations for the whole year, with simple, periodically repeated day or week histograms.
The sources will also support time dependent emission variables like volume stream and humidity, to sup-
port all Austal2000 time row functions.

Day histogram
The basic definition is a set of day histograms, each with 24
separately defined hours.
Week histogram
There can be several typical weeks to regard seasonal dif-
ferences of production cycles.
Year histogram
The year histogram links to week-histograms. SoundPLAN
uses a reference date to know the week day for each date
so you wont have to spend hours defining the periods,
plus, you can insert single days which refer to different
week histograms (include feast days, company holidays,
etc.).
10 | Grid operations
After only a short time working with air pollution prognosis, you will notice that the simple calculation of
immissions is not enough to get sensible results. The sources within a calculation model represent only a
part of the whole emissions because other emissions are added from local sources or inflowing air. Plus, it is
important to regard pollutants which are transformed during transport. This is not a problem for CO, be-
cause it becomes CO2 and mitigates the concentrations. NO, however, becomes NO2 and the concentrations
increase within critical distances.

Add preload (initial pollution of inflowing air)

Pollutants which come from distant regions are usually
added to the immission maps as single values. This is
sometimes not enough when working with maximum val-
ues. Neighboring emissions might influence the results in a
close dependence to wind directions. A good approach for
this would be to calculate the local pollutants with
MISKAM and overlay the results with a Gauss (TA Luft 86)
calculation. Use sources only one time, and remember that
the roads in a MISKAM calculation end at the border of the
outer area.
Overlay sources to adjust scenarios
If you have few sources, it is wise to start separate disper-
sion calculations for each source with one standard pollu-
tant and standard emission and add the results afterwards.
This avoids rerunning the dispersion calculation. Use vari-
ous factors to adjust the emissions to compare different
scenarios.
Convert NO to NO2
Austal2000 and Gauss automatically transform NO into
NO2 using a time dependent conversion rate. This is sensi-
ble for tall stacks with strong emissions. However, below
the Urban Canopy Layer, NO converts differently. For traf-
fic emissions, pollutant NOx should be calculated instead
of NO and NO2. Include the NOx background into the con-
version reaction, simulated by a post processing.
In this case NOx should be emitted. There are several for-
mulas which derive NO2 from NOx concentrations that cal-
culate the transformation as a post process using grid op-
erations. This allows the total NOx to be regarded, includ-
ing the background pollution. This is the better way, espe-
cially for ground level sources like traffic.
Remember, prognosis conversion formulas that dont
normally have entry for radiation and ozone concentra-
tions are empirically founded and probably cant be used
worldwide. SoundPLANs functions are derived from Ger-
man measurement campaigns. Find local studies with for-
mulas that represent your investigation. If the formulas are
too complex to insert into the grid operations, contact us
for assistance.
Remember, empirically derived formulas never fit single
cases, but represent an entire year. A single case predic-
tion would not only require information about solar radia-
tion, temperature and all other pollutants in the air, but
also information about short time correlations. It would be
impossible to make such a detailed forecast!
 Results | 11
Gauss (TA Luft 86) calculates single monitoring stations or grid results. AUSTAL2000 has an option for single
point results, but SoundPLAN doesnt support the display. You receive only the original AUSTAL2000 proto-
col. MISKAM doesnt display single points. We recommend grid calculations because all immission values
should regard neighbouring cells. We offer a huge number of display options for grids - more options than
can be shown here. MISKAM is the only model that displays wind fields.
12 | What about a training session?
The purchase process often begins with using a demo version to get an understanding of modeling techniques before
making a decision to purchase. For air pollution propagation, there are many details to learn about the different
models besides learning how to use the software. Especially if air pollution prognosis is a new field of study, we feel
the most efficient way to begin is to attend a training session.
Although air pollution prognosis is a complex matter, it doesnt take long to learn how to recognize and avoid prob-
lems throughout process. The model developers have done their work correctly, so you dont have to worry about
the mathematics and the physic. We focus your attention on weather and pollution effects, much of which you al-
ready know, and then show you how these effects are parameterized as model input for the different model ap-
proaches. AirPLAN training shows the maximum reliability expected in projects and the minimum data quality re-
quired. It shows how the interaction between input data and the calculation model determines model selection.
Above all, it shows how to maximize your time and efforts for efficient, accurate air pollution prognosis.

Contents:
The training includes the modules Gauss (TA Luft86), Austal2000 and MISKAM. Topics include:

Wind in Nature Modeling Wind Model Approaches

appearance and importance of measurement and parameteriza- statistical approach
large scale and local wind systems tion of wind characteristics diagnostic approach
plumes and wind fields prognostic approach

Source Modeling Calculation Control Result Display

general approaches optimizing parameter settings wind fields
modeling in SoundPLAN control by files & graphics concentrations
HBEFA road emissions post processing operations

The training projects and presentation slides are available on DVD. All three training days are required to fully cover
the topics. Attendance from first to last session is mandatory. If you want to discuss project data, send them
klaus.wilhelm@soundplan.de beforehand with a description of the situation. Well look for ways to assist you with
your particular projects.
Sincerely,
your B+B Team