ABSTRACT
The third-generation Eulerian Grid Models (EGMs), commonly referred to as Chemical Transport Models (CTMs), are at present the most complex threedimensional numerical tools capable for representing majority of the atmospheric processes. Recently, a number of worldwide studies have focused on particulate modelling with CTMs, such as: the Unified EMEP model (Fagerli et al. 2004), CMAQ, Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (Byun & Ching 1999), CAMx, Comprehensive Air Quality Model with eXtensions (ENVIRON, 2008), CHIMERE (Bessagnet et al. 2004) and REM-CALGRID (Beekmann et al. 2007). Studies have mainly been performed for the USA (Tesche et al. 2006, Gaydos et al. 2007, Pun et al. 2009, Smyth et al. 2009), but also for Europe (Vautard et al. 2007, Stern et al. 2008). However, application of the CTM models for particulate matter (PM) (aerosols) dispersion simulations is highly demanding, as the PM in the atmosphere has both primary and secondary origins and differs widely in physical (see Van Dingenen et al. 2004) and chemical (see Putaud et al. 2004) properties. Primary PM is emitted from a large variety of anthropogenic, biogenic and natural sources, whereas secondary particles are formed in the atmosphere by chemical and physical processes from gaseous precursors such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).
