Simulation of European air quality by WRF–CMAQ models using AQMEII-2 infrastructure

•The model inter-comparison initiative AQMEII is outlined.•The NIMH’s WRF–CMAQ model system as designed for AQMEII-2 exercise is described.•Simulations for 2010 over Europe as prepared for the ENSEMBLE tool are described.•O3, NO2 and PM model results are analyzed against surface measurements in ENSEMBLE.

The air quality modeling system WRF–CMAQ was applied to the European domain for the year 2010 in the frame of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII), Phase 2. The model system was set up for a domain of 5000×5000 km2 size with horizontal resolution of 25km. The emissions at European level were available through AQMEII and further processed in a way to feed the chemistry transport model CMAQ. The meso-meteorological model WRF was driven by NCEP GFS data with 1°×1° resolution. The chemical boundary conditions were extracted from MACC global simulation data. Model performance was investigated by means of AQMEII-2 web based evaluation platform and the monitoring data gathered for this activity. A preliminary model evaluation for ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter was conducted. The statistical analysis was based on comparison between simulated and observed concentrations at different type of surface stations in the EU wide domain (rural, urban, suburban), as well as for selected four cities. Model performance was characterized by overestimation for ozone and underestimation for the other pollutants. The relative statistical indicators were discussed also in view of recently published performance criteria.