European operational air quality forecasting system by using MM5–CMAQ–EMIMO tool

Three Dimensional air quality modelling systems have experienced a considerable advance during the last decade. Sophisticated numerical methods have been developed also to gather most of the computer capabilities which have also experimented important advances. Parallel computing is also an option which is considered more and more important nowadays due to the relative slow process on single computer processors during last years. In this contribution we have implemented an air quality real-time operational forecasting system which covers all Europe by using the MM5–CMAQ–EMIMO air quality modelling system. This system is a step forward from the already developed system which covered the Iberian Peninsula in 2002. The CMAQ 4.5 version (September, 2005) has been incorporated to the application. MM5 and CMAQ models are, respectively the meteorological mesoscale and the dispersion drivers. The EMIMO model has been progressively updated by using the new Corine Land Cover for Europe (EEA) with 100 m spatial resolution. We have developed a GIS oriented internet interface which allows the user to access immediately to pollution time series and hourly maps for the next 48–72 h forecast for criteria pollutants (those limited by the corresponding EU Directives). The visual information is adapted to the specific legislation for each pollutant so that the information is related to the possible exceedances of the different concentrations averaged over different periods of time. The system is expected to be used as an operation tool to provide boundary and initial conditions for actual and future national, regional and city air quality forecasting systems.