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Dry Deposition Methods Based on Turbulence Kinetic Energy: Part 1. Evaluation of Various Resistances and Sensitivity Studies Using a Single-Point Model
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  • Kiran Alapaty,
  • Bin Cheng,
  • Jesse Owen Bash,
  • J. William Munger,
  • John Walker,
  • Saravanan Arunachalam
Kiran Alapaty
US EPA

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Bin Cheng
ORISE/US EPA
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Jesse Owen Bash
U.S. EPA
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J. William Munger
Harvard University
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John Walker
USEPA
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Saravanan Arunachalam
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Abstract

Different functions are used to account for turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer for different stability regimes. These functions are one of the sources for differences among different atmospheric models’ predictions and associated biases. Also, turbulence is underrepresented in some of the resistance formulations. To address these issues with dry deposition, firstly we take advantage of three-dimensional (3-D) aspects of turbulence in estimating resistances by proposing and validating a 3-D turbulence velocity scale that is relevant for different stability regimes of boundary layer. Secondly, we hypothesize and prove that 3-D sonic anemometer measured friction velocity, used in 0-D and 1-D models, can be effectively replaced by the new turbulence velocity scale multiplied by the von Karman constant. Finally, we (1) evaluate a set of resistance formulations for ozone (O3), based on the 3-D turbulence velocity scale; and (2) intercompare estimations of such resistances with those obtained using the existing formulations and also evaluate simulated O3 fluxes using a single-point dry deposition model against long-term observations of O3 fluxes at the Harvard Forest site. Results indicate that the new resistance formulations work very well in simulating surface latent heat and O3 fluxes when compared to respective existing formulations as well as measurements at decadal time scale. Findings from this research may help to improve the capability of dry deposition schemes for better estimation of dry deposition fluxes and create opportunities for the development of a community dry deposition model for use in regional/global air quality models.