Skip to content | Skip to navigation
Air quality models can be used in the air quality permitting process to verify that a new stationary or portable source will not exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or New Mexico Air Quality Standards (NMAAQS) for criteria air pollutants. All PDF and ZIP files can be downloaded by clicking with the right mouse button and selecting "save target as".
Air quality models use mathematical and numerical techniques to simulate the physical and chemical processes that affect air pollutants as they disperse and react in the atmosphere. Based on inputs of meteorological data, source information (i.e. emission rates, stack height, exit gas temperatures, flows, and velocity, air dispersion models can characterize primary pollutants (i.e. oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, fine and course particulate matter) that are directly emitted into the atmosphere and secondary pollutants (ozone) that are formed from complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Effective November 9, 2006, the new dispersion model AERMOD replaces the Industrial Source Complex (ISC3) model - see guideline below. AERMOD applies to complex terrain, and incorporates a new downwash algorithm, PRIME (Wednesday November 9, 2005 Federal Register; Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR Part 51 “Revision to the Guideline on Air Quality Models: Adoption of a Preferred General Purpose (Flat and Complex Terrain) Dispersion Model and Other Revisions; FINAL RULE”).
Pollutant |
Background Concentration |
Particulate Matter less than 10 microns (PM10) |
|
Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) |
Season |
Albedo File |
Summer |
|
Autumn |
|
Winter - Spring |
Season |
Bowen Ratio File |
Summer |
|
Autumn |
|
Winter - Spring |
ISC - 5 year data set - ASC data file |
COA Airport 1990-1995 - 5 year data set |
USGS 7.5 minute topographical Didital Elevation Model (DEM) files should be used in AERMAP to calculate receptor elevations, source elevations, hill heights etc. The primary DEMs needed for the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County area are shown in the table below and links to the DEM files are provided.
USGS 7.5 Minute Topo Map |
USGS 7.5 Minute Topo Map |