The AMS/EPA Regulatory Model (AERMOD) is a Gaussian dispersion model widely used in the U.S. and internationally to assess air pollution impacts from industrial facilities, as part of regulatory air-permitting processes. Leveraging AERMOD’s novel applications, we have developed this tutorial to help researchers learn how to run AERMOD and use its outputs for health impact assessment.
AERMOD-modeled NO2 dispersion for May 5, 2020. The plume dispersed around the coal power plant, as influenced by the wind pattern. Section 1.1 of the tutorial introduces the Python script and example data to make this plot.
This tutorial is designed for students and researchers with no or minimal prior experience using AERMOD, although prior coding experience is recommended. This tutorial is targeted toward students and researchers who are interested in air pollution dispersion modeling and health impact assessment.
Through this tutorial, you will learn to:
Access and understand AERMOD input files and data sources
Run AERMOD and its preprocessors
Generate dispersion plots from AERMOD outputs
Estimate health impacts based on output concentrations
The tutorial is written as a pdf document, with a case study of modeling a coal-fired power plant. Python notebook files and supporting documents including data and example outputs are accessible via the shared folder linked in the tutorial.