The EMEP POP model (MSCE-POP) has been designed for the assessment of the transport and accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the framework of the development of air quality policies in Europe under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

 

Model application

MSCE-POP model is being developed and used for the following purposes:

  • evaluation of atmospheric transport and deposition of POPs on regional (EMEP) scale
  • evaluation of transboundary transport of POPs
  • evaluation of POP partitioning between main environmental compartments (atmosphere, soil, vegetation, and seawater)
  • assessment of temporal and spatial trends
  • projection of future levels of POP contamination and trends under various emission scenarios
  • estimation of long-range transport potential and overall persistence of new substances candidates to POPs.

 

Model description

MSCE-POP is a three-dimentional Eulerian multicompartment chemistry transport model operating within the geographical scope of EMEP region. The horizontal resolution of the model domain is 50x50 km. In vertical direction it covers practically the whole troposphere and includes also upper layer of soil of 20 cm, and seawater compartment within the model grid. The model allows simulating the transport and fate of POPs in the following environmental compartments: the atmosphere, soil, seawater and vegetation taking into account exchange processes between these compartments. Model domain structure and basic processes of atmospheric transport and removal of pollution are defined in a way similar to MSCE-HM model. Detailed description of the model can be found in the MSC-E technical report [Gusev et al., 2005].

 

Input and output data of the MSCE-POP multicompartment model
 
The scheme of processes included
into the MSCE-POP model

 

Model evaluation

The MSCE-POP model performance was evaluated using the data of regular measurements of POP concentrations made at the EMEP monitoring sites and data of episodic measurement campaigns in several European countries. Besides the model was evaluated in a number of sensitivity studies and through the comparison with the results of other POP models. Evaluation of modelling results against measurements is carried out every year, and is described in annual reports. Examination of model sensitivity and estimation of model-related uncertainties of calculated deposition and concentrations is described in MSC-E technical report [Shatalov et al., 2005]. Detailed information on the model intercomparison studies is available in technical reports and in peer-reviewed papers. TFMM Workshop (Moscow, 2005) on the Review of the EMEP Models concluded that “the MSCE-POP model represents the state-of-the-science and fits to the purpose of evaluating the contributions of long-range transport to the environment impacts caused by POPs.

 

Further development

Along with MSCE-POP model there is ongoing development of the global multiscale modelling approach for POPs at the MSC-E. The Global EMEP Multi-media Modelling System (GLEMOS) is being developed to evaluate POP pollution at different scales: global, regional, and local.

 

References

Gusev A., E.Mantseva, V.Shatalov, B.Strukov [2005] Regional Multicompartment Model MSCE-POP, EMEP/MSC-E Technical Report 5/2005.

Shatalov V., A.Gusev, S.Dutchak, I.Holoubek, E.Mantseva, O.Rozovskaya, A.Sweetman, B.Strukov, N.Vulykh [2005] Modelling of POP contamination in European Region: Evaluation of the Model Performance, EMEP/MSC-E Technical Report 7/2005.