SILAM, Air Quality and Emergency Modelling System

This page is a knowledge crystal of subtype method. The page identifier is Op_en3068
Moderator:Mia (see all)
Upload data Show results

The air quality and emergency modelling system SILAM has been created to provide an environment capable of supporting various types of dispersion models and suitable for approaching a wide range of tasks. The dispersion tools in the framework allow to choose between the Eulerian and Lagrangian dynamic kernels. The Lagrangian kernel incorporates a high-precision iterative advection algorithm and a Monte-Carlo random-walk representation of atmospheric diffusion. It is mainly used for emergency-preparedness simulations. The Eulerian kernel combines M.Galperin’s advection scheme and a complementary vertical scheme based on extended resistance-analogy approach. That model is used for the bulk of the applications, including air quality assessment and forecasting.

The chemico-physical modules allow computations of radioactive pollutants (the model database includes 500 nuclides with decay chains, dose rates and doses targeting up to 23 organs of the human body); basic SO_x-NO_x-NH_x-O₃ chemistry; size-segregated aerosol compounds, natural allergenic pollutants, production of sea salt; and probabilistic estimates of plume dispersion expressed via volume- and area-of-risk.

SILAM includes a set of supplementary tools including a meteorological pre-processor, input-output converters, grid transformers, interpolation routines, etc. These ensure a high flexibility to the user requests, enabling in particular the usage of various NWP models as data sources, with dynamical determination of internal model parameters such as the computation grid, vertical structure and a list of meteorological quantities needed for computations.

Currently, the operational version of the model is v.3.8.1 for emergency response and 4.5.1 for other applications.

More information can be found at:: http://silam.fmi.fi/