title: Intercomparison study of atmospheric mercury models: 2. Modelling results vs. long-term observations and comparison of country deposition budgets.
abstract: Five regional scale models with a horizontal domain covering the European continent and its surrounding seas, two hemispheric and one global scale model participated in the atmospheric Hg modelling intercomparison study. The models were compared between each other and with available measurements from 11 monitoring stations of the EMEP measurement network. Because only a very limited number of long-term measurement records of Hg were available, significant attention was given to the intercomparison of modelling results. Monthly and annually averaged values of Hg concentrations and depositions as well as items of the Hg deposition budgets for individual European countries were compared. The models demonstrated good agreement (within +/-20%) between annual modelled and observed values of gaseous elemental Hg. Modelled values of Hg wet deposition in Western and Central Europe agreed with the observations within +/-45%. The probability to predict wet depositions within a factor of 2 with regard to measurements was 50-70% for all the models. The scattering of modelling results for dry depositions of Hg was more significant (up to +/-50% at the annual scale and even higher for monthly data). Contribution of dry deposition to the total Hg deposition was estimated at 20-30% with elevated dry deposition fluxes during summer time. The participating models agree in their predictions of transboundary pollution for individual countries within +/-60% at the monthly scale and within +/-30% at the annual scale. For the cases investigated, all the models predict that the major part of national anthropogenic Hg emissions is transported outside the country territory.
authors: Meteorological Synthesizing Center-East of EMEP, Leningradsky Pr., 16-2, Moscow 125040, Russia.
authors: Alexey
authors: A
authors: Ryaboshapko
authors: O Russell
authors: OR
authors: Bullock
authors: Jesper
authors: J
authors: Christensen
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Cohen
authors: Ashu
authors: A
authors: Dastoor
authors: Ilia
authors: I
authors: Ilyin
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Petersen
authors: Dimiter
authors: D
authors: Syrakov
authors: Oleg
authors: O
authors: Travnikov
authors: Richard S
authors: RS
authors: Artz
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Davignon
authors: Roland R
authors: RR
authors: Draxler
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Munthe
authors: Jozef
authors: J
authors: Pacyna
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D008628:Mercury