title: Issues related to aircraft take-off plumes in a mesoscale photochemical model.
abstract: The physical and chemical characteristics of aircraft plumes at the take-off phase are simulated with the mesoscale CAMx model using the individual plume segment approach, in a highly resolved domain, covering the Athens International Airport. Emission indices during take-off measured at the Athens International Airport are incorporated. Model predictions are compared with in situ point and path-averaged observations (NO, NO₂) downwind of the runway at the ground. The influence of modeling process, dispersion properties and background air composition on the chemical evolution of the aircraft plumes is examined. It is proven that the mixing properties mainly determine the plume dispersion. The initial plume properties become significant for the selection of the appropriate vertical resolution. Besides these factors, the background NOx and O₃ concentration levels control NOx distribution and their conversion to nitrogen reservoir species.
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Division of Physics, Department of Environmental Physics and Meteorology, Build. Phys. V, University Campus, Zografou, 157 84 Athens, Greece. ebossiol@phys.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Elissavet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bossioli
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tombrou
authors.forename: Costas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helmis
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurtenbach
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiesen
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dandou
authors.forename: Kostas V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Varotsos
mesh_terms: D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000401:Aircraft; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006115:Greece; D008956:Models, Chemical; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions