Practical CalPuff Raleigh, NC (9/16/2010 - 9/17/2010)

In "Practical CalPuff" students will learn how to use the most advanced EPA Guideline Model.  The CALPUFF modeling system is the EPA recommended model for long-range transport, and is approved for modeling complex flow situations near a source as well.

This course focuses on actually performing CALPUFF studies, not on micrometeorological theory.  Over 75 percent of the course is devoted to in-class exercises.  Students learn by doing.  You do not need to be an expert modeler to attend this course.  Find out how easy and fun CALPUFF modeling can be.

Hands-On Exercises

• Long-Range Screening (ISC met data)
• Refined Long-Range Transport
• Wind field vector analysis
• Visibility Analysis
• Complex Flow
• Displaying individual puffs

Included In the Course

• Course Manual that contains copies of all of the slides
• Course Workbook that contains step-by-step instructions for each exercise
• CD that contains all input and output files including the instructor's solution to each exercise

Day One: We introduce students to the fundamentals of CALPUFF modeling, including the advantages of puff models over steady-state models. The morning exercise will be a detailed Complex Flow analysis, including the preparation of the required geophysical and meteorological data.  Part of this exercise will be to adjust some of the parameters used to process the met data and assess the impact of the changes. The afternoon exercise will be a CALPUFF screening analysis using ISC met data to perform a long-range transport exercise.

Day Two: The second day's exercise will be a refined long-range transport analysis. We will examine the raw geophysical data, including processing of USGS land use and terrain data.  Sources of raw meteorological data are discussed and the filling of incomplete data is covered.; Precipitation stations will extracted, as will MM4 data. Hands-On exercises of processing raw geophysical data and surface, upper air, precipitation and MM4 meteorological data complete the morning portion. The afternoon exercise includes using the morning's data to perform a Refined Long-Range Transport study. Both pollutant impacts and visibility effects will be modeled. A complex flow (complex terrain) near-field exercise will complete the course.

Not only will you learn by doing, you’ll have the chance to meet and talk to other skilled modelers, sharing ideas and experiences to the benefit of all.  We will share our tips and tricks that will make your projects a success.

At the completion of this course, students will know how and where to find the raw data needed, and how to process it.  The graphic tools and methods learned will help the students visualize the data and review its appropriateness.  CALPUFF will no longer seem like an impossible task.  Students will be ready for the next generation of modeling skills.

To summarize, "Practical CALPUFF Modeling" includes:

• Puff model theory
• Acquiring and processing geophysical data
• Acquiring and processing surface and upper air meteorological data
• Acquiring and processing precipitation and MM4 meteorological data
• Creating gridded meteorological data
• Long-range transport screening exercise (CALPUFF Lite)
• Refined long-range transport exercise
• Visibility exercise
• Complex flow exercise