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Lakes Environmental Software
Volume 9 - Issue 12 Monthly Newsletter - December 2008

Contents

News & Events
Upcoming Courses
Monthly Modeling Tip
This Month’s Articles
Conferences & Trade Shows
About this Newsletter
Subscribe/Unsubscribe
Newsletter Archive

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Modeling Data

News & Events

Season's Greetings from Lakes Environmental!

Lakes Environmental sends you our best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and a successful 2009.

Our offices will be closed for the holiday season on:

  • Thursday, December 25th, 2008
  • Friday, December 26th, 2008
  • Thursday, January 1st, 2009
  • Friday, January 2nd, 2009

Additionally, we will be closed on the afternoons of:

  • Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
  • Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

We wish to thank all our subscribers for taking the time to read our newsletter. We value your feedback and suggestions and look forward to hearing from you in the new year.

AERMOD View™ Version 6.0 Released!

Lakes Environmental is pleased to announce the release of AERMOD View 6.0! The list below is just a sample of the exciting new features included in this update:

  • AERMOD MPI - Parallel Version of the US EPA AERMOD Model
  • Export all project layers to Google Earth™ (e.g., sources, buildings, contour results)
  • Automatic download of SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) terrain data files
  • Source copy and paste function to and from Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheets

For more information on the many other new and improved features, please see the release notes available on our website.

If you are currently in maintenance for AERMOD View and did not receive an email regarding the update, please contact us at support@weblakes.com. If you are a user of AERMOD View but are no longer in maintenance, contact us at sales@weblakes.com for pricing information.

CenSARA Chooses Lakes Environmental for Series of Training Courses

Lakes Environmental is very pleased to announce that we will be providing Central States Air Resource Agencies Association (CenSARA) with multiple AERMOD training sessions in the next three years. This is an exciting opportunity that adds to Lakes Environmental’s strong reputation in the area of training.

Toronto and Los Angeles AERMOD Courses are Almost Sold Out!

The January Los Angeles and February Toronto AERMOD courses are filling up quickly! Register now if you wish to attend. Please contact us at training@weblakes.com or check the Upcoming Courses section on our website to register.

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Upcoming Courses

We’ve set a number of training dates for 2009. Please be sure to register in advance as spots are limited.

AERMOD Courses

Jan. 22-23, 2009 Los Angeles, CA, USA
Feb. 05-06, 2009 Toronto, ON, Canada1
Feb. 26-27, 2009 Dallas, TX, USA
Apr. 23-24, 2009 Miami, FL, USA
May. 11-12, 2009 San Francisco, CA, USA
Jun. 01-02, 2009 Calgary, AB, Canada
(1) Includes new section regarding MOE Reg. 419/05 (see Outline)
For more information on the above courses, including registration information, location, and course outlines, please visit our web site: www.weblakes.com/course.
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Monthly Modeling Tip

Interpreting Contours
Part 3: Contours and Interpolation

The US EPA’s AERMOD model and other air dispersion models will produce concentration values at receptors. These values can be interpolated and graphically displayed as contours. It is important to be aware of the shortcomings of the contouring process when interpreting your air dispersion modeling results.

Commonly, people assume that the maximum concentrations will be located downwind of their source(s) in the direction of the prevailing wind. While this can often be true, it is not always the case, as can be seen below:

Interpolating Method

There are many different methods of interpolating values to generate contours, and many different contours can result from these different methods. Different methods have different advantages; examples include:

  • Resampling may create realistic looking contours but may also be susceptible to unusual artifacts

  • Triangulation may show fewer artifacts but be blockier looking

 Figure 1

  Figure 2

Contour generated using resampling

Contour generated using triangulation


Receptor Spacing

No matter what method of interpolation is used to create your contours, the results will only be as good as the information provided. If there is a large spacing between the receptors in your grid, some concentrations may not be detected. If you use an irregular grid, or just discrete receptors, the quality of the contours may vary spatially.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show that large receptor spacing can produce strange looking contours with circular contours based primarily on the value at one receptor. As the spacing between receptors is reduced, the quality of the contours improves.

  Figure 3

  Figure 4

 Figure 5

Receptor grid with 200m spacing

Receptor grid with 100m spacing

Receptor grid with 50m
spacing


Contours as a Visualization Tool

Contours are invaluable as a visualization tool, but it must be remembered that this is all they are. While they provide an idea of what the general distribution of concentrations is, contours do not accurately predict the concentration at non-receptor points. What this means is that if you need to know the concentration at a specific point, you should place a receptor there.

Remember: We are currently accepting submissions for the Monthly Modeling Tip that appears in our newsletters. If you have a modeling tip that may benefit a variety of people, please send it to us at support@weblakes.com. Your name and the name of your organization will appear below the tip providing you with greater exposure.
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This Month's Articles

Scottish Climate Bill Could Set Global Example
Dec 9, 2008 - Edinburgh, Scotland - The newly published Scottish Climate Change Bill has the potential to become a world leading piece of legislation if it receives cross-party backing from Scottish MPs, according to WWF-Scotland.

The targets in the bill include a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a cut of 80 per cent by 2050. It also sets out measures to tackle shipping and aviation emissions, as well as emissions from all six greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide.
Read Article
Climate Envoys Tussle Over Forests, Emissions
Dec. 8, 2008 - POZNAN, Poland - Negotiators at a U.N. climate conference worked Monday to resolve differences over a deal to protect the world's forests and pressed industrial countries to drastically reduce their carbon emissions.

The top U.N. climate official, Yvo de Boer, said the talks were going well, despite "problematic" issues, but nongovernment groups described the negotiations as "slow" and said they had even moved backward on several points.
Read Article
Deep Cuts to Greenhouse Gas Emissions not in the Cards: Prentice
Dec 8, 2008 - Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice says he will not commit to what he calls unrealistic targets when he attends climate change talks in Poland this week.

The newly-minted minister, who took over the job from John Baird after October's federal election, told CBC News he will not agree to the deep greenhouse gas emission cuts some are pushing for.

National environmental organizations and northern indigenous groups want emissions reduced by 25 per cent below 1990 levels by the year 2020 and further cuts still by 2050.
Read Article
EU Agrees 10% 'Green Fuel' Target in Renewables Deal
Dec 8, 2008 – The EU has struck a deal to satisfy 10% of its transport fuel needs from renewable sources, including biofuels, hydrogen and green electricity, as part of ongoing negotiations on its energy and climate package. The move represents a step back from the original aim of sourcing 10% of the bloc's transport fuels from biofuels alone.
Read Article
U.S. Polluters to Pay Record $11.8 Billion in 2008: EPA
Dec 5, 2008 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enforcement actions during the 2008 budget year resulted in a record $11.8 billion in pollution controls and projects to clean up the environment, the agency said on Thursday.

"After these pollution control activities are completed, EPA estimates record pollution reductions of 3.9 billion pounds per year," said Granta Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
Read Article
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Conferences & Trade Shows

Here are a few conferences and trade shows coming up in the next few months:
Jan. 15-16, 2009 Carbon Markets North America 2009
more info
Miami, Florida, USA
Jan. 19-21, 2009 World Future Energy Summit 2009
more info
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan. 19-22, 2009 The Latest Developments in Air Modeling (A&WMA Conference)
more info
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Feb. 1-4, 2009 Energy & Environment Conference (EUEC) 2009
more info
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Feb. 5-6, 2009 2nd Annual Unconventional Oil & Gas Resources
more info
Barcelona, Spain
Mar. 17-19, 2009 AMERICANA 2009
more info
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Mar. 23-24, 2009 A&WMA Greenhouse Gas Measurement Symposium
more info
San Francisco, CA, USA
Apr. 20-21, 2009 CANECT 2009
more info
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jun. 16-19, 2009 A&WMA 102nd Annual Conference & Exhibition
more info
Detroit, Michigan, USA

*** Lakes Environmental is attending: CANECT and AWMA

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About This Newsletter

This newsletter contains information gleaned from various sources on the web, with complete links to the sources cited. Organizations cited are in no way affiliated with Lakes Environmental Software.

Lakes Environmental Software is a leading environmental IT company that offers a complete line of air dispersion modeling, risk assessment, emissions inventory, and emergency release software as well as training and custom software services. With satisfied users located around the globe, Lakes Environmental Software will continue to revolutionize the environmental software field.

For more information please visit our web site at: www.weblakes.com.  You may also contact us by phone at (519) 746-5995 or by fax at (519) 746-0793.

All comments and suggestions are welcome.  You can e-mail us at: support@weblakes.com
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