AERMOD View™

Gaussian Plume Air Dispersion Model - AERMOD

Release Notes

Version 11.2 & 11.0

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

AERMOD View™ Version 11.2.0

Release Notes

December 1, 2022

New Features
Topic Feature Description

AERMOD MPI Parallelized Model Execution Watcher

AERMOD View and Batcher have been updated to ensure AERMOD MPI runs
complete all model execution steps and close the model Run Status accordingly.

AERMET View Updated Substitution Options

The cloud cover (CCVR) and temperature (TEMP) substitution methods have been
updated to allow users to bypass these selections. The options are disabled by
default to match the default settings in the AERMET code.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

AERMET View Multi-Year Surface Characteristics Updates

AERMET View now includes additional support for the Multi-Year functionality
introduced in AERMET 22112 and AERMET View Version 11.0. This includes:
• Separate AERSURFACE runs can now be executed for each Multi-Year
selection. Associated project files are divided into sub-folders
appended with the name _MYn where n is the number defining the
Multi-Year setup (e.g., AERSURF1_MY1).
• Auto-import of surface characteristics to the available data value tables
after a successful AERSURFACE run.

AERMET View Surface Characteristic Updates for Prognostic Pathway

Additional support for customizing surface characteristics with prognostic

datasets has been added to AERMET View including:
• A new Prognostic Station entry on the Tools | Land Use Creator menu
• In the AERSURFACE utility, station coordinates now default to those
found on the Prognostic Pathway

Note: Consult local guidance to ensure surface characteristics associated with

prognostic data are handled in an approved manner.

Installation Updated DLL

An internal component file (Dtmdrv32.dll) was updated to address false positive

malware detections from some security suites.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Fixed Issues
Topic Feature Description

AERMET View Bulk Richardson Scheme Input

When importing existing AERMET input files that contained the Bulk Richardson
scheme (METHOD STABLEBL BULKRN), the option was not enabled in the
interface. This has been corrected.

AERMET View Restored AERSURFACE Output Files Import

The ability to import AERSURFACE output files to the Specify Surface

Parameters for Each Sector table has been restored.

Terrain Equator-Spanning Domains

Processor
A correction was applied for projects which span the Equator and use the
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) map projection. The update allows
AERMAP to successfully execute.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Known Issues
Topic Issue Description

AERMET Model Local Sunrise Check

A bug in AERMET 22112 prevents the model from locating the correct morning
sounding resulting in large percentages of missing data without additional input
from the user. For projects handling data outside North America, modelers
should select the Upper Air Sounding Options from the Processing Options tab
and adjust the sounding window to -12 hours to +12 hours.

AERMOD Model AERMOD System Bugs, Errata, and Related Guidance

The U.S. EPA now maintains a list on their website of known issues with the
current modeling system. Users will find the list at:

https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/SCRAM/models/preferred/aermod/AERMOD_
System_Bugs_and_Related_Guidance.pdf

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Issue Description

AERMOD Model RLINEXT Not Correctly Linked to ALPHA Keyword

Despite regulatory guidance indicating that the RLINEXT source is a non-default

ALPHA option, the AERMOD model halts if the input file does not contain the
BETA keyword. AERMOD View addresses this by writing both BETA and ALPHA
to the MODELOPT card of the input file.

AERMOD Model RLINEXT Results Sensitive to Receptor Order

When modeling with the RLINEXT source in AERMOD 19191 or later, results are
dependent upon receptor order for receptors that fall within the source
dimensions.

New Project No Spaces in Project Name with ISC

Wizard
The ISCST3 and ISC-PRIME models are included in AERMOD for backwards
compatibility purposes. Due to limitations in their code, these models will issue
a fatal error if the project name contains spaces or special characters.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

AERMOD View™ Version 11.0.0

Release Notes

September 15, 2022

New Features
Topic Feature Description

AERMOD Latest Release of U.S. EPA AERMOD Model Available – Dated 22112

The following U.S. EPA Models were released on June 27, 2022 and are
incorporated into AERMOD View Version 11.0:

1. AERMOD.EXE is the latest version 22112 (32-Bit Version)

2. AERMOD_22112_X32.EXE – The same as above (32-Bit Version)
3. AERMOD_22112_X64.EXE – 64-Bit Version

See the Model Change Bulletin for a list of changes and bug fixes:
https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/SCRAM/models/preferred/aermod/aermod_
mcb16_v22112.pdf

AERMOD MPI New Version of Lakes AERMOD MPI 22112 (Parallel Version)

A new version of the Lakes AERMOD MPI for the US EPA Model Version 22112
is now available (AERMOD_MPI_LAKES_22112.exe). Install includes 64-bit and
32-bit versions. You can specify to use this model under the Preferences dialog.

Note: AERMOD_MPI_LAKES_22112.EXE or AERMOD_MPI_LAKES.EXE will run

the latest version of the AERMOD model (22112) in parallel mode using up to a
maximum of 8 cores.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

AERMET Latest Release of U.S. EPA AERMET Model Available – Dated 22112

The following U.S. EPA Models were released on June 27, 2022 and are
incorporated into AERMET View Version 11.0:

• AERMET.EXE is the latest version 22112 (32-Bit Version)

• AERMET_22112_X32.EXE – The same as above (32-Bit Version)
• AERMET_22112_X64.EXE – 64-Bit Version

See the Model Change Bulleting for a list of changes and bug fixes:
https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/SCRAM/models/met/aermet/aermet_mcb12.pdf

AERMET View New Input File Format

The U.S. EPA completely recoded the AERMET model with the model release
22112. Part of the recode process transitioned the model from a three-stage
process to a two-stage process and included support for a single combined-
stage input file rather than producing separate input and output files for each
stage.

To accommodate this change, AERMET View now produces a single input file
(*.INP) for projects running AERMET 22112. In addition, all Message (*.MG)
and Report (*.RP) output will be written to single, non-staged files.

WebGIS Updated NLCD Data Downloads

WebGIS has been updated with the most current versions of the USGS National
Land Cover Database GEOTIFF data products (2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016) as
published by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

Display Shapefile Attributes

The main display was updated to support the display of additional attributes
found in imported Shapefile base maps.

Control New Debug File Options

Pathway
Three new debug files have been added to AERMOD 22112:

• RLINE/RLINEXT source calculations

• Buoyant Line source calculations
• Urban boundary layer calculations

The Debug Files settings on the Control Pathway have been reorganized to
accommodate the additional selections. New default file names were also
applied to debug files to aid users in their project file management.

Note: A bug in the U.S. EPA AERMOD model code prevents users from
activating more than 6 debug files in a single project. An error message will be
presented in the Run Status display if more than 6 files are enabled in a single
project.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

Control Minimum Ozone Concentration Removal (NOMINO3)

Pathway
AERMOD 22112 includes an option which removes the restriction that limited
background stable-hour ozone concentrations to a minimum of 40 ppb
regardless of user-defined values. The option is listed as NOMINO3 on the
MODELOPT keyword of the AERMOD input file.

Control Updates to Non-Default BETA & ALPHA Options

Pathway
The U.S. EPA has modified the classifications of the following Non-Default
options in AERMOD 22112:

• Use of the Urban dispersion coefficient with Buoyant Line (BUOYLINE)

or RLINE sources is no longer an ALPHA option.
• The Generic Reaction Set Method (GRSM), for NO2 conversion, has
been updated to a BETA option (previously ALPHA).

Several new ALPHA options have been added as described in additional new
features below.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

Source Pathway Offshore Platform Downwash for Point Sources (ALPHA)

AERMOD 22112 includes new non-default routines for calculating downwash

impacts on point sources (vertical, capped, or horizontal) located on offshore
platforms. Modelers include dimensions for the platform height above the
water surface (Zelp), height of the dominant building tier above the water
surface (Hb), and the shorter width of the structure (Wb).

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

Control New NOX to NO2 Conversion Option – TTRM2 (ALPHA)

Pathway
AERMOD 22112 includes a new non-default NO2 conversion option called the
Travel Time Reaction Method 2 (TTRM2). This method combines the existing
TTRM method with one of the existing regulatory options (ARM2, OLM, or
PVMRM) and calculates which method would produce lower concentrations.

Control RLINE Displacement Height Removal (ALPHA)

Pathway
A new non-default ALPHA option in AERMOD 22112 removes the displacement
height used in the model’s internal wind profile calculations associated with
RLINE & RLINEXT source types.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

Control Additional Low Wind Options Added (ALPHA)

Pathway
Two new options have been added to the existing set of non-default
LOW_WIND selections in AERMOD 22112.

1. FRANmin is a Minimum Meander Factor to coincide with the existing

Maximum Meander Factor.
2. PBAL enables an alternate momentum balance approach to determine
plume meander

AERMET View Import from AERMET Input Files Updates

To accommodate the new input file formatting in AERMET 22112, the Import
from AERMET Input Files dialog has been updated. Users can import existing
AERMET input files in both Staged and Combined formats with the Staged files
being either two- or three-stages.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

AERMET View New Prognostic Data Input Pathway

AERMET 22112 includes a new pathway for handling prognostic meteorological

data from the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) or Mesoscale Model
Version 5 (MM5) meteorological models.

This pathway is analogous to the existing Onsite Pathway with the same
features and keywords. It is formatted to work directly with output from the
Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF) Version 4.0 application.

AERMET View Overwater/Overland Processing Flags for Prognostic & Onsite Pathways

A new data flag allows users to identify whether their Prognostic Pathway input
data originates from a location that is Overwater (OW) or Overland (OL).
Selection of the overwater option will allow AERMET to read and process
convective parameters directly from the prognostic data (as formatted by MMIF
V4.0).

A similar flag has been applied to the Onsite Pathway, but AERMET 22112 only
supports use of the overland option with Onsite data.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

AERMET View New Debug Output File

AERMET 22112 includes a new Debug Output File which prints internal storage
array information and planetary boundary layer calculations to an external file
(aermet_debug.txt). This option is found in the Processing Options tab of the
Sectors input pathway.

AERMET View Individual Upper Air Sounding Modifications

AERMET 22112 allows selection of individual sounding modifications.

AERMET View Mode Menu Removed for 22112

AERMET 22112 no longer produces or reads an external Merge file. To support

this change, AERMET View’s Mode menu was removed for 22112 projects, and
the Merge File section of the Output Files tab disabled.

AERMET View Order Swap for Sectors Tabs

The order of the Sectors (Onsite) and Sectors (Surface) tabs were swapped to
reflect AERMET’s preferred order for reading these data variables. This aligns
with the AERMET input file format which assigns primary surface characteristics
(FREQ_SECT/SITE_CHAR) to Onsite data and secondary surface characteristics
(FREQ_SECT2/SITE_CHAR2) to Surface data.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Topic Feature Description

AERMET View Miscellaneous Changes in AERMET 22112

AERMET View has undergone extensive updates to support various minor
changes throughout the AERMET 22112 model:
• TD-3280 files are no longer supported on the Surface Pathway. This
option has been removed from the Format drop-down menu.

• The Format drop-down menu on the Surface Pathway was reordered to

list TD-3505 as the default format.

• ASOS stations are now automatically recognized internally by AERMET.

The ASOS Site checkbox has been disabled for all recognized ASOS
station ID numbers.

• The no persistence keyword (NOPERS), for the cloud cover and

temperature data substitution routines, was made obsolete. The “Only
Hours 01-22” substitution options in AERMET View have been disabled
for 22112 projects.

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AERMOD View™ Release Notes

Fixed Issues
Topic Feature Description

Display Incorrect RLINE Source Width

In the main display, the width of RLINE sources was inadvertently doubled from
the assigned numeric value. This issue has been corrected.

Source Pathway Unpopulated Background Concentration Table

A correction was made to ensure all time-varying emission values will populate
the Background Concentrations tables when imported from existing AERMOD
input files.

Source Pathway Hourly Emission File Editor Excel Import

The Hourly Emission File Editor was updated to correctly read certain Excel
spreadsheets (XLS & XLSX).

Meteorology Non-Concurrent PFL File Reading in the Multi-Year File Utility

Pathway
The Multi-Year Met Data File Utility was updated to correctly read and process
profile meteorological data files (*.PFL) that are not from concurrent years.

Meteorology Incorrect Model Keyword

Pathway
Use of the Turbulence Treatment options previously resulted in an additional
keyword being added to the AERMOD input file. This has been corrected.

Terrain Property Boundary Intersection with Offsite Grid Receptors

Processor
AERMAP has been updated to process cases where an existing gridded receptor
network intersected with one or more receptors along the Plant Boundary and
the “Remove Onsite Receptors” option was enabled.

AERMET View Loss of Category Display in Land Use Creator

Some codes were not displayed correctly when using the “Save Land Use File
As” function in the Land Use Creator. The utility has been updated to use Import
functionality when reading the newly copied data file.

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