Applications of general meteorological models to air quality problems.

Some of the potential applications of general meteorological models to air quality problems of mesoscale flows are discussed. Although general models are relatively expensive, they are easily modified to treat many complicated problems that are not amenable to solution by simpler methods. Results from two meteorological models are presented to illustrate the versatility of the models. The first is a relatively simple model of the atmospheric mixed layer. A 6-h, real-data forecast is shown. The second model is a more general three-dimensional model which is capable of treating a variety of meteorological problems. A 12-h, real-data forecast of flow and precipitation over the United States is summarized. Then the model is applied to a regional-scale simulation of light wind conditions. Finally, the model is applied to small-scale flow under stable conditions over complex terrain. (A)