Traffic induced air pollution modeling: Scenario analysis for air quality management in street canyon

Abstract

Mathematical models are intensively used in environmental science for various reasons - status quo assessment, statistical modeling, forecasting, and planning, scenario analysis. Traffic flow and related atmospheric pollution modeling is one of the most complex challenges because of various aspects, - wide versa of affecting factors, daily, diurnal, weekly, monthly and yearly variability and non-stability of them. In the present study atmospheric model OSPM (Operational Street Pollution Model) is used to calculate NOx and PM10 concentration levels in the historical center (street canyon) of the city of Riga (Latvia) in order to make further assumptions (e.g., for the traffic load) for minimizing traffic induced air pollution in street canyons. In total five different scenarios were analyzed involving prioritizations of public transport, restrictions for old private cars or flow limitations in traffic jam situations during working days.