Advancing Aerosol Research with the Next Generation Multiscale Infrastructure for Chemistry and Aerosols (MUSICA) and High-resolution Measurement Networks

ALMA HODZIC, Wenfu Tang, Duseong Jo, Roya Bahreini, Mary Barth, Matthew Dawson, Ann Dillner, Nga Lee Ng, Armistead G. Russell, Simone Tilmes, National Center for Atmospheric Research

     Abstract Number: 638
     Working Group: Aerosols Spanning Spatial Scales: Measurement Networks to Models and Satellites

Abstract
The spatial distribution and properties of atmospheric aerosols are among the key sources of uncertainties in our understanding of air pollution effects on human health and climate. Here, we present an overview of next generation modeling and observational infrastructures designed to enhance research on atmospheric aerosol chemistry and composition over the contiguous US. The Multiscale Infrastructure for Chemistry and Aerosols (MUSICA), which is currently being developed at NCAR, is a cutting-edge community global atmospheric model that integrates aerosol chemistry and processes from local to global scales. MUSICA’s initial configuration is based on the Community Earth System Model using the Community Atmosphere Model coupled with tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry, with a spectral element dynamical core featuring a grid mesh that can be regionally refined. This presentation will illustrate that MUSICAv0, with a 14-km CONUS regional refinement, shows similar spatial and temporal variability of aerosol pollutants and precursors to that of WRF-Chem near real-time predictions of air quality over CONUS. MUSICA more accurately represents influences from outside the CONUS region and the stratosphere, which are important for including the influence of large-scale fires, regional background, or slower removal processes. The Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) is a new comprehensive, high-time-resolution measurement network in the U.S. for the characterization of aerosol chemical composition and physical properties. These measurements will provide a unique dataset to evaluate and refine the representation of aerosols in MUSICA. We will also discuss how an explicit chemistry mechanism generator can be used to bridge the gap between grid-scale concentrations from MUSICA and the point measurements from ASCENT.