Calpuff Modeling of Copper Smelter Emmisions
Principal Investigator: Dr. Holly Peterson
hpeterson@mtech.edu
This project utilized the CALMET/CALPUFF/CALPOST modeling system
to model historical arsenic emissions from a smelter stack in Anaconda,
Montana. The Anaconda stack is located in a mountainous region in
southwest Montana, in very complex terrain. CALMET inputs consisted
of hourly meteorological data from three National Weather Service
stations (Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula) and upper air data
from Great Falls. To test the model, sulfur dioxide was used as
the pollutant and modeled concentrations were compared to ambient
monitoring data from six air quality stations. Predicted to observed
ratios fell between 0.14 and 1.23. Once calibrated, arsenic was
used as the pollutant input and deposition rates and air concentrations
were predicted. The model indicated that the entire 200 km modeling
domain was impacted with elevated air and soil arsenic concentrations,
and that the most heavily impacted area lies in a region which has
not come under the scrutiny of environmental compliance agencies.
MWTP Activity IV, Project 33
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