K.Fedra ‘97 Environmental modeling application domains anoverview of environmental topics and domains

K.Fedra ‘97

Environmental modelingEnvironmental modelingapplication domainsapplication domains

Environmental modelingEnvironmental modelingapplication domainsapplication domains

anan overview of overview of environmental topics and environmental topics and

domainsdomains

anan overview of overview of environmental topics and environmental topics and

domainsdomains

K.Fedra ‘97

Modeling DomainsModeling DomainsModeling DomainsModeling Domains

• Atmospheric systemsAtmospheric systems• Hydrologic systemsHydrologic systems• Land surface and subsurfaceLand surface and subsurface• Biological and ecological systemsBiological and ecological systems• Risks and hazardsRisks and hazards• Technological systemsTechnological systems• Management and policy modelsManagement and policy models

• Atmospheric systemsAtmospheric systems• Hydrologic systemsHydrologic systems• Land surface and subsurfaceLand surface and subsurface• Biological and ecological systemsBiological and ecological systems• Risks and hazardsRisks and hazards• Technological systemsTechnological systems• Management and policy modelsManagement and policy models

K.Fedra ‘97


Atmospheric systemsAtmospheric systems• weather forecastingweather forecasting

• climate modelsclimate models

• air pollution: industry, traffic, air pollution: industry, traffic, domestic sources, accidental domestic sources, accidental releases (hazardous substances)releases (hazardous substances)




K.Fedra ‘97








K.Fedra ‘97


climate models: climate models: attempt to analyse the attempt to analyse the

effects of greenhouse gas emissions on theeffects of greenhouse gas emissions on the

global climate,global climate,

energy balance,energy balance,

sea level rise, sea level rise,

water resources,water resources,

vegetation andvegetation and

wildlife, humanwildlife, human

health, etc. health, etc.

climate models: climate models: attempt to analyse the attempt to analyse the

effects of greenhouse gas emissions on theeffects of greenhouse gas emissions on the

global climate,global climate,

energy balance,energy balance,

sea level rise, sea level rise,

water resources,water resources,

vegetation andvegetation and

wildlife, humanwildlife, human

health, etc. health, etc.

K.Fedra ‘97


climate models: climate models: global circulation modelsglobal circulation models

GCMs use a coarse resolution (between 3 toGCMs use a coarse resolution (between 3 to 6 deg. lat.long, 6 deg. lat.long, and a few vertical and a few vertical layers.layers. Comparison withComparison with long-term climatelong-term climate measurementsmeasurements (30 year average(30 year average July temperatures).July temperatures).

climate models: climate models: global circulation modelsglobal circulation models

GCMs use a coarse resolution (between 3 toGCMs use a coarse resolution (between 3 to 6 deg. lat.long, 6 deg. lat.long, and a few vertical and a few vertical layers.layers. Comparison withComparison with long-term climatelong-term climate measurementsmeasurements (30 year average(30 year average July temperatures).July temperatures).

K.Fedra ‘97


climate models: climate models: scenario assumptions scenario assumptions usually are based on an increase inusually are based on an increase in

atmospheric COatmospheric CO22

Example: UKMOExample: UKMO

current COcurrent CO2 2 levels. levels.




current COcurrent CO2 2 levels. levels.

K.Fedra ‘97





doubleddoubled CO CO2 2 levels. levels.




doubleddoubled CO CO2 2 levels. levels.

K.Fedra ‘97


Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• estimation of the source term:estimation of the source term:

– rate and duration of releaserate and duration of release

– source size, locationsource size, location

– initial buoyancy and momentuminitial buoyancy and momentum

Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• estimation of the source term:estimation of the source term:

– rate and duration of releaserate and duration of release

– source size, locationsource size, location

– initial buoyancy and momentuminitial buoyancy and momentum

K.Fedra ‘97


estimation of the source term:estimation of the source term: embedded expertembedded expert

system with ansystem with an object data base.object data base.

estimation of the source term:estimation of the source term: embedded expertembedded expert

system with ansystem with an object data base.object data base.

K.Fedra ‘97


Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• pollutant transportpollutant transport

– advection by windadvection by wind

– turbulent and molecular diffusionturbulent and molecular diffusion

– buoyancy effects (gases, particles)buoyancy effects (gases, particles)

– deposition, chemical reactions, deposition, chemical reactions, radioactive decayradioactive decay

Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• pollutant transportpollutant transport

– advection by windadvection by wind

– turbulent and molecular diffusionturbulent and molecular diffusion

– buoyancy effects (gases, particles)buoyancy effects (gases, particles)

– deposition, chemical reactions, deposition, chemical reactions, radioactive decayradioactive decay

K.Fedra ‘97


pollutant pollutant transporttransport

GaussianGaussian 2D model2D model (USEPA ISC)(USEPA ISC)

pollutant pollutant transporttransport

GaussianGaussian 2D model2D model (USEPA ISC)(USEPA ISC)

K.Fedra ‘97


Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• impacts and hazardsimpacts and hazards

– human end environmental exposurehuman end environmental exposure

– damage through explosion and firedamage through explosion and fire

– damage through chemical reactionsdamage through chemical reactions (corrosion)(corrosion)

Air pollution modelingAir pollution modeling• impacts and hazardsimpacts and hazards

– human end environmental exposurehuman end environmental exposure

– damage through explosion and firedamage through explosion and fire

– damage through chemical reactionsdamage through chemical reactions (corrosion)(corrosion)

K.Fedra ‘97

Modeling DomainsModeling DomainsModeling DomainsModeling Domainsimpacts and hazards: impacts and hazards: estimated byestimated by overlays ofoverlays of long-term airlong-term air quality valuesquality values (simulated with(simulated with ISC-LT model)ISC-LT model) and land useand land use or populationor population maps.maps.

impacts and hazards: impacts and hazards: estimated byestimated by overlays ofoverlays of long-term airlong-term air quality valuesquality values (simulated with(simulated with ISC-LT model)ISC-LT model) and land useand land use or populationor population maps.maps.

K.Fedra ‘97


Hydrologic systemsHydrologic systems• hydrological cycle, rainfall-runoffhydrological cycle, rainfall-runoff• river flow and floodingriver flow and flooding• water distribution and allocationwater distribution and allocation• reservoir operationsreservoir operations• water quality, eutrophication, water quality, eutrophication, waste allocationwaste allocation• groundwater systemsgroundwater systems

Hydrologic systemsHydrologic systems• hydrological cycle, rainfall-runoffhydrological cycle, rainfall-runoff• river flow and floodingriver flow and flooding• water distribution and allocationwater distribution and allocation• reservoir operationsreservoir operations• water quality, eutrophication, water quality, eutrophication, waste allocationwaste allocation• groundwater systemsgroundwater systems

K.Fedra ‘97


hydrological cycle, rainfall-runoffhydrological cycle, rainfall-runoffhydrological cycle, rainfall-runoffhydrological cycle, rainfall-runoff

K.Fedra ‘97


rainfall-runoff model:rainfall-runoff model: describes the describes the outflow from a catchment as a function of outflow from a catchment as a function of

basin databasin data

(orography, soils (orography, soils

land cover,land cover,

drainage)drainage)

precipitation,precipitation,

temperature.temperature.

rainfall-runoff model:rainfall-runoff model: describes the describes the outflow from a catchment as a function of outflow from a catchment as a function of

basin databasin data

(orography, soils (orography, soils

land cover,land cover,

drainage)drainage)

precipitation,precipitation,

temperature.temperature.

K.Fedra ‘97


rainfall-runoff model rainfall-runoff model scenario of landuse change:scenario of landuse change:

forestedforested area 65%area 65%


forestedforested area 65%area 65%

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forestedforested area area 00%%


forestedforested area area 00%%

K.Fedra ‘97


water distribution and allocationwater distribution and allocationdynamic network model with supply dynamic network model with supply

and demand nodes and demand nodes

water distribution and allocationwater distribution and allocationdynamic network model with supply dynamic network model with supply

and demand nodes and demand nodes

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water distribution and allocation:water distribution and allocation: genericgeneric network network with geo- with geo-

referencedreferenced nodesnodes

water distribution and allocation:water distribution and allocation: genericgeneric network network with geo- with geo-

referencedreferenced nodesnodes

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water distribution and allocation:water distribution and allocation:the network editor links to the GIS data basesthe network editor links to the GIS data bases

water distribution and allocation:water distribution and allocation:the network editor links to the GIS data basesthe network editor links to the GIS data bases

K.Fedra ‘97


water quality, waste allocation: water quality, waste allocation:

a dynamic a dynamic multi-segmentmulti-segment model (DO-BOD)model (DO-BOD) linked to thelinked to the river networkriver network through nodes andthrough nodes and reaches.reaches.

water quality, waste allocation: water quality, waste allocation:

a dynamic a dynamic multi-segmentmulti-segment model (DO-BOD)model (DO-BOD) linked to thelinked to the river networkriver network through nodes andthrough nodes and reaches.reaches.

K.Fedra ‘97


Coastal waters and oceansCoastal waters and oceans• currents and energy balance currents and energy balance

(climate modeling)(climate modeling)

• coastal water qualitycoastal water quality

• nutrient cycles, eutrophicationnutrient cycles, eutrophication

• fisheries (sustainable yield)fisheries (sustainable yield)

Coastal waters and oceansCoastal waters and oceans• currents and energy balance currents and energy balance

(climate modeling)(climate modeling)

• coastal water qualitycoastal water quality

• nutrient cycles, eutrophicationnutrient cycles, eutrophication

• fisheries (sustainable yield)fisheries (sustainable yield)

K.Fedra ‘97


coastal water quality: simulation ofcoastal water quality: simulation ofocean outfalls with a 2D ocean outfalls with a 2D vertically integratedvertically integrated

flow andflow and transporttransport particleparticle trackingtracking modelmodel

coastal water quality: simulation ofcoastal water quality: simulation ofocean outfalls with a 2D ocean outfalls with a 2D vertically integratedvertically integrated

flow andflow and transporttransport particleparticle trackingtracking modelmodel

K.Fedra ‘97


Land surface and subsurfaceLand surface and subsurface• erosion, soil processeserosion, soil processes

• vegetation, land covervegetation, land cover

• groundwater (unsaturated and groundwater (unsaturated and saturated zones, links to the saturated zones, links to the hydrological domain)hydrological domain)

Land surface and subsurfaceLand surface and subsurface• erosion, soil processeserosion, soil processes

• vegetation, land covervegetation, land cover

• groundwater (unsaturated and groundwater (unsaturated and saturated zones, links to the saturated zones, links to the hydrological domain)hydrological domain)

K.Fedra ‘97


groundwater modeling:groundwater modeling:dynamic 2D (vertically integrated) flowdynamic 2D (vertically integrated) flow and transportand transport model model (finite(finite element scheme)element scheme)

Scenarios ofScenarios of landfills andlandfills and aquifer aquifer restorationrestoration

groundwater modeling:groundwater modeling:dynamic 2D (vertically integrated) flowdynamic 2D (vertically integrated) flow and transportand transport model model (finite(finite element scheme)element scheme)

Scenarios ofScenarios of landfills andlandfills and aquifer aquifer restorationrestoration

K.Fedra ‘97


Biological and ecological systemsBiological and ecological systems• population models, predator-prey population models, predator-prey

systems, food chainssystems, food chains

• ecosystem models (multi-ecosystem models (multi-compartment combining physical compartment combining physical and biological elements)and biological elements)

Biological and ecological systemsBiological and ecological systems• population models, predator-prey population models, predator-prey

systems, food chainssystems, food chains

• ecosystem models (multi-ecosystem models (multi-compartment combining physical compartment combining physical and biological elements)and biological elements)

K.Fedra ‘97


Agriculture and ForestryAgriculture and Forestry• agricultural production agricultural production

• livestock and grazing modelslivestock and grazing models

• forest models (stands, growth, yield, forest models (stands, growth, yield, deforestation and reforestation)deforestation and reforestation)

Agriculture and ForestryAgriculture and Forestry• agricultural production agricultural production

• livestock and grazing modelslivestock and grazing models

• forest models (stands, growth, yield, forest models (stands, growth, yield, deforestation and reforestation)deforestation and reforestation)

K.Fedra ‘97


Technological systemsTechnological systems

• transportationtransportation

• energy systemsenergy systems

• industrial impactsindustrial impacts

• waste managementwaste management

Technological systemsTechnological systems

• transportationtransportation

• energy systemsenergy systems

• industrial impactsindustrial impacts

• waste managementwaste management

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Risks and hazardsRisks and hazards• floods and droughtsfloods and droughts

• erosion, desertificationerosion, desertification

• spills and accidental releasesspills and accidental releases

• epidemiological models (pests, epidemiological models (pests, infectious diseases)infectious diseases)

Risks and hazardsRisks and hazards• floods and droughtsfloods and droughts

• erosion, desertificationerosion, desertification

• spills and accidental releasesspills and accidental releases

• epidemiological models (pests, epidemiological models (pests, infectious diseases)infectious diseases)

K.Fedra ‘97


spills and accidental releases:spills and accidental releases: hazardoushazardous and toxic and toxic gas spills:gas spills: chemical chemical plants or plants or transportationtransportation accidentsaccidents

spills and accidental releases:spills and accidental releases: hazardoushazardous and toxic and toxic gas spills:gas spills: chemical chemical plants or plants or transportationtransportation accidentsaccidents

K.Fedra ‘97


Management and policy modelsManagement and policy models• all of the above, but containing all of the above, but containing

explicit representation of control explicit representation of control and decision variablesand decision variables

• economic evaluationeconomic evaluation

decision support systemsdecision support systems

Management and policy modelsManagement and policy models• all of the above, but containing all of the above, but containing

explicit representation of control explicit representation of control and decision variablesand decision variables

• economic evaluationeconomic evaluation

decision support systemsdecision support systems

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K.Fedra ‘97 Environmental modeling application domains anoverview of environmental topics and domains