A preliminary evaluation of the Sources and Sinks of black carbon over Mexico City based on the 2003 field experimental data: Model results and Measurements

Preliminary results from comprehensive 3-D model simulations for the time corresponding to the Mexico Valley Metropolitan Area (MVMA) field experiment conducted during April-May of 2003 are presented. The model simulations are focused on assessing the various sources of black carbon measured during this time period. Estimates of the contribution of a regional forest fire in the Yucatan Peninsula to the measured black carbon in the MVMA are developed based on model simulations and measurement constraints. The 3-D modeling system uses MM5 to simulate the meteorology and provide the dynamics to the CMAQ chemistry-transport model, which simulates the sources, sinks and distribution of aerosols during the MVMA. A tracer version of the CMAQ model is also used to evaluate the sensitivity of the modeled black carbon to several source configurations.