Air Quality Modeling Made Easy on the Cloud

AER's AQcast modeling contains a wide variety of air quality models and their preprocessors and deploys them on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud.  These pre-compiled and easy to use program packages can be accessed by outside users via the web using a secure interface. No software download or installation needed.  AQcast automatically collects the needed inputs and runs the models on the AWS cloud, requiring NO use of your local machines.  In addition, using the AWS cloud allows each model to use an unlimited amount of CPUs and RAM to reduce runtime.  Updates are done regularly and require no action by the user.

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Model Previews (click here)

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Model Descriptions

AERMOD - EPA-approved dispersion model for NAAQS and other hazardous air pollutants. Using AQcast on the Amazon cloud, AER can run AERMOD and all of its pre-processors including bpipprm, aermap, aermet, aerminute, and aersurface for a facility with user provided source parameters and facility location. 

Overview: AQcast: AERMOD uses the latest approved versions and updates automatically.  It will download all necessary terrain and landuse files. Once the meteorological options and location are chosen, all data will be gathered and processed. Receptor grids can be specified and run quickly taking advantage of the AWS cloud computing.  ESRI GIS shapefiles of facility buildings and fence lines can be uploaded and input into the model.  All processing and formatting of these data are automated. All input data and files will then be organized and AERMOD will be run.  Following the successful completion of AERMOD, various plots and summary files will be displayed on an access portal, and a link to download all modeling files is provided.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com. 

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Packages and Pricing Educational Institutions (Buy Now) Price: $900 Annual Subscription Complimentary Meteorology Sets: 5 per year Additional Meteorology: $500 per set State & Federal Agencies (email to sign up) Price: Free Complimentary Meteorology Sets: 2 per year Additional Meteorology: $500 per set Standard (Buy Now) Price: $1,300 Annual Subscription Complimentary Meteorology Sets: 2 per year Additional Meteorology: $500 per set *For more information on the meteorology data sets, click here.

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SCICHEM - A Lagrangian model that uses Gaussian puffs to calculate species concentrations based on input source parameters.  It is similar to EPA's AERMOD, but includes chemistry calculations and therefore may be used for permitting or attainment demonstrations of primary/secondary pollutants with agency approval.

Overview: AQcast: SCICHEM uses the latest approved versions and updates automatically.  It will download all necessary terrain and selected meteorological data and run SCICHEM.  ESRI GIS shapefiles of facility buildings and fence lines can be uploaded and input into the model.  All processing and formatting of these data are automated.  Following the successful completion of SCICHEM, various plots and summary files will be displayed on the AQcast access portal, and a link to download all modeling files is provided.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

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Packages and Pricing      Standard  (Buy Now) Price: $2,500 Annual Subscription Complimentary Meteorology Sets: 2 per year Additional Meteorology: $500 per set *For more information on the meteorology data sets, click here.

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CMAQ - The Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System is an EPA approved and developed suite of programs for conducting air quality model simulations. AER can run the CMAQ chemical transport model (cctm) and all of its pre-processors; calmap, bcon, icon, jproc, mcip, wbdust, festc, SMOKE, and Spatial Allocator Tool for a user-specified domain.

Overview: The AQcast:CMAQ system uses CMAQv5.2 and creates all necessary input files for the chemical transport model. The user can select the time frame, domain and spatial resolution of a desired model run, as well as other model configurations such as chemical, aerosol mechanisms, in-line biogenic and bi-directional ammonia flux calculations, etc. AQcast will then scale the computation according to user selection and perform the model simulation on the AWS cloud. Following successful completion of a CMAQ run, various post-processing can be performed, including AMET post-processing. Either the full model output or selected model inputs can be provided to the user. For more information or questions about AQcast:CMAQ, please email AQcast@aer.com.

Data Set Descriptions

Meteorology Data Sets for AERMOD and/or SCICHEM - In AQcast: AERMOD and AQcast: SCICHEM the user selects the type of meteorology to process with each run.  Each subsequent run has the option of using previously created meteorology files.  Depending on the package purchased, each account will get some complimentary meteorological data sets with the subscription. If the user requires more data sets, they will be prompted to pay the stated amount before the model can be run.  Only data options 1 and 2 below are counted towards the annual allotment.

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Options: User selected NOAA stations           Archived WRF 12 km data via MMIF State provided AERMET files     For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

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Archived Gridded Meteorology data from WRF using MMIF - Our AQcast system also includes access to archived 12 km WRF data for most of North America for 2014-2018.  Using AQcast with MMIF, meteorology data for SCICHEM and CALPUFF can be generated.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

Custom Gridded Meteorology Data from WRF - AQcast includes the WRF model, which we can run for specific user cases.  Utilizing the AWS cloud we can run multiple time segments in parallel to reduce overall run time. We can also run MMIF on the output for the model specified by the user.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

• Select Resolution
• Select Domain
• Select Time

Spatial Allocator: Surrogate Tool - This tool is used for creating spatial surrogate files used in the SMOKE model.  We have automated the processing of over 300 surrogates for USA, Mexico, and Canada.  Many can run in parallel using our AQcast system, which reduces overall run time significantly for any size domain.  We can provide the final FILL/NOFILL text files used in SMOKE.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

SMOKE (Sparse Matrix Operator Kerner Emissions) Modeling System - This model produces data used as input into CMAQ.  AQCAST:SMOKE has automated the running of all sectors for 12US2 (CONUS12) domain using speciation profiles for 2011.  This model also utilizes meteorology data in the form of MCIP files processed from WRF.  For more information or questions, please email AQcast@aer.com.

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