Air Sciences Inc.

Company News & Science Blog

AEREarth: Visualize AERMOD Files in Google Earth

Air Sciences’ staff recently developed a tool called AEREarth for users who would like to visualize AERMOD air dispersion model input data in Google Earth before running the actual model. The AEREarth tool takes AERMOD input data files (extension .inp, or .api if using Lakes) and translates them into Google Earth KML files. These files allow the user to see a three-dimensional (3D) rendering of all air pollutant emissions sources characterized in the input file. The tool also can accept AERMOD BPIP files (.ppp, .pip, or .bpi) into 3D buildings. This visualization tool allows users to evaluate whether a facility is correctly configured in AERMOD, and provides a useful QA/QC check of the model data prior to conducting a potentially time-consuming model run.

Click Here to Access the AEREarth Tool

Read more

Air Toxics: Designing an Affordable Monitoring Network

The state of Oregon has proposed a new set of rules, currently in the draft state, for a risk-based air toxics permitting program; the program is named “Cleaner Air Oregon.” The stated goal of Cleaner Air Oregon is to reduce health risks from existing industrial facilities to below 100 in 1 million by 2030. To accomplish this goal, the state of Oregon will require emissions reductions from facilities for which the aggregate health risk, based on predicted health risk from 260 chemicals with known health-protective levels, is above the 100 in 1 million threshold.
Read more