Air quality network design for Saudi Arabia using long-range transport model

The need for air quality surveillance is growing during the third five-year plan in Saudi Arabia. The main emphasis in the initial stage of this plan is to select the sites of air monitoring stations on the basis of scientific principles. To carry out this study, emission inventories of major point sources are compiled. Meteorological data for synoptic and upper air stations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on wind speed, wind direction, temperature and pressure are collected and processed. Air Resources Laboratories (ARL) model is used to calculate long range trajectories of air parcels and to estimate concentration levels at various grid points within the region. Concentration contour maps are then prepared to identify adversely affected zones and potential air monitoring sites.