Design of a framework for the next generation air quality modelling system

摘要

With the objective of overcoming present impediments to the convenient, efficient, and confident use of air quality models for understanding and managing air quality on local to global scales, a subgroup of the Consortium for Advanced Modeling of Regional Air Quality (CAMRAQ) has sponsored the design of a framework for a comprehensive modeling system (CMS). A CMS should give the user the ability, working through a single graphical user interface, to learn interactively how to use the system, configure a model from compatible components appropriate for a particular application; extract the required data from on-line databases; access, validate and format the necessary input data; run the model in a possibly heterogeneous computing environment compatible with the user's schedule and budget; optimize and parallelize model runs; visualize the output in a variety of formats on different media; evaluate model performance (both operationally and diagnostically); estimate uncertainty in outputs; analyze input and output data using powerful statistical and decision support tools; document all necessary information for precisely replicating the exercise; and communicate and collaborate with colleagues. The power and utility of a CMS will encourage the adoption of and adherence to software engineering standards by a wide community of model developers in order to participate in its evolution and use.