HYSPLIT Forum: hysplitbbs.arl.noaa.gov

Sometimes, I need using 'User entered meterological data' to perform simulation and the problem is, how could I get the terrain data needed for that region? I mean, by setting the release location and simulation domain, does the terrain height and other information be taken into consideration by HYSPLIT automatically if the user entered meterological data is used or simply treated as plain without terrain height?

When you are using a meteorological data set that was already converted to the ARL format the terrain height is included. Therefore, when you set your release location, the model starts from the height you set above the ground level.

If you enter your own meteorology and not use a 3D gridded data set that has terrain, the model will use a flat terrain (1013 hPa) everywhere.

glenn.rolph wrote:If you enter your own meteorology and not use a 3D gridded data set that has terrain, the model will use a flat terrain (1013 hPa) everywhere.

hi, is it possible to use personal gridded DEM or shapefiles with elevation database?
Regards.

ingdar84 wrote:

glenn.rolph wrote:If you enter your own meteorology and not use a 3D gridded data set that has terrain, the model will use a flat terrain (1013 hPa) everywhere.

hi, is it possible to use personal gridded DEM or shapefiles with elevation database?
Regards.

I'll try to explain better:
i need to simulate a short PM10 emission (48hr) in a small quarry area in the south-east Italy.
i don't have binary files for meteorogical data so i construct arl data by myself.
i have got trajectory and concentration output:

Trajectory --> https://hotfile.com/dl/226091204/2fe755 ... e.kmz.html (Google Earth kmz file)
Concentration --> http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8937/dispersione.gif

But in the east of the area, there are some mountains, so the output aren't so much realistic. This means that i need to simulate real terrain...
My question now is: is it possible to use GIS files (ASCII Grid, shapefiles, etc..) in the HYSPLIT model?
Thanks in advance for your answers.
Regards.

No, not directly. Your best option would be to use a meteorological model such as WRF to run for your local area and use the conversion program that converts WRF data to HYSPLIT formatted data. Using the simple user-entered surface or upper-air option on our web site will not include terrain and if you are using the user-entered surface data program, there is only one level of meteorological data anyway, so that going up or down over a mountain will have no effect on the trajectory since the winds are the same at all vertical levels.

glenn.rolph wrote:No, not directly. Your best option would be to use a meteorological model such as WRF to run for your local area and use the conversion program that converts WRF data to HYSPLIT formatted data. Using the simple user-entered surface or upper-air option on our web site will not include terrain and if you are using the user-entered surface data program, there is only one level of meteorological data anyway, so that going up or down over a mountain will have no effect on the trajectory since the winds are the same at all vertical levels.

thanks for all!
anyway, i dunno where i can get that data.
perhaps i should use GDAS Archive data, but i fear that resolution is too low for that area...

GDAS is the best resolution we have available for that area. You might be able to find ECMWF data or else find out if mesoscale model data are available from say a nearby University.