Development of a high-resolution emission inventory for Spain using the SMOKE modelling system: A case study for the years 2000 and 2010

Emission preparation is a critical stage in air quality modelling. The generation of input information from regulatory emission inventories compatible with the requirements of eulerian chemical-transport models needs a computationally efficient, reliable, and flexible emissions data processing system. The Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel System (SMOKE) was developed in the United States and redesigned by the US Environmental Protection Agency to support air quality modelling activities in the framework of the USEPA Models-3 system. In this contribution the adaptation of the SMOKE system to European conditions is discussed. The system has been applied to the Iberian Peninsula and the Madrid Region (Spain) to process Spain’s official emission inventories and projections for the years 2000 and 2010. This software tool has been found useful to generate emission input information for the CMAQ model as well as providing a valuable platform for emission scenario analysis. The model has been proved flexible enough to accommodate and process emissions based on the EMEP/CORINAIR methodology, although the lack of meaningful ancillary information may hinder its application outside the US. This study has established a practical methodology for the adaptation of the SMOKE system to Spain and potentially to any other European country.