Last Revised: 10/21/2021

AERMOD Modeling System Data Resources

National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
AERMET, the meteorological preprocessor for AERMOD, requires surface characteristics for surface
roughness length, albedo, and Bowen ratio. These are derived using the AERSURFACE program and land
cover data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). The primary site where you can get the most
up‐to‐date information is the Multi‐Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium website. Recent
changes that have taken place with the MRLC resulted in difficulty getting the data in the format
compatible with AERSURFACE and the availability of the older 1992 NLCD. As a solution, EPA now
provides a snapshot of the NLCD products used by and that are compatible with AERSURFACE, on a
public facing FTP site. The MRLC NLCD Viewer, linked below, currently provides NLCD products (land
cover, percent impervious, and percent canopy data) as GeoTIFFs compatible with AERSURFACE. Also
provided below is a link to additional information on downloading data from the MRLC and the data
currently archived by EPA.

1. Multi‐Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium

https://www.mrlc.gov/

2. Multi‐Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium NLCD Viewer

https://www.mrlc.gov/viewer/

3. EPA FTP Site

https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/nlcd/ (web browser access)
ftp://newftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/nlcd (ftp client, anonymous access)

The data on the EPA FTP site will be refreshed occasionally; however, note that the data
archived on the EPA FTP site may not be the most update date. The MRLC should be consulted
for the most up‐to‐date land cover products.

4. Additional information on downloading data from the MRLC and EPA FTP sites.
https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/SCRAM/models/related/aersurface/NLCD_Sources_for_AERSU
RFACE_v20060.pdf

Elevation Data
AERMAP is the terrain preprocessor for AERMOD that extracts terrain elevations for source and receptor
locations. AERMAP also determines hill heights for each receptor location. AERMAP processes
elevation data from the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), formerly the National Elevation Dataset
(NED). The primary site for accessing the most up‐to‐date elevation data is the USGS National Map.
However, note that while the USGS National Map provides the 3DEP data in GeoTiff format, the data are
compressed within the GeoTiff file and are not directly compatible with AERMAP without converting the
files to remove the data compression. Included in the links below is a link to additional on elevation data
resources including instructions for converting GeoTIFFs downloaded from the USGS National Map to a
GeoTIFF that is compatible with AERMAP.

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The USGS National Map provides the 3DEP data at different resolutions. EPA has converted a snapshot
of the 1‐arcsecond and 2‐arcsecond (AK) 3DEP data to be compatible with AERMAP and archived this
data on a public facing FTP site.

1. USGS National Map

https://www.usgs.gov/core‐science‐systems/national‐geospatial‐program/national‐map

2. USGS National Map – Data Download Map

https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic

3. EPA FTP Site

https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/3dep/ (web browser access)
ftp://newftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/3dep (ftp client, anonymous access)

The data on the EPA FTP site will be refreshed occasionally; however, note that the data
archived on the EPA FTP site may not be the most up‐to‐date data. The USGS National Map
should be consulted for the most up‐to‐date elevation data.

4. Data Sources and Conversion of Elevation Data for AERMAP (PDF)

https://gaftp.epa.gov/Air/aqmg/SCRAM/models/related/aermap/Access_and_Conversion_of_El
evation_Data_for_AERMAP.pdf

Observed Meteorological Data

When observed meteorological measurements are supplied, AERMET generally requires hourly surface
observations and upper air sounding data. These data typically provided to AERMET as a combination of
surface data collected at airports, upper air sounding data, and site‐specific observations that may
include data collected at various levels at or near the surface. AERMET can read several older storage
formats previously used to archive meteorological observations collected by the National Weather
Service (NWS) at U.S. airports. However, the current and more preferable format for hourly surface data
is the Integrated Surface Dataset (ISD) format used to archive the ISD Global database provided by the
National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), formerly the National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC). AERMET can also read hourly observations stored in a user‐defined format such that would be
used to store site‐specific data collected through a state or private monitoring program or network.

Upper air sounding data are required by AERMET to derive mixing height information, unless site‐
specific data are supplied that includes mixing heights. The upper air data should be downloaded in the
FSL format.

When using ISD data collected by the NWS or FAA using an Automated Surface Observing System
(ASOS), 1‐minute ASOS wind data in the DSI‐6405 format are also needed to replace the hourly wind
observations in the ISD dataset. 1‐minute ASOS wind data can also be downloaded from the NCEI
website. The ISD hourly wind data use an unrealistic minimum threshold to assume zero knots for data
storage which can lead to an excessive number of calm hours. 1‐minute ASOS wind data are actually
overlapping 2‐minute averages, every minute of the hour. These data are processed with the
AERMINUTE program which generates hourly averages from the 1‐minute data. 5‐minute ASOS data in

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the DSI‐6401 format can also be provided to AERMINUTE to supplement the 1‐minute data for hours
when data are missing from the 1‐minute data files. Refer to the AERMINUTE User’s Guide for more
details about the 1‐minute ASOS data.

1. Integrated Surface Dataset (ISD) – NOAA/NCEI

https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/noaa/ (web browser access)
ftp://ftp.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/noaa/ (ftp client, anonymous access)

2. 1‐Minute ASOS Wind Data – NOAA/NCEI

Download 6405 format
https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/asos‐onemin/ (web browser access)
ftp://ftp.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/asos‐onemin/ (ftp client, anonymous access)

3. 5‐Minute ASOS Wind Data – NOAA/NCEI

https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/asos‐fivemin/ (web browser access)
ftp://ftp.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/asos‐fivemin/ (ftp client, anonymous access)

4. NOAA/ESRL Radiosonde Database

https://ruc.noaa.gov/raobs/
Download All levels in FSL format for a single upper air station

Prognostic Meteorological Data

When providing prognostic meteorology to AERMET, the primary meteorological model used to
generate these data is the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. This model is developed
across a broad community and maintained by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
WRF utilizes a variety of inputs which the NCAR site is better suited to provide than to list here.

EPA’s Air Quality Modeling Group (AQMG) in the Air Quality Assessment Division (AQAD) provides an
annual simulation of meteorological data at 12km resolution across the continental United States
(CONUS), and its surrounding waters (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, etc.). These datasets
have been created dating back several years (to 2013) and are updated annually. These datasets are
available upon request and are not available for direct download at this time.

EPA also makes available software to evaluate the suitability of prognostic meteorological data for use in
dispersion applications (as well as other applications). The Atmospheric Model Evaluation Tool (AMET)
combines observed and simulated meteorological data to provide statistics and other information on
the model’s performance of a specific time period. This information can then be used to make
inferences on the model’s representativeness of an area.

Finally, EPA maintains the Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF) tool that reads in prognostic data from
WRF and translates it into the necessary formats for AERMET, AERMOD, etc. AQMG has provided
guidance on the use of MMIF for both regulatory and non‐regulatory applications. The code and
guidance are available by EPA’s SCRAM website.

1. WRF Model Information and Code

https://www2.mmm.ucar.edu/wrf/users/

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2. AMET
https://www.cmascenter.org/help/documentation.cfm?MODEL=amet (requires a free account
for access)

3. MMIF
https://www.epa.gov/scram/air‐quality‐dispersion‐modeling‐related‐model‐support‐
programs#mmif

Nitrogen Dioxide/Nitrogen Oxide In‐Stack Ratio (ISR) Database

The use of the Tier 3 PVMRM and OLM options in AERMOD requires the specification of an in‐stack ratio
(ISR) of NO2/NOX for each source (using the CO NO2STACK and/or SO NO2RATIO keywords). There is no
model default ratio for either of these two options, and a ratio must be specified by the user. Additional
Clarification Regarding Applicability of Appendix W Modeling Guidance for the 1‐hour NO2 NAAQS
(PDF)(27 pp, 453 K, 03‐01‐2011), issued on March 1, 2011 allowed for an ISR of 0.5 in the absence of
more appropriate source‐specific information. However, the 0.5 may be too conservative for many
applications such that there is a need significant need for a widely available and well‐documented
database of ISRs. EPA maintains an NO2 ISR database of values provided to EPA from various sources
including data collected by various Regional, State, and Local air permitting offices prior to the formal
collection initiated by OAQPS, data submitted via the formal collection initiated by OAQPS that meets
specific data requirements, and data collected by industry trade groups. Provided below are direct links
to the NO2 ISR database and to EPA’s SCRAM website page that contains more detail about the use of
these data.

1. EPA NO2/NOX ISR Database

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020‐11/no2_isr_database.xlsx

2. EPA NO2/NOX ISR Database Information Website

https://www.epa.gov/scram/nitrogen‐dioxidenitrogen‐oxide‐stack‐ratio‐isr‐database