The SAFE_AIR II code: a validation exercise

In this paper both the SAFE_AIR II code and a first validation exercise, that is to say a comparison between simulated and measured concentrations, are presented. SAFE_AIR II is the development of the SAFE_AIR I code already implemented at the Department of Physics of the University of Genova (Italy). It simulates dispersion of airborne pollutants in the low atmosphere at local and regional scales above complex terrain, under non-stationary and inhomogeneous meteorological conditions. It is a Lagrangian multi-source model that make use of both Gaussian plume segments and puffs. The implementation of the meteorological pre-processor ABLE is the main improvement of the SAFE_AIR II. ABLE calculates values of both mixing height and micrometeorological quantities. Results of the first validation exercise are encouraging.