Application of the SHERPA source-receptor relationships, based on the EMEP MSC-W model, for the assessment of air quality policy scenarios

Source-receptor relationships (SRRs) are simplified air quality models. They are usually used to replace fully-fledged Chemical Transport models (CTMs) when simulating a huge number of emission reduction scenarios, in policy-related contexts. Even if SRRs do not contain the same richness of information as CTMs (i.e. in terms of spatial/temporal resolution) and are merely a statistical approximation of the original models, their application is usually deemed to be sufficient in the policy arena, when a condensed (i.e. yearly average concentrations instead of hourly detailed ones) representation of the real scenarios is required; and when “simulation time” is a constraint (as i.e. optimization processes). In this paper we identify and validate SRRs, based on the EMEP MSC-W Chemical Transport Model. The proposed statistical SRR approach is implemented using a limited number of CTM simulations. Also, it allows for a flexible selection of the emission reduction scenarios to be simulated, both from a geographical and a sectoral point of view. The validation results, performed on various domains and sectors, demonstrate that the proposed methodology can be used in a policy context, even if certain limitations on its use needs to be recognized. [Display omitted] •Source-receptor relationships (SRRs) needed for fast air quality simulations.•SRRs are also a key component in Integrated Assessment Models.•We present updated SRRs, applied to a state-of-the-art air quality model.•Results show the simplicity and flexibility of the resulting SRRs.•Limitations in terms of the developed SRRs are also stressed.