WRF-Chem is the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with Chemistry. The model simulates the emission, transport, mixing, and chemical transformation of trace gases and aerosols simultaneously with the meteorology. The model is used for investigation of regional-scale air quality, field program analysis, and cloud-scale interactions between clouds and chemistry.

The development of WRF-Chem is a collaborative effort among the community. NOAA/ESRL scientists are the leaders and caretakers of the code. The Official WRF-Chem web page is located at the NOAA web site. Our model development is closely linked with both NOAA/ESRL and DOE/PNNL efforts. Description of PNNL WRF-Chem model development is located at the PNNL web site as well as the PNNL Aerosol Modeling Testbed.

Tools for the Community

NCAR has developed two chemical options in WRF-Chem (MOZART trace gases with GOCART aerosol scheme, and MOZART trace gases with MOSAIC aerosol scheme; MOZCART and MOZART-MOSAIC Users Guides). Information on these chemical options and on tools for using global model output for initial and boundary conditions, creating emissions files from MEGAN biogenic, FINN fire, and global anthropogenic emissions can be found on our Processors for the Community page.

For general discussion and questions, refer to the WRF-Chem Discussion Forum.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions Page for updates on our Tools.

WRF-Chem / DART

WRF-Chem/DART is being used for: (i) development of efficient satellite retrieval data assimilation methods (compact phase space retrievals); (ii) independent and joint assimilation of atmospheric composition and meteorological observations, and (iii) estimating/constraining emission with the state augmentation methods. WRF-Chem/DART is being applied to two field campaigns, FRAPPE and KORUS-AQ, for atmospheric composition forecasting and data assimilation research. WRF-Chem/DART is also being applied to the MarcoPolo - Panda project for regional air quality forecasting in China.

Activities

• Analysis
  • Formation of organic aerosols, learn more
  • Aqueous-phase formation of secondary organic aerosols
  • Air quality in China, learn more
  • Wet scavenging of trace gases and aerosols in deep convection, learn more
  • Formation of ozone in upper tropospheric convective outflow
  • Production of nitrogen oxides from lightning
• Chemistry-Climate Studies
  • North America, learn more
  • South Asia, learn more
• Model Intercomparisons, AQMEII
• Field Project Forecasting
  • Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Éxperiment (FRAPPÉ), forecasts in the field catalog
  • Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS)
  • Nitrogen, Oxidants, Mercury and Aerosol Distributions, Sources and Sinks (NOMADSS)
  • Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3), forecasts in the field catalog
  • Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics & Nitrogen (BEACHON)