Environmental impact assessment of industrial development at Gladstone, Australia

The modelling system LADM, consisting of a prognostic mesoscale model and a Lagrangian dispersion model, has been used to assess the impact of existing and proposed emitters in a region of complex terrain. The highest ground–level concentrations of sulphur dioxide are predicted to occur in stable conditions when elevated plumes impact on local terrain. Early–morning fumigation and convective knockdown of plumes also lead to high concentrations. Under normal background levels of hydrocarbons, it is found that maximum ozone values occur 100 km downwind towards the end of the day, and that addition of further NOx sources would not increase these maxima.