CALPUFF View is a PRE- and POST-Processor for CALPUFF.

The CALPUFF modeling system has 3 main components:

1. CALMET (a diagnostic 3-D meteorological model)
2. CALPUFF (the transport and dispersion model), and
3. CALPOST (a postprocessing package).

This system is a comprehensive modeling tool that includes meteorological and geophysical data processors, a meteorological model, a puff-based dispersion model, and post-processing modules.

CALPUFF is already in use to model numerous air quality scenarios, including:

• Toxic pollutant deposition
• Near-field impacts from
  • point
  • line
  • area
  • volume sources
• Forest fire impacts
• Visibility assessments
• Long range transport studies.

• Complete pre- and post-processor interface for CALPUFF & CALMET
• Up to 100 times easier to use than plain CALPUFF & CALMET.
• Transparently integrates all geophysical data (terrain, land use, meteorology).
• Automatically downloads maps and terrain data from the Web.
• Outstanding post-processors: such as 3D-wind fields, contour plots, XY graphics, and puff representations.
• See terrain and results in photo-realistic and animated tools (zoom, rotate, print).
• Reads output files from CALMET, CALPUFF, and CALGRID.
• Point, area, volume, and line sources.
• Non-steady-state emissions and meteorological conditions.
• Calm wind algorithm.
  
  
• Causality effects.
• Efficient sampling functions.
• Dispersion coefficient options.
• Boundary layer turbulence.
• Vertical wind shear.
• Plume rise.
• Building downwash
• Subgrid scale complex terrain (CTDM)
• Dry Deposition
• Overwater and coastal interaction effects.
• Chemical transformation options
• Wet removal
• Visibility
• Graphical User Interfaces
  
  
• Buoyant area source algorithm
• Buoyant line source capability
• Wind shear effects - Puff splitting
• ISC input conversion program
• BPIP interface
• Split sigmas
• Output data compression
• Recent Developments - CALMET
• MM4/MM5 interface
• Use of satellite cloud data
• Similarity theory options
• Map factors
• Interpolation of precipitation data
• Slope flow improvements
• Terrain angle, orientation and shadowing effects.

A preliminary consideration on advantages of a puff model, such as CALPUFF, over plume models such as ISCST3 should be based on the following modeling requirements:

• Whether the straight-line steady-state assumptions on which a plume model is based are valid.
• Transport distances.
• Potential for temporally and/or spatially varying flow fields due to influences of complex terrain.
• Non-uniform land use patterns.
• Coastal effects.
• Calm winds and stagnation conditions.
• Variable wind directions.

For cases involving a high degree of spatial variability of the flow within the boundary layer, such as upslope or downslope flows or flows along a winding river valley, the straightline, steady state assumption may not be valid beyond even a few kilometers, and a puff model may be more appropriate.

Puff models have a more realistic presentation of dispersion than plume models.

Each of these programs has a graphical user interface (GUI). In addition to these components, there are several other processors that may be used to prepare:

• Geophysical (land use and terrain) data in many standard formats,
• Meteorological data (surface, upper air, precipitation, and buoy data), and
• Interfaces to other models, like Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5).

• Complex Terrain
• Stagnation, inversion, recirculation, and fumigation conditions.
• Overwater transport
• Coastal conditions
• US EPA recommended model for Long Range Transport.
• Near-fields impacts
• Visibility assessments
• Class I area impact studies
• Criteria pollutants modeling
• State Implementation Plan (SIP) applications.
• Secondary pollutant formation and particulate matter modeling.
• area and line sources.