4.6.3. Files and Environment Variables

4.6.3.1. Input Files
4.6.3.2. Input Environment Variables
4.6.3.3. Output Files

Figure 4.6. Laypoint input and output files

Laypoint input and output files

Figure 4.6, “Laypoint input and output files” shows the input and output files for the Laypoint program. The input files include the grid description file (GRIDDESC) and meteorology files created by the meteorology preprocessor (GRID_CRO_3D, MET_CRO_2D, MET_CRO_3D, and MET_DOT_3D). If elevated sources have been selected, Laypoint uses the the elevated point source identification file output from Elevpoint (PELV). Hourly plume data can be read from the PHOUR hourly inventory file and annual inventory data is read from the PNTS file, both output from Smkinven. When processing fire sources, the PDAY file created by Smkinven and the PTMP file created by Temporal may be used.

Laypoint outputs a log file (LOGFILE), hourly plume rise layer fractions for all sources (PLAY) or optionally only for explicit sources (PLAY_EX), and a report file REPRTLAY if reporting is turned on using the REP_LAYER_MAX setting.

4.6.3.1. Input Files

File Name Format Description
GRIDDESC ASCII Description of the modeling grid
GRID_CRO_3D (optional) I/O API NetCDF Meteorology file produced by the meteorology preprocessor; only needed if using static layer information
MET_CRO_2D I/O API NetCDF Meteorology file produced by the meteorology preprocessor
MET_CRO_3D I/O API NetCDF Meteorology file produced by the meteorology preprocessor
MET_DOT_3D I/O API NetCDF Meteorology file produced by the meteorology preprocessor
PDAY (optional) I/O API NetCDF Daily point-source inventory file produced by Smkinven
PELV (optional) ASCII Elevated point source identification file produced by Elevpoint
PHOUR (optional) I/O API NetCDF Hourly point-source inventory file produced by Smkinven
PNTS SMOKE map Intermediate inventory file produced by Smkinven
PTMP I/O API NetCDF Hourly emissions file produced by Temporal

4.6.3.2. Input Environment Variables

  • EXPLICIT_PLUMES_YN: [default: N]

    Indicates whether only explicit plume rise sources should be calculated.

    • Y: Process only explicit plume rise sources; automatically sets HOUR_PLUMEDATA_YN to Y

    • N: Process all sources

  • FIRE_AREA: [default: 0.0]

    Sets daily area burned in acres/day; only used when FIRE_PLUME_YN is set to Y and HOURLY_FIRE_YN is set to N.

  • FIRE_BOTTOM_LAYER_1_YN: [default: N]

    Enforcing fire emissions vertical allocation starting from modeling layer 1 to Brigg's fire plume height top layer.

  • FIRE_HFLUX: [default: 0.0]

    Sets hourly heat flux value in BTU/hr; only used when FIRE_PLUME_YN is set to Y and HOURLY_FIRE_YN is set to N.

  • FIRE_PLUME_YN: [default: N]

    Indicates if fire-specific plume rise calculations should be used.

    • Y: Use fire-specific plume rise calculations for all sources

    • N: Use traditional plume rise calculations based on stack parameters for all sources

  • HOUR_PLUMEDATA_YN: [default: N]

    Indicates whether hourly plume rise data should be used.

    • Y: Use hourly data; requires PHOUR file

    • N: Do not use hourly data

  • HOURLY_FIRE_YN: [default: N]

    Indicates if hourly fire data should be used; only checked when FIRE_PLUME_YN is set to Y.

    • Y: Read hourly heat flux from PTMP file and daily area burned from PDAY file

    • N: Get heat flux and area burned from environment variables FIRE_AREA and FIRE_HFLUX

  • IOAPI_ISPH: See description in Section 4.3.3.2, “Input Environment Variables”

  • PLUME_GTEMP_NAME: [default: TEMP2]

    Sets ground temperature variable name from meteorology file for plume rise calcuation.

  • REP_LAYER_MAX: [default: -1]

    Layer number for reporting high plume rise; reporting is turned off if set to less than 1.

  • SMK_EMLAYS: [default: -1]

    Number of emissions layers; must be at least 4 otherwise program will not run.

  • SMK_SOURCE: See description in Section 4.2.3.2, “Input Environment Variables”.

  • SMK_SPECELEV_YN: [default: N]

    Defines whether the Elevpoint output file PELV will be used to set elevated sources.

    • Y: Use the PELV file to set elevated sources during run

    • N: Let Laypoint plume rise calculation determine whether or not sources are elevated

  • USE_EDMS_DATA_YN: [default: N]

    Process EDMS aviation source elevation height as its plume rise and distributes the emissions into the layer where it belongs to.

    • Y: Skip plume rise calculation and distribute EDMS aviation emissions into the layer where it belongs to using its elevation height.

    • N: Do not process EDMS aviation sources

  • VELOC_RECALC: [default: N]

    Determines whether velocity should be recalculated based on hourly flow rates and stack diameter.

    • Y: Recalculate velocity for hourly data

    • N: Use velocity values from hourly inventory file

  • VERTICAL_SPREAD: [default: 0]

    Sets the vertical spread method for determining the bottom and top heights of each plume.

    • 0: Use the default Turner approach where plume thickness equals the amount of plume rise

    • 1: Compute vertical spread using ambient temperature data

4.6.3.3. Output Files

File Name Format Description
LOGFILE ASCII Log generated from executing Laypoint
PLAY I/O API NetCDF Hourly plume rise layer fractions by source
PLAY_EX I/O API NetCDF Hourly plume rise layer fractions for explicit sources
REPRTLAY ASCII Report file for plumes exceeding specified layer