Truncated Levy flights and agenda-based mobility are useful for the assessment of personal human exposure

Authored by Uwe Schlink, Ad M J Ragas

Date Published: 2011

DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.023

Sponsors: European Union

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Receptor-oriented approaches can assess the individual-specific exposure to air pollution. In such an individual-based model we analyse the impact of human mobility to the personal exposure that is perceived by individuals simulated in an exemplified urban area. The mobility models comprise random walk (reference point mobility. RPM). truncated Levy flights (TLF), and agenda-based walk (RPMA). We describe and review the general concepts and provide an inter-comparison of these concepts. Stationary and ergodic behaviour are explained and applied as well as performance criteria for a comparative evaluation of the investigated algorithms. We find that none of the studied algorithm results in purely random trajectories. TLF and RPMA prove to be suitable for human mobility modelling, because they provide conditions for very individual-specific trajectories and exposure. Suggesting these models we demonstrate the plausibility of their results for exposure to air-borne benzene and the combined exposure to benzene and nonane. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tags

Simulation models movement patterns Air-pollution Seasonal cycle Search strategies Volatile organic-compounds Urban area Apartments