Multi-model assessment of PM trends in Europe during two decades (1990-2010)

The model trend analysis for PM10 and PM2.5, performed within the Eurodelta-Trends experiment, covers 21 year, from 1990 through 2010, with particular focus on the period 2001-2010 for which appropriate amount of PM observations is available. Eight chemical transport models (CTM) participated in the multi-modal trend analysis: EMEP/MSC-W, CHIMERE, LOTOS-EUROS, MINNI, MATCH, WRF-Chem, CMAQ and Polyphemus (out of which six models performed trend runs for the 21-year period). The average modelled trends are somewhat smaller than the observed, though the models identify significant PM trends at more sites in the period 2001-2010. There are considerable difference in the PM trends between the regions/countries and in different seasons. Investigation of the changes in PM chemical composition during the investigated period shows that the models differ in terms of relative contribution of the individual PM components to the PM trends. For the 2001-2010 period, the effcct of inter-annual meteorological variability appears more important relative to emission changes. Finally, we look at PM trends/changes during the 1990-2010 period.