Region-Based Method for the Verification of Air Quality Forecasts

A fundamental problem in the development of an air quality forecast system is the implementation of an evaluation protocol. Traditionally, statistics are computed to compare the model output to the observations. These methods are limited in that they are generally insensitive to location and timing error. In this paper, we describe a framework to address these limitations. This framework adopts a region-based approach and encompasses both formalism and a software tool that is under active development. More specifically, the framework permits the specification and manipulation of invariants associated with topological elements of an air quality forecast.