AERMOD means the EPA approved steady-state air dispersion model that is the primary model used for the analysis of ambient concentrations for regulatory compliance. AERMOD uses a fully developed set of meteorological and terrain data.

AERMET is a meteorological data preprocessor for AERMOD. AERMET processes commercially available or custom on-site met data and creates two files: a surface data file and a profile data file.

CALPUFF is an advanced non-steady-state meteorological and air quality modeling system. The modeling system consists of three main components and a set of preprocessing and post-processing programs. The main components of the modeling system are CALMET (a diagnostic three-dimensional meteorological model), CALPUFF (an air quality dispersion model), and CALPOST (a post-processing package). In addition to these components, there are numerous 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 such as the Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Eta/NAM and RUC models, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the RAMS model.

Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) air-sea flux procedure was coded into a meteorological data preprocessor program called AERCOARE AERCOARE can read overwater measured hourly meteorological data or predicted hourly meteorological data from the Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF) program. The output from AERCOARE is used by the AFRMOD dispersion program in a marine environment.

Second Order Closure Integrated Puff Model with Chemistry (SCICHEM) 3.1 is a reactive puff model that can be used to calculate single or multi-source impacts of emissions at downwind locations. The. model can be used for both short-range calculations (for example, 1-hour SO2, 1 hour NO2, 24-hour secondary PM2.5, or 8-hour ozone concentrations at fenceline receptors). or long-range calculations for primary and secondary pollutant impacts. For 1-hour NO2 applications, the model uses an optimized near-source NO-NO2-03 chemistry scheme. For long-range applications or near-field PM2.5/ozone, the full chemistry option can be used to calculate downwind ozone and PM25 concentrations

Land cover refers to the surface cover on the ground, whether vegetation, urban infrastructure, water, bare soil or other. Identifying, delineating and mapping land cover is important for global monitoring studies, resource management, and planning activities. Identification of land cover establishes the baseline from which monitoring activities (change detection) can be performed, and provides the ground cover information for baseline thematic maps.
Land use refers to the purpose the land serves, for example, recreation, wildlife habitat, or agriculture. Land use applications involve both baseline mapping and subsequent monitoring, since timely information is required to know what current quantity of land is in what type of use and to identify the land use changes from year to year. This knowledge will help develop strategies to balance conservation, conflicting uses, and developmental pressures. Issues driving land use studies include the removal or disturbance of productive land, urban encroachment, and depletion of forests.