This dataset aims to provide high-quality, high-resolution, long-term information on CO2 and CO concentrations and meteorology in German metropolitan areas as a basis for various research applications. Already existing applications of this data include the optimization of urban sensor networks for CO2 monitoring and verification, the investigation of satellite observation strategies for CO2 and CO, as well as comparisons with in-situ measurement data. This dataset contains 1km resolved CO2 and CO concentration fields as well as meteorology for the full year of 2018 in 5 metropolitan regions in Germany (Rhine-Neckar, Berlin, Rhine-Ruhr, Nuremberg, Munich). These domains are embedded in the Germany domain at 5km resolution and the Europe domain at 15km resolution. There are two simulations available using two different WRF-Chem v4.3.3 (https://github.com/wrf-model/WRF) configurations: One using Mellor-Yamada-Janjic as Boundary Layer scheme as well as Monin-Obukhov-Janjic as Surface Layer scheme and the other using Yonsei University as Boundary Layer scheme as well as MM5 as Surface Layer scheme. High resolution anthropogenic emission data as input for the model was prepared by TNO, the Netherlands following the description in Super et al. (2020). Biogenic emissions are from two versions of VPRM. VPRM v1 was prepared by J. Marshall (personal communication) and VPRM v2 was prepared using pyVPRM (Glauch et al, 2025). Background concentration data is from CAMS (GHG short-term forecast; experiment ID gqpe — IFS cycle CY43R1; Diamantakis and Agusti-Panareda, 2017, and Agusti-Panareda et al., 2017). Preparatory sensitivity studies were published in Pilz et al. 2026. More information and easy access to another version of this data can be found at https://atmo-iup-uhei.github.io/macro-2018/
Pilz, Lukas; Denier van der Gon, Hugo; Glauch, Theo; Marshall, Julia; Vardag, Sanam N. (2025). MACRO-2018 - High-Resolution Simulation of CO and CO2 concentrations over German Metropolitan Areas for 2018 using WRF-Chem. World Data Center for Climate (WDCC) at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/MACRO-2018
SQA - Scientific Quality Assurance 'approved by author'
Result Date
2025-10-07
Technical Quality Assurance (TQA)
TQA - Technical Quality Assurance 'approved by WDCC'
Description
1. Number of data sets is correct and > 0: passed; 2. Size of every data set is > 0: passed; 3. The data sets and corresponding metadata are accessible: passed; 4. The data sizes are controlled and correct: passed; 5. The spatial-temporal coverage description (metadata) is consistent to the data: passed; 6. The format is correct: passed; 7. Variable description and data are consistent: passed
Method
WDCC-TQA checklist
Method Description
Checks performed by WDCC. The list of TQA metrics are documented in the 'WDCC User Guide for Data Publication' Chapter 8.1.1
[1] Pilz, Lukas; Denier van der Gon, Hugo; Glauch, Theo; Marshall, Julia; Vardag, Sanam N. (2025). MACRO-2018 - High-Resolution Simulation of CO and CO2 concentrations over German Metropolitan Areas for 2018 using WRF-Chem (raw data output). https://www.wdc-climate.de/ui/entry?acronym=DKRZ_LTA_1170_dsg0001
Is compiled by
[1] DOIGrell, Georg A.; Peckham, Steven E.; Schmitz, Rainer; McKeen, Stuart A.; Frost, Gregory; Skamarock, William C.; Eder, Brian. (2005). Fully coupled “online” chemistry within the WRF model. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.04.027
Is derived from
[1] DOIGlauch, Theo; Marshall, Julia; Gerbig, Christoph; Botía, Santiago; Gałkowski, Michał; Vardag, Sanam N.; Butz, André. (2025). pyVPRM: a next-generation vegetation photosynthesis and respiration model for the post-MODIS era. doi:10.5194/gmd-18-4713-2025
[2] DOISuper, Ingrid; Dellaert, Stijn N. C.; Visschedijk, Antoon J. H.; Denier van der Gon, Hugo A. C. (2020). Uncertainty analysis of a European high-resolution emission inventory of CO2 and CO to support inverse modelling and network design. doi:10.5194/acp-20-1795-2020
[3] DOIAgusti-Panareda, Anna; Diamantakis, Michail; Bayona, Victor; Klappenbach, Friedrich; Butz, Andre. (2017). Improving the inter-hemispheric gradient of total column atmospheric CO2 and CH4 in simulations with the ECMWF semi-Lagrangian atmospheric global model. doi:10.5194/gmd-10-1-2017
[4] DOIDiamantakis, Michail; Agusti-Panareda, Anna. (2017). A positive definite tracer mass fixer for high resolution weather and atmospheric composition forecasts. doi:10.21957/qpogzoy
Is described by
[1] DOIPilz, Lukas; Lüken-Winkels, Christopher; Gałkowski, Michał; Ho, David; Gerbig, Christoph; Chen, Fei; Vardag, Sanam N. (2026). Evaluation of high-resolution WRF simulation in urban areas — Effect of different physics schemes on simulation performance in the Rhine-Main-Neckar area. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108435