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Welcome to MPTRAC!

Massive-Parallel Trajectory Calculations (MPTRAC) is a Lagrangian particle dispersion model to analyze atmospheric transport processes in the free troposphere and stratosphere. Leveraging high-performance computing techniques, MPTRAC efficiently handles large-scale trajectory simulations, making it a powerful tool for both research and operational applications.

Lagrangian transport simulation of convective transport

Features

MPTRAC is a powerful tool for atmospheric Lagrangian transport simulations, offering a wide range of features to enhance accuracy, performance, and usability:

  • Advanced Trajectory Calculations: MPTRAC calculates air parcel trajectories by solving the kinematic equation of motion using horizontal wind and vertical velocity fields from global reanalyses or forecast datasets, enabling precise tracking of atmospheric transport processes in the free troposphere and stratosphere.

  • Stochastic Perturbation and Mixing: Mesoscale diffusion and subgrid-scale wind fluctuations are simulated using the Langevin equation, introducing stochastic perturbations to trajectories. An inter-parcel exchange module represents mixing of air between neighboring particles, capturing realistic atmospheric dispersion.

  • Comprehensive Process Modeling: MPTRAC includes modules to simulate convection, sedimentation, exponential decay, gas and aqueous phase chemistry, and wet and dry deposition, allowing for accurate modeling of physical and chemical transformations.

  • Meteorological Data Pre-Processing: The model pre-processes meteorological data to estimate variables such as boundary layer height, convective available potential energy (CAPE), geopotential heights, potential vorticity, and tropopause data, ensuring seamless integration with diverse datasets.

  • Flexible Output and Visualization: MPTRAC supports various output formats for particle trajectories, gridded fields, ensemble statistics, vertical profiles, point samples, and station data. Visualization interfaces with Gnuplot and ParaView make it easy to analyze complex data.

  • High-Performance Computing: The model employs hybrid parallelization using MPI, OpenMP, and OpenACC, allowing efficient utilization of resources from single workstations to HPC clusters and GPU-based systems.

  • Web-Based Accessibility: The new MPTRAC Web Runner provides an intuitive, browser-based interface for running trajectory simulations without local installation, making the tool more accessible for educational, research, and operational users.

  • Open Source and Community Driven: MPTRAC is distributed as open-source software under the GNU General Public License (GPL), promoting collaborative development and ensuring transparency.

Geophysical modules and main software components of MPTRAC

Getting Started

To begin using MPTRAC, users can refer to the installation guide, which provides detailed steps for setting up the model on a local machine or HPC system. Once installed, the quick start guide offers a streamlined introduction to running basic simulations, helping new users become familiar with the model's core functionality and input structure.

For those who prefer not to install any software locally, the MPTRAC Web Runner provides a convenient, browser-based interface for running trajectory simulations. This web tool is particularly useful for educational purposes, quick tests, and exploratory studies.

We welcome contributions and collaboration from the research community. If you have questions, feedback, or require support, please feel free to reach out.

Contact

Dr. Lars Hoffmann

Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

e-mail: l.hoffmann@fz-juelich.de