The Group Modeling of the Atmosphere and its Interfaces (GMAI) carries out studies and generates products related to the atmosphere and its interaction with the other components of the earth system. The adopted methodology includes the development of numerical models that are run on high performance computer systems and state-of-the-art parameterizations of physical and biogeochemical processes, the treatment and analysis of direct and remote sensing observations, and the assimilation of these data into the numerical models.

From the numerical modeling point of view, GMAI has been developing and improving a number of models and parameterizations for studies related to numerical weather and climate forecasting, air quality and chemical composition of the atmosphere, and soil water storage. Various GMAI models are used operationally at CPTEC/INPE, and other developments have been implemented in US models (CAMx, GEOS-5, WRF-CHEM and FIM-CHEM).

In particular, GMAI leads the development of the CCATT-BRAMS (Coupled Chemistry-Aerosol-Tracer Transport model to BRAMS) model that simulates emissions, transport, chemical reactivity and deposition of gases and aerosols in the atmosphere. CCATT-BRAMS is used on an operational basis by CPTEC/INPE for air quality forecasting over South America as well as for various studies of social and scientific interest.

GMAI maintains a complete meteorological and air quality monitoring station and will also acquire observational data for studies with and validation of numerical models. GMAI has access to two high performance clusters for its numerical studies, the most recent of which includes 200 AMD/OPTERON processor cores linked by an InfiniBand network.

Since 1999, GMAI members have published nearly 70 articles in scientific journals and 140 works in conference proceedings. In addition to the scientific contribution, the groupÕs operational focus offers support to public health, economic, and social actions and policies related to the short and medium term impacts of atmospheric pollutant emissions and transport.