Pollen allergenicity plays an important role on human health and wellness. It is thus of large public interest to increase our knowledge of pollen grain behavior in the atmosphere (source, emission, processes involved during their transport, etc.) at fine temporal and spatial scales. First simulations with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center NMMB/BSC-CTM model of Platanus and Pinus dispersion in the atmosphere were performed during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 – 31 March, 2015. The simulations are compared to vertical profiles measured with the continuous Barcelona Micro Pulse Lidar system. First results show that the vertical distribution is well reproduced by the model in shape, but not in intensity, the model largely underestimating in the afternoon. Guidelines are proposed to improve the dispersion of airborne pollen by numerical prediction models.

Lidar data analysis were supported by the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure Network) Research Infrastructure Project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n. 654169; by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (project TEC2015-63832-P) and of Science and Innovation (project UNPC10-4E-442) and EFRD (European Fund for Regional Development); by the Department of Economy and Knowledge of the Catalan autonomous government (grant 2014 SGR 583). This work is contributing to the ICTA 'Unit of Excellence' (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity, project MDM2015-0552).