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CMAQ vs tern.mmrm

A side-by-side editorial comparison of CMAQ and tern.mmrm — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

CMAQ vs tern.mmrm: at a glance

FeatureCMAQtern.mmrm
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score0.00.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesair-quality, atmospheric-modeling, epa, scientific-computingpharmaverse, mmrm, tabulation, maintenance
Last editorial update1h ago50m ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is CMAQ?

CMAQ went global in v5.5, and has been patching that surface ever since.

CMAQ is the EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system, used for regulatory and research air quality simulation. Its release rhythm is strictly two-tier: numbered major versions carry new science and fresh benchmark datasets, while the x.y.z.n updates carry bug fixes against documentation and benchmarks that stay pinned to the parent version. The current line is v5.5, which introduced CRACMM2 chemistry and coupling to MPAS-A meteorology, followed by three patch rollups.

Read the full CMAQ trajectory →

What is tern.mmrm?

An MMRM tabulation package that has published nothing since its 2024 CRAN releases.

tern.mmrm wraps mixed models for repeated measures into the tern tabulation and plotting layer used by teal clinical modules. The visible history ends with three CRAN releases in mid-to-late 2024; before that the feed carries only automated version bumps from 2022, three of which have just been backfilled into the record. The most recent substantive change adds axis limit arguments to the LS-means plot.

Read the full tern.mmrm trajectory →

CMAQ vs tern.mmrm: editorial side-by-side

C
CMAQ
ANALYTICS
0.0

CMAQ went global in v5.5, and has been patching that surface ever since.

◆ Current state

CMAQ is the EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system, used for regulatory and research air quality simulation. Its release rhythm is strictly two-tier: numbered major versions carry new science and fresh benchmark datasets, while the x.y.z.n updates carry bug fixes against documentation and benchmarks that stay pinned to the parent version. The current line is v5.5, which introduced CRACMM2 chemistry and coupling to MPAS-A meteorology, followed by three patch rollups.

◆ Where it's heading

The v5.5 patches cluster around the newest and most sensitive components. ISAM source apportionment and DDM-3D sensitivity analysis account for corrections in every one of the three updates, and CRACMM2 needed fixes within months of release. That is the expected shape after a major version lands: the science is stable, the instrumentation built on top of it is not. Parallel I/O work in the latest patch suggests the global configurations are now being run at scales that expose throughput limits.

◆ Prediction

The next major version will fold these fixes in with new science, documentation and benchmark data — the release notes state this explicitly each time. Until then, expect further ISAM and DDM-3D corrections, which have appeared in every patch so far.

T
tern.mmrm
ANALYTICS
0.0

An MMRM tabulation package that has published nothing since its 2024 CRAN releases.

◆ Current state

tern.mmrm wraps mixed models for repeated measures into the tern tabulation and plotting layer used by teal clinical modules. The visible history ends with three CRAN releases in mid-to-late 2024; before that the feed carries only automated version bumps from 2022, three of which have just been backfilled into the record. The most recent substantive change adds axis limit arguments to the LS-means plot.

◆ Where it's heading

Content per release is thin and largely organisational: a maintainer change, replacing scda with random.cdisc.data in vignettes, and adapting to new {mmrm} versions. The package appears to be in maintenance, tracking its upstream dependency rather than developing independently. The 2022 entries now visible are release-automation commits, not releases in any meaningful sense.

◆ Prediction

Nothing here signals new functionality; the realistic next event is another compatibility release when {mmrm} or {rtables} changes underneath it.

Alternatives to CMAQ and tern.mmrm

Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either CMAQ or tern.mmrm.

See all CMAQ alternatives → · See all tern.mmrm alternatives →

Recent activity from CMAQ and tern.mmrm

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 1y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.5.0.3 enables parallel I/O, fixes DDM-3D control files
  2. 1y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.5.0.2 corrects ISAM aerosol and cloud processing
  3. 1y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.5.0.1 fixes SAPRC mechanism runs and NLCD mapping
  4. 1y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.5 adds global simulation coupled to MPAS-A
  5. 1y agotern.mmrmAxis limits added to the LS-means plot
  6. 1y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.4.0.5: minor ELMO output fixes
  7. 2y agotern.mmrmMaintainer change and scda replaced in vignettes
  8. 2y agotern.mmrmCRAN 0.3.0 release, mostly workflow housekeeping
  9. 2y agoCMAQCMAQ 5.4.0.4 fixes RBSTATS under ROS3, corrects a molecular weight
  10. 3y agotern.mmrmAutomated version bump to 0.2.1
  11. 3y agotern.mmrmPre-release branch merge
  12. 4y agotern.mmrmCI automation commit, no release content

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between CMAQ and tern.mmrm?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. CMAQ and tern.mmrm are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is CMAQ better than tern.mmrm?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. CMAQ and tern.mmrm are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to CMAQ?

Top CMAQ alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "CMAQ alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/cmaq for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to tern.mmrm?

Top tern.mmrm alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "tern.mmrm alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/tern-mmrm for the full list with editorial commentary on each.