Zeppelin measures Dutch air quality

From 18 May onwards, an international group of scientists will fly low over the Netherlands with the PEGASOS zeppelin to conduct research on the relation between air quality and climate. An example: particulates are known for their harmful effect on health but also for their effect on the climate: some of them have a cooling effect, but others warming. That is why measures need to be found that have a positive effect on both air quality and climate. On behalf of the Netherlands the following researchers are involved: Laurens Ganzeveld, atmospheric researcher, and Maarten Krol, air quality and atmospheric chemistry professor, both from Wageningen University, and researchers from ECN, KNMI, RIVM, TNO and Utrecht University.

‘Air quality research is usually conducted through measurements close to the ground, or at the 200-metres high meteorological KNMI tower in Cabauw,’ the researchers from Wageningen explain. ‘”However, it is difficult to study important air layers between 200 and 2000 metres height this way. That is why the zeppelin has been selected. It offers plenty of room for the measuring equipment, can fly precisely and slowly at the desired height and is able to climb and descend locally, for example around the meteorological tower in Cabauw. This way, atmospheric circulation can be studied. If you wish to learn more about the chemical processes that take place in the polluted air layer that blows eastward from the Rijnmond area, or westward from the Ruhr area, the Zeppelin can float along with the air layer while conducting measurements.' Measurements will also be conducted to obtain better insight in the chemical features of the atmosphere in the transition from night to day. ‘At night, the air mixing in the atmosphere is very different compared to daytime, and the Zeppelin allows us to measure the effect of these differences in mixing on the air quality with high precision.’ 

The measurements with the Zeppelin will be conducted by the German Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) as a contribution to a large European project involving 26 partners from 15 European countries. Wageningen University is the Dutch partner in the project, but other Dutch research institutes are happy to contribute to this unique campaign. An impressive number of measurements will be conducted in the framework of this research. Apart from the Netherlands, the zeppelin will also fly across other areas in Europe to measure the air composition, the chemical activity and mixing in as many different situations as possible. 

On 17 May, the zeppelin started its journey from home base Friedrichshaven (Germany) and set course for Rotterdam via the Rhine valley, where the Zeppelin landed 18 May, Friday afternoon around 18:00 hr. In the next two weeks, measurements will be conducted around the meteorological tower in Cabauw, but also above the North Sea, the Rijnmond area and around measurement  locations in Wageningen and the Veluwe area. Next, the air ship will fly around the Alps towards the polluted Po Valley in Italy and back to Germany via France. Another mission will be conducted in 2013 to the much cleaner air above the forests in Finland.

The Zeppelin campaign is part of the European research project PEGASOS (Pan-European-Gas-AeroSOl-climate-interaction Study), which studies the relation between chemical processes in the atmosphere and climate change. The results are to provide a scientific knowledge base for additional measures in the EU countries for reducing air pollution and climate change.

ECN measurements
ECN’s contribution consists of conducting measurements at the 200-metres high meteorological tower at Cabauw (near Utrecht) focusing on ammonia, nitrogen oxides, the composition of secondary fine particles (nitrate, ammonia, sulphate) and the gases from which the fine particles arise: nitric acid, ammonia, sulphur dioxide. Moreover, ECN has been measuring greenhouse gases in this meteorological tower since 1992, including carbon dioxide and methane and also hydrogen and carbon monoxide, all of which are substances that are released by the use of fossil fuels. To study the effect of aerosol on cloud formation, ECN is also measuring the particles in the air that can serve as condensation nuclei for fog and clouds. In collaboration with ECN, KNMI and BIRA from Belgium, several important gases for climate and air quality are measured up to a few kilometres’ height. For more information, please contact Alex Vermeulen, a.vermeulen@remove-this-part-ecn.nl, telephone: 088 515 4194.

Information
More information about the Pegasos project can be obtained from Wageningen University: 

Laurens Ganzeveld, +31 (0) 317 486651 / +31 (0)6 13066079 or laurens.ganzeveld@remove-this-part-wur.nl.

Maarten Krol, +31 (0)317 482937 / +31 (0)6 50422285 or maarten.krol@remove-this-part-wur.nl

Blog site: http://eu-pegasos.blogspot.com/; Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/EUPEGASOS 

The PEGASOS campaign is held from 15 May to 28 May. The home base of the zeppelin will be Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. When and where the measurements will be conducted depends on the weather conditions. Information about the flights and about a press conference that will be organised will be posted on the PEGASOS blog site.

 

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