CERC — Environmental Software and Services
Air quality in urban areas
Quick links: GENESIS PROMOTE Defra I & II TRAPOS STOPP Accidental releases
GENESIS: GENeric European Sustainable Information Space for Environment[top]
The object of the GENESIS project is to provide Environment management and Health actors with an efficient solution based on advanced ICT to constitute collaborative information networks, integrating existing systems. The proposed solution is based on a thematic-neutral and open information system set up framework made of web services, portal components and toolkits. This framework can be easily customized for various thematic fields e.g. air quality, water quality, and deployed in many contexts (regional, European...).
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CERC are working with the University of the West of Scotland and Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine on an air quality thematic pilot based on London. The air quality thematic activity focuses on developing and evaluating health applications based on GMES geo-spatial air quality mapping services. The London pilot considers local scale air quality, different target groups and delivery modes e.g. web, GIS.
Supported by the EU 7th Framework.
Learn more
- GENESIS website.
PROMOTE: PROtocol MOniToring for the GMES service Element Atmosphere[top]
CERC's forecasting systems for London (www.airtext.info) and Vienna were developed under the ESA-funded PROMOTE programme. They are described further in the Air quality forecasting section. PROMOTE is a programme on air quality and ultraviolet forecasting at the European, national and local scales.
The forecasts of regional background concentration that are used by ADMS-Urban make use of satellite and ground based measurements and a range of models for different spatial scales. ADMS-Urban is then used to provide high resolution local forecasts.
The project is sponsored by the European Space Agency/Framework 6 Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security programme (GMES).
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Dispersion modelling of air pollution in urban areas of the UK (I and II)[top]
Between 2001 and 2006 CERC was commissioned by DEFRA to carry out these major studies, modelling air quality in urban areas of the United Kingdom using ADMS-Urban. The project involved detailed modelling of NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and ozone for current and future years in London, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast. Extensive emissions inventory work was undertaken and there was considerable model verification and sensitivity analysis. The projects also included source apportionment, options appraisal and local dispersion at airports.
Learn more
- Comparison of ADMS-Urban, NETCEN and ERG air quality predictions for London(.pdf, <1MB)
- Modelling air quality for London using ADMS-Urban(.pdf, 9MB)
- Source apportionment for London using ADMS-Urban(.pdf, 17MB)
- Validation and sensitivity studies of ADMS-Urban for London(.pdf, <1MB)
TRAPOS: Optimisation of modelling methods for TRAffic POllution in Streets
Research for TRAPOS was undertaken as part of an EU sponsored research training network. CERC's role included developments of theoretical models for traffic induced turbulence and the development of formalised scientific model evaluation procedures.
Learn more
- TRAPOS website
STOPP: Simulation TOols for Pollutant Prediction[top]
Research for STOPP was undertaken as part of an EU sponsored research training network.
CERC's contribution included comparison and practical implementation of a range of chemical reaction sets including the CBMIV reaction set that can now be used as an advanced option in ADMS-Urban.
Learn more
- STOPP website
Dispersion of accidental releases in urban areas[top]
A review supported by the Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Liaison Committee (ADMLC) and available from the ADMLC website.(.pdf, 1MB)
The review looked at dispersion from localised sources in urban areas, together with the related air flow and meteorology. It considered these phenomena and their modelling over the three spatial ranges relevant to urban areas, namely mesoscale, neighbourhood and building/street scales. The work is a basis for an enhanced version of ADMS for terrorist releases.
This study has been referred to in the recent report by the Royal Society Making the UK safer: detecting and decontaminating chemical and biological agents. The report recommends the proposed new centre (Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Centre) should assess the current and future capabilities of mathematical modelling to provide real time information to inform first responders and emerging planners.