A large scale scientific exercise is underway to learn more about London’s air pollution.

The NERC ClearfLo project, involving a number of research groups from the UK, Europe and US, has started the first of its two month-long Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs) this week. This sees an impressive array of gas and particulate monitoring equipment installed at the North Kensington monitoring site in central London and at a rural site in Kent. The study has also resulted in an augmentation of the existing monitoring sites at Marylebone Road, BT Tower and Harwell. You can read more about the progress of the IOPs on this blog. (Blog link - Clearflo website)

Dr David Green, who operates the ClearfLo sites for King’s says, ‘This is a huge undertaking and a fantastic opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of the atmospheric processes which affect air pollution in London'. The next IOP is timed to coincide with the London Olympics.

Item date 13/01/2012