Integrated Research Observation System for Clean Air (OSCA)
Lead Research Organisation:
NERC CEH (Up to 30.11.2019)
Department Name: Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects
Abstract
"Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to Public Health in the UK" (DEFRA, 2017) and is consequently a focus of a range of regional and national policy interventions. However, since our transport systems, the way we heat our homes, our energy supply, our use of solvents and our agricultural systems are all changing, we know that profound changes in emissions and trends in air pollutants are likely in the coming years and indeed are already taking place. We need to understand our changing atmospheric composition, to ensure air quality policy has maximum benefit for the protection of human and environmental health.
The Clean Air: Analysis and Solutions Programme identifies the need for new capability to predict future changes in the sources, emissions and atmospheric processes responsible for air pollution. The OSCA project addresses this need through a multidisciplinary research activity, combining state-of-the-science atmospheric observations, laboratory studies, new data processing tools and integrated scientific synthesis to deliver new understanding of urban air pollution. OSCA will:
-Deliver improved quantification of emissions, combining lab measurements of brake & tyre wear sources, and measurements of the total fluxes of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from the BT Tower in London. Non-exhaust emissions comprise up to 70% of traffic-derived PM10, are poorly quantified, and whose relative importance will increase with UK fleet decarbonisation. Real-world emission measurements underpin air quality predictions and avoid dependence upon manufacturer data.
-Provide a definitive, state-of-the-science assessment of UK urban air quality through exploitation of the new RCUK-funded urban air quality Supersites in London, Birmingham and Manchester to deliver comprehensive, continuous and long-term measurements of atmospheric composition. These data will characterise the changing UK pollution climate, identify subtle emission trends during implementation of regional air quality policies, and provide a key resource for evaluation of ongoing trends.
-Develop new mathematical analyses to identify emergent trends / responses to policies and apply these alongside established methods to address key science uncertainties - e.g.: to assess the trends and changing sources of NO2; to provide definitive quantification of the contributions of non-exhaust traffic, woodsmoke and cooking activities to PM; to identify trends in and contributions to ammonia emissions; to identify changes VOC emissions - precursors to ozone formation.
-Provide data and infrastructure to underpin the wider Clean Air Programme, including development and deployment of novel sensor networks (QUANT); data to validate models and health effect calculations (InSPIRE and DREaM); insight into air quality response to policy initiatives (ANTICIPATE); sensor testing and pollutant source identification (APEx).
-Enable community mobilisation through intensive field campaigns, targeted at understanding the changing gas-phase reactivity climate of the UK atmosphere (which governs production of secondary PM and ozone), and the sources and chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols.
OSCA findings will support policymakers through a range of established relationships the PIs already maintain. These include engagements within the supersite host cities, and links to relevant national bodies, including Defra, DfT, DoH, PHE and the EA. The OSCA deliverables provide important new data and novel scientific approaches central to the assessment of future changes in the sources, emissions and atmospheric processes governing air pollution in the UK - the core of WP1 of the Clean Air programme. OSCA is fully embedded into the wider programme, informing policy decisions, monitoring the impacts of decisions, and feeding public health research and outcomes.
The Clean Air: Analysis and Solutions Programme identifies the need for new capability to predict future changes in the sources, emissions and atmospheric processes responsible for air pollution. The OSCA project addresses this need through a multidisciplinary research activity, combining state-of-the-science atmospheric observations, laboratory studies, new data processing tools and integrated scientific synthesis to deliver new understanding of urban air pollution. OSCA will:
-Deliver improved quantification of emissions, combining lab measurements of brake & tyre wear sources, and measurements of the total fluxes of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from the BT Tower in London. Non-exhaust emissions comprise up to 70% of traffic-derived PM10, are poorly quantified, and whose relative importance will increase with UK fleet decarbonisation. Real-world emission measurements underpin air quality predictions and avoid dependence upon manufacturer data.
-Provide a definitive, state-of-the-science assessment of UK urban air quality through exploitation of the new RCUK-funded urban air quality Supersites in London, Birmingham and Manchester to deliver comprehensive, continuous and long-term measurements of atmospheric composition. These data will characterise the changing UK pollution climate, identify subtle emission trends during implementation of regional air quality policies, and provide a key resource for evaluation of ongoing trends.
-Develop new mathematical analyses to identify emergent trends / responses to policies and apply these alongside established methods to address key science uncertainties - e.g.: to assess the trends and changing sources of NO2; to provide definitive quantification of the contributions of non-exhaust traffic, woodsmoke and cooking activities to PM; to identify trends in and contributions to ammonia emissions; to identify changes VOC emissions - precursors to ozone formation.
-Provide data and infrastructure to underpin the wider Clean Air Programme, including development and deployment of novel sensor networks (QUANT); data to validate models and health effect calculations (InSPIRE and DREaM); insight into air quality response to policy initiatives (ANTICIPATE); sensor testing and pollutant source identification (APEx).
-Enable community mobilisation through intensive field campaigns, targeted at understanding the changing gas-phase reactivity climate of the UK atmosphere (which governs production of secondary PM and ozone), and the sources and chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols.
OSCA findings will support policymakers through a range of established relationships the PIs already maintain. These include engagements within the supersite host cities, and links to relevant national bodies, including Defra, DfT, DoH, PHE and the EA. The OSCA deliverables provide important new data and novel scientific approaches central to the assessment of future changes in the sources, emissions and atmospheric processes governing air pollution in the UK - the core of WP1 of the Clean Air programme. OSCA is fully embedded into the wider programme, informing policy decisions, monitoring the impacts of decisions, and feeding public health research and outcomes.
Planned Impact
OSCA is an underpinning proposal to the UKRI Clean Air Programme and will deliver significant impact through support for multiple projects, whilst also generating wider impacts in its own right. The main direct beneficiaries of the research are the agencies invested in the activities of the programme, national and regional policy makers and public health professionals. Since the Met Office and STFC are delivering the Framework for Clean Air Analysis in WP4 they are clear beneficiaries of the outputs. The key stakeholders at national level are the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs; the Department for Transport; and Public Health England. At regional level key stakeholders are the combined authorities in London; Manchester and Birmingham and Transport for Greater Manchester and Transport for London. PHE Consultants in the regions provide public health advice to regional government.
OSCA project outcomes result from PIs working closely with policy makers at regional and national level to identify key areas of concern. Emissions of NOx are of immediate and direct importance to UK air quality policy and evaluating on-going changes in emissions has direct policy relevance given the traffic fleet is changing rapidly. Whilst particulate traffic exhaust emissions are relatively well understood, the quantification of non-exhaust emissions that OSCA will deliver has direct benefit to national and regional policy making as the UK fleet electrifies and conventional exhaust emissions diminish. OSCA will provide policy makers with new information on the contributions to the urban mass burden from sources such as wood burning and cooking which can be used to base future decisions regarding PM control. OSCA will provide new data on urban ammonia and source attribution between agriculture and urban sources and so support policy makers in their prioritisation and strategies for reducing emissions.
Identifying the drivers of trends in pollutant concentrations and attributing changes to specific interventions and policies is extremely challenging, given the large number of confounders that exist. OSCA will develop approaches to tackle this problem, utilising a wide range of data currently available to assess the extent to which such causality can be attributed and will provide a framework for wider modelling work that will investigate this. Such tools will be widely disseminated for other stakeholders to use themselves.
OSCA measurements of the composition of air pollution, along with source attribution, will provide observational constraints to other projects within the Clean Air programme who are forecasting air quality, modelling policy interventions, assessing air quality sensor networks, measurement innovation, assessing exposure and identifying health impacts. The information and expertise from OSCA will therefore inform public health professionals investigating the health impacts of air quality in UK cities.
This work has the potential to generate significant impact with regional authorities in other areas of the UK, through the dissemination of findings, and the translation of tools. The project will seek out aspects of the research that have wider applicability to other cities and work to support decision-making more broadly in the UK.
Lastly, in many cases air quality improvements will not be delivered by policy alone but require public engagement, including technology uptake and behaviour change to deliver cleaner air. The willingness of the public to embrace change is very dependent on their knowledge of the problem, their trust in the solutions and engagement with the change process. By publicising our findings on local issues derived for example from local source apportionment, we have the potential to generate impact through region-specific public engagement, raising awareness of air pollution sources and the activities that drive emissions.
OSCA project outcomes result from PIs working closely with policy makers at regional and national level to identify key areas of concern. Emissions of NOx are of immediate and direct importance to UK air quality policy and evaluating on-going changes in emissions has direct policy relevance given the traffic fleet is changing rapidly. Whilst particulate traffic exhaust emissions are relatively well understood, the quantification of non-exhaust emissions that OSCA will deliver has direct benefit to national and regional policy making as the UK fleet electrifies and conventional exhaust emissions diminish. OSCA will provide policy makers with new information on the contributions to the urban mass burden from sources such as wood burning and cooking which can be used to base future decisions regarding PM control. OSCA will provide new data on urban ammonia and source attribution between agriculture and urban sources and so support policy makers in their prioritisation and strategies for reducing emissions.
Identifying the drivers of trends in pollutant concentrations and attributing changes to specific interventions and policies is extremely challenging, given the large number of confounders that exist. OSCA will develop approaches to tackle this problem, utilising a wide range of data currently available to assess the extent to which such causality can be attributed and will provide a framework for wider modelling work that will investigate this. Such tools will be widely disseminated for other stakeholders to use themselves.
OSCA measurements of the composition of air pollution, along with source attribution, will provide observational constraints to other projects within the Clean Air programme who are forecasting air quality, modelling policy interventions, assessing air quality sensor networks, measurement innovation, assessing exposure and identifying health impacts. The information and expertise from OSCA will therefore inform public health professionals investigating the health impacts of air quality in UK cities.
This work has the potential to generate significant impact with regional authorities in other areas of the UK, through the dissemination of findings, and the translation of tools. The project will seek out aspects of the research that have wider applicability to other cities and work to support decision-making more broadly in the UK.
Lastly, in many cases air quality improvements will not be delivered by policy alone but require public engagement, including technology uptake and behaviour change to deliver cleaner air. The willingness of the public to embrace change is very dependent on their knowledge of the problem, their trust in the solutions and engagement with the change process. By publicising our findings on local issues derived for example from local source apportionment, we have the potential to generate impact through region-specific public engagement, raising awareness of air pollution sources and the activities that drive emissions.
Organisations
Publications
Twigg M
(2022)
Intercomparison of in situ measurements of ambient NH 3 : instrument performance and application under field conditions
in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Description | Ammonia in a time of COVID-19. A submission of evidence to Defra/AQEG. |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/reports.php?report_id=1005 |
Description | Environment Agency Monitoring review workshop and questionaire |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Ammonia: Scientific motivation, State of monitoring network/methods, development needs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A talk presenting the state of the art ammonia measurements including those in OSCA were presented to the ACTRIS community with a discussion on current and future monitoring needs |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | UKCEH press release formed part of article in Timeout. Awareness of the air pollution impact of COVID-19 lockdown disseminated to a wide audience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.timeout.com/london/news/bt-tower-records-58-percent-reduction-in-carbon-emissions-during... |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown Phys Org |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Based on the press release, Phy ORg ran an articel covering the information that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in European cities has reduced by up to 75% due to the COVID-19 lockdown, with a 59% reduction in London. Scientists from the University of Reading and the UK center for Ecology & Hydrology analysed data from long-term monitoring sites in seven European cities to provide clear evidence of a dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://phys.org/news/2020-05-london-carbon-emissions-fall-covid-.html |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown Sky news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Press release led to article on Sky news, reporting carbon emissions have dropped dramatically in response to the pandemic lockdown - but it's unlikely to have a lasting effect on climate change. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-lockdown-emissions-drop-dramatically-but-its-having-little-im... |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown in Energy Voice |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Article written based on press reslease. Measurements taken at the BT Tower in the capital show significant cuts in pollution between the start of the lockdown on March 23 and the first week in May compared to the long term average for the time of year. Researchers from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the University of Reading say measurements of direct carbon dioxide emissions recorded by the BT Tower Atmospheric Observatory saw a 58% reduction. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.energyvoice.com/other-news/240936/londons-carbon-emissions-plummet-by-60-during-lockdown... |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown led to article in New Scientist |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | New Scientist picke dup on UKCEH and ICOS press releases and had an article: "Coronavirus set to cause biggest emissions fall since second world war" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.newscientist.com/article/2243875-coronavirus-set-to-cause-biggest-emissions-fall-since-s... |
Description | Coverage of UKCEH press release on BT Tower measurements of GHG reductions in lockdown on Watts Up with That? website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | From the UKCEH press release and further information, the article reported the direct measurements of the emissions themselves are hence required but relatively few sites are equipped to do this, one being the BT Tower Atmospheric Observatory in London. Scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the University of Reading say their measurements from the BT Tower have shown clear evidence of a significant reduction in CO2 emissions in London between the start of the lockdown on 23 March and the first week of May, compared with the long-term average for this time of year. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/05/19/londons-co2-emissions-cut-by-almost-60-during-lockdown/ |
Description | ICOS Blog on urban CO2 emission reductions in COVID-19 lockdown |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Integrated Carbon Observation System, ICOS, is the first to release results of a scientific study that shows a large reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in seven European cities during the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 virus. The study is conducted by ICOS ecosystem scientists together with colleagues around Europe. The blog post in May 2020 was one of the first to directly disseminate evidence. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.icos-cp.eu/event/933 |
Description | Natural History Museum Blog post |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | UKCEH scientist Carole Helfter contributed to the NHM blog regarding the Lockdown measures in the UK and the potential impacts/changes for nature. The data showed that air quality can improve rapidly. Greenhouse gases are long-lived, but the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic can help shape future emission mitigation strategies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/nature-liberated-by-lockdown.html |
Description | Press release May 2020 Daily Mail coverage |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | REport covered UKCEH's information London's air pollution levels, with CO2 are down by almost 60 per cent since lockdown was enforced, scientists reveal Scientists recorded methane and CO2 levels at the top of the BT tower Took measurements between 8am and 8pm since lockdown was introduced Revealed an overall 58 per cent drop in atmospheric emissions since March 23 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8332273/Air-pollution-London-dropped-60-cent-coronav... |
Description | Press release on the effects of second national lockdown on CO2 emissions in central London (Financial Times November 2020) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Data on carbon dioxide emissions in central London, analysed by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, shows that despite roads being busier than during the spring lockdown, central London had a 45 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions since the latest lockdown began. That compares to a 52 per cent reduction during the first lockdown. Carole Helfter, an environmental physicist at UK CEH, said that the decline shown in the data, collected from the top of BT Tower could be the result of less power and heating in shops and offices that were closed as well as less central road traffic. Dr Helfter explained the science behind short term changes in long lived atmospheric gases. UKCEH input was alongside other international researcher evidence and comment. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.ft.com/content/933f56c6-0843-4609-ae97-8d7f1815480e |
Description | The Ecologist article: Lockdown halves London carbon emissions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | News article covered the press release which reported measurements taken at the BT Tower in the capital show significant cuts in pollution between the start of the lockdown on March 23 and the first week in May compared to the long term average for the time of year. UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the University of Reading say measurements of direct carbon dioxide emissions recorded by the BT Tower Atmospheric Observatory saw a 58 percent reduction. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://theecologist.org/2020/may/19/lockdown-halves-london-carbon-emissions |
Description | UKCEH BLog on reduction in CO2 emissions during COVID-19 lockdown in London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The atmospheric observatory at the top of the 190m-tall BT Tower is ideally placed to measure the changes in greenhouse gas emissions in London as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. It reveals there has been an average daytime reduction of almost 60 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions. Here, Environmental Physicists Eiko Nemitz and Carole Helfter, of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and Janet Barlow, of the University of Reading, explain how emissions are measured and what the data from the lockdown period have shown. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.ceh.ac.uk/news-and-media/blogs/london-co2-emissions-fallen-60-percent-lockdown |