Goal: By developing an integrated approach to the analysis of satellite measurements our goal is to provide new information on atmospheric composition and aerosols for air-pollution forecasting and testing climate models

Partners and Customers: National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), Met Office/Hadley Centre, Defra (Department for Food and Rural Affairs

There are large gaps in our understanding of the interactions between climate change and the trace gases and aerosols which are components of the atmosphere. These include the extent to which changes in climate will affect air pollution near the ground. Filling these gaps has been identified as a high priority for research by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The challenge is to use new EO data to investigate processes which determine the atmospheric distributions of trace gases and aerosols in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, their links to climate, pollution and air quality.

Our priorities include:

• To use satellite observations in a new, integrated approach to provide data on trace gases and aerosols in the troposphere and lower stratosphere
• To improve quantitative understanding of their distributions and emissions and the representation of relevant processes in global chemistry-transport models by exploiting the new data
• To contribute to national and European initiatives to establish new operational applications for satellite data to monitor pollution and forecast air quality.

Click here to view the science theme proposal document