KORUS-AQ campaign in South Korea has begun
09.05.2016
KORUS-AQ campaign in South Korea has begun
Outdoor air pollution by trace gases (O3, NO2) and particles is responsible to several million premature deaths annually (e.g., Anderson et al., 2012). Still, our understanding of the complex interactions between meteorological and chemical processes that take place in the atmosphere is severly limited.
Over the next years a number of geostationary satellites (TEMPO, SENTINEL-4, GEMS) will be launched that will offer unprecedented capabilities to observe air quality over North America, Europe and Asia. To translate these satellite observations into recommendations on how to improve air quality requires combining them with in-situ observations and numerical models.
Developing strategies to optimally complement these satellite missions with other observations and models is one of the goals of the NASA-led KORUS-AQ campaign that is underway in South Korea since the beginning of May. Ground-based observations, as well as a research vessel and a number of research aircraft take part in the campaign. A group of scientists form the 'forecasting team', which develops flight plans for the different aircraft platforms, to ensure they are used in an optimal manner to support the mission goals. Dr. Christoph Knote of the Meteorological Institute is part of the campaign and supports the forecasting team with various trajectory calculations.