Press releases archive
Whether it is new and groundbreaking research results, university topics or events 鈥� in our press releases you can find everything you need to know about the happenings at 51猎奇. To subscribe, just send an email to ott@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de
51猎奇 PR & Communication Department聽
Theodor-W.-Adorno Platz 1
60323 Frankfurt
presse@uni-frankfurt.de
May
25
2020
10:42
Two research aircraft investigate reduced concentrations of pollutants in the air
BLUESKY scrutinizes the lockdown-altered atmosphere
FRANKFURT. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only
affecting almost every aspect of our daily lives, but also the environment. A
German team including atmosphere researchers around Prof. Joachim Curtius
(51猎奇 Frankfurt) now wants to find out how strong these effects
are on the atmosphere. Over the next two weeks, as part of the BLUESKY research
programme, the scientists led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum f眉r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) will measure
concentrations of trace gases and pollutants in the air over European urban
areas and in the flight corridor to North America. The aim of these research
missions is to investigate how reduced emissions from industry and transport
are changing atmospheric chemistry and physics.
A German research team now wants to make
rapid use of this unusual situation for the BLUESKY project. Scientists from
DLR, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 51猎奇 Frankfurt, and
the research centres at J眉lich and Karlsruhe intend to use two DLR research
aircraft to conduct a globally unique investigation into the resulting changes
in Earth's atmosphere for the first time. DLR鈥檚 HALO and Falcon research
aircraft have been equipped with highly specialised instrumentation and will
fly over Germany, Italy, France, Great Britain and Ireland in the course of the
next two weeks. They will also fly over the North Atlantic, along the flight
corridor to North America.
鈥淒LR is deploying part of its unique
research aircraft fleet to exploit an almost unique opportunity. During these
missions, the atmosphere will be analysed in a state that could be achieved in
the future with sustainable management of human activities. We will observe how
the environment changes with the ramp-up of industrial activities. This will
give us an entirely new perspective on the anthropogenic influence on Earth鈥檚
atmosphere,鈥� explains Rolf Henke, DLR Executive Board Member responsible for
aeronautics research. 鈥淭ogether with our partners, we are making a significant
contribution to redefining humankind鈥檚 activities once the pandemic is under
control.鈥�
Coordinated research flights with two measurement
aircraft
Jos Lelieveld, Director of the Max Planck Institute
for Chemistry, wants to use the BLUESKY missions to clarify whether there is a
correlation between the clear blue sky during the lockdown and the prevalence
of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. 鈥淭he unique blue sky of recent weeks
cannot be explained by meteorological conditions and the decrease in emissions
near the ground. Aircraft may have a greater impact on the formation of aerosol
particles than previously thought,鈥� says the atmospheric researcher, who is the
Scientific Director of the HALO flights. Aerosols, microscopic particles in the
air that also influence cloud formation, are finely distributed. They scatter
and absorb solar radiation and thus also have an impact on the climate, because
they influence the radiation balance of the atmosphere. Aerosols are created,
amongst other ways, during the combustion of fossil fuels.
Christiane Voigt, Head of the Cloud
Physics Department at the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics and Scientific
Director of the Falcon flights, also sees a unique opportunity with BLUESKY.
鈥淭he current state of the atmosphere represents a kind of 鈥榸ero point鈥� for
science. We will be able to measure a reference atmosphere that is only
slightly polluted with emissions from industry and transport, including
aviation. This gives us a unique opportunity to better understand the effects
of the anthropogenic emissions prior to the shutdown.鈥� The atmospheric
physicist emphasises that, only through the cooperation of all the partners,
was it possible to plan and implement the scientifically and logistically
highly complex missions at very short notice.
Emissions from air transport, industry and road
traffic in urban areas
Voigt and her colleagues believe that the
BLUESKY data will provide a clearer picture of anthropogenic influences on the
composition of Earth鈥檚 atmosphere. With the equipment on board both research
aircraft, the BLUESKY scientists are investigating aircraft emissions such as
nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and aerosols at cruising altitude, in addition
to the few remaining contrails. Among other things, they want to find out how
much these emissions have decreased over Europe and the North Atlantic flight
corridor. Approximately 30,000 aircraft fly over Europe every day, with
correspondingly significant emissions. The reduced air traffic will allow more
flexible flight routes for the measurements.
In addition, the researchers want to
investigate the reduced emission plumes from urban areas and clarify how
emissions are distributed at the atmospheric boundary layer. For example, the
BLUESKY scientists plan to fly over the Ruhr area and the regions around
Frankfurt am Main, Berlin and Munich. Flights over the Po Valley in Italy and
around Paris and London are also planned. 鈥淐lose to cities and conurbations, we
will approach the atmospheric boundary layer at an altitude of one to two
kilometres, since emissions from road traffic and industry are concentrated
there,鈥� explains Jos Lelieveld. 鈥淲e are interested in how much the
concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and their
chemical reaction products, as well as ozone and aerosols, have changed.鈥� He is
also very proud that the team is the first in the world to implement a
measurement campaign of this type.
Rapid preparations for flights 鈥� with special
infection control rules
In recent weeks, two DLR research aircraft
鈥搈easuring the Falcon 20E and the Gulfstream G550 HALO 鈥� have been successfully
converted at short notice for the BLUESKY missions. The conversions were
carried out at the DLR Flight Operations Facility in Oberpfaffenhofen.
鈥淣umerous instruments have had to be installed and adapted, and the aircraft
modified for the upcoming missions,鈥� says Burkard Wigger, Head of DLR Flight
Experiments. 鈥淐lose cooperation between the various scientific organisations
has made it possible for these two research aircraft to operate simultaneously
under the challenging conditions resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic.鈥�
The preparation, execution and follow-up
of the flights is being carried out in accordance with the current rules
regarding personal interactions and infection control. Joint flights by Falcon
and HALO are planned until the first half of June. The evaluation of the data
and the analysis of the results will then take several months. The analysis
will include comparative data from previous HALO research flight campaigns on
air traffic emissions and emissions from major cities and conurbations.
About HALO: The High Altitude and Long Range (HALO) research aircraft is a joint initiative of German environmental and climate research institutions. HALO is supported by grants from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the Max Planck Society (MPG), the Leibniz Association, the Free State of Bavaria, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Forschungszentrum J眉lich and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
More information: Prof. Joachim Curtius, Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, 51猎奇 Frankfurt, Phone: +49 (0)69 798-40258, curtius@iau.uni-frankfurt.de