Research
Environmental Monitoring - Research
Climate Change and Environmental Research
NPL carries out a wide range of research into environmentally relevant topics. Topics include climate change, development of novel measurement techniques, and other supporting metrology.
Example research programmes include:
Research
- Although legislation for airborne particles is currently based on the total mass of particles below a certain size, many other parameters are important for health or scientific studies. One important measurement is the total number of particles in a given volume of air.
- An advanced Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) instrument is being developed in the UK for operation on board the NERC Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) aeroplane.
- Global climate change is amongst the most important scientifically-driven issues challenging policymakers around the world. At the heart of the conflicting responses to the climate change issue is the need to establish and quantify the key mechanisms and feedback processes involved. NPL have been involved in some of the key measurement issues in the climate change debate.
- The HAMAQ project, which ran from 3 years from December 1996 was intended to improve the consistency of air quality measurements of the pollutants CO, NO, SO2, NO2 and C6H6 made throughout Europe.
- Measurements of emissions from stacks are required to fulfil regulatory requirements, European Air Quality Directives and UK obligations under international treaties such as the Kyoto Agreement. Accurate, traceable measurements of flow in stacks underpins emissions monitoring and enables industry to report reliably against emission limit authorisations. Flow measurements are also important in developing an emissions trading strategy.
- A team of NPL scientists is currently stationed in the Swiss Alps' Jungfraujoch Research Station, taking measurements of water vapour with the aim of improving climate models.