integrated metrology community.
EMRP research projects
The environmental research projects funded under the EURAMET research programmes, EMRP and EMPIR, have brought together research groups from metrology institutes, academia, and industry to work collaboratively. These address some of the measurement challenges associated with the better quantification of parameters that affect climate change and the measurement of emissions hazardous to our quality of life. The EMRP projects have been completed, and highlights are available here.
Projects have been grouped into two area, those supporting a greater understanding of climate change and other on creating a clean, safe environment.
Understanding Climate Change
EMRP and EMPIR research projects support the improved accuracy of measurement data for Essential Climate Variables and the development of new measurement methods and technologies for improving the:
Post-launch performance confirmation of satellite borne instrumentation for earth observation data:
- European metrology for earth observation and climate
- Metrology for earth observation and climate
- Further metrology for earth observation and climate
Weather station data for use in essential climate variable trend analysis:
- Metrology for pressure, temperature, humidity and airspeed in the atmosphere
- Metrology for essential climate variables
Detection of ozone layer trends using Solar UV data:
- Traceability for surface spectral solar ultraviolet radiation
- Traceability for atmospheric total column ozone
Research also focused on:
Creating a clean, safe environment
Accurate data is essential to monitoring and managing the environment and enabling the design and implementation of effective environmental regulation. Recognising the hazards posed by pollution, the EU has developed an extensive body of legislation which establishes health-based standards and objectives for pollutants in air, water and soil. Key to the successful implementation of these policies is an underpinning measurement infrastructure that ensures that environmental data is robust and consistent across monitoring networks, across national borders and over time.
As allowable pollutant levels decrease, and new types of pollutant are identified, measurement capabilities must be constantly improved to support robust and fit-for-purpose pollutant monitoring and mitigation. This requires both improved measurement accuracy across the measurement infrastructure – at National Measurement Institutes, in accredited laboratories and in environmental monitoring networks – and the development of innovative, practical and cost-effective measurement technologies.
EMRP and EMPIR research is improving the quality of the environmental monitoring data which is important for compliance with European environmental regulations and the measurements of hazardous emissions and releases that affect public health. Research focused on:
Water and air quality monitoring:
- Metrology for Chemical Pollutants in Air
- Traceable measurements for monitoring critical pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive
- Metrology for VOC indicators in air pollution and climate change
Vehile exhaust and mercury monitoring:
- Emerging requirements for measuring pollutants from automotive exhaust emissions
- Traceability for mercury measurements
- Metrology for oxidised mercury
Industrial pollution and trace gas air monitoring:
- Metrology for high-impact greenhouse gases
- Metrology for ammonia in ambient air
- Metrology to underpin future regulation of industrial emissions
- Metrology for sampling and conditioning SO2 emissions from stacks
- Metrology for air pollutant emissions
Early warnings for ionising radiation during a nuclear incident:
- Metrology for radiological early warning networks in Europe
- Metrology for mobile detection of ionising radiation following a nuclear or radiological incident
Ensuring accurate identification and segregation of high activity nuclear decommissioning waste:
EMPIR research projects
On going EMPIR projects are addressing global metrological challenges such as climate control and monitoring the environment.