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PyroTRACΗ project highlighted in the 2022 ERC annual report

PyroTRACΗ project highlighted in the 2022 ERC annual report


The ERC project PyroTRACH has been selected to be highlighted in the 2022 ERC annual report.  The project is hosted by the Center for Studies of Air Quality and Climate Change (C-STACC) of the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH/ICE-HT) in Patras. The coordinator of the project is Professor Athanasios Nenes, co-coordinator of C-STACC and Affiliated Scientist of FORTH/ICE-HT and Director of the Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts (LAPI) at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Synopsis of the announcement

Does the warming impact of smoke remain in the atmosphere, possibly accelerating climate change? Does smoke become more toxic over time? Although known to contribute to air pollution, the exact impact of biomass burning particulate matter is still unclear due to the difficulty to track it once airborne. Athanasios Nenes has developed new chemical markers with an atmospheric lifetime that exceeds the current limitation of a day, discovering that the rapid oxidation of smoke can also occur at night in the presence of NOx and ozone. Unraveling the evolution of biomass burning properties is providing an unprecedented understanding of its impact on the climate and public health. With wildfires increasing in intensity and frequency worldwide and wood burning prevalent, aerosol science has never been so crucial. Read More

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