The products development by the Papila Project include: (a) a state-of-the-art multi-model air quality prediction system with ability of providing quasi-operational forecasts of the four dimensional distribution of air pollutants (reactive species and particulate matter) and related health indices, (b) a prototype of real-time (quasi-operational) chemical data system that collects and processes observations of air pollutants; (c) an emission inventory based on direct “bottom-up” estimates of anthropogenic sources in the LAC region (following the efforts undertaken by Andrade et al., 2016), (d) dissemination platforms that will release daily “chemical weather” forecasts with quantified uncertainties, and (e) exchanges and transfer of results to national and international agencies.
The results produced by Papila include:
(1) A prototype for air quality predictions and related air quality health indices in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC region) with spatial resolutions of typically 20 km. These prototype predictions include the regional distributions of primary chemical species (NOx, CO, VOCs, SO2, particle matter (PM) including dust and black carbon), of secondary species (ozone, sulphate, secondary organic aerosols, etc.) and health indices.
(2) A series of collaborations to improve measurements made at different observing stations in the Andes, specifically near La Paz in Bolivia, and in Venezuela. These data help in the evaluation of model simulations.
(3) The development of the Papila emissions inventory which includes CO, NOx, NMVOCs, NH3, and SO2 annual emissions from anthropogenic sources over the LAC region for the period 2014–2016, with a spatial resolution of 0.1∘ × 0.1∘.
(4) The analysis of space observations and specifically of the measurement of NO2 made by the TROPOMI satellite at high spatial resolution (typically 5 km)
(5) The development of educational activities and capacity building efforts related to air pollution through local meetings and the organization of a summer school.
(6) The successful exchange of scientists between Europe and Latin America and the development of a new research community in South America with a real partnership aimed at long-term cooperation