Objective The objective of the ICAROS project is the development of an interactive computational environment that allows the integration and assimilation of different data types including remote sensing observations, ground air quality measurements, and advanced atmospheric modelling for the minimisation of the uncertainty in decision-making regarding air pollution control and abatement in the urban environment. The computational tool to be developed will be directly applicable to the optimal siting of air pollution measurement stations, to the planning and construction of urban and industrial infrastructure and it will contribute to the effective comparison of environmental quality of information at the European level. The overall system development and integration will include a thorough evaluation of the state-of-the-art tool already available in the market place regarding all types of data, i.e. ground measurement techniques, satellite pictures (Earth Observation), and advanced atmospheric pollution dispersion and regional chemical models. The final system and the information generated by it will be implementd in a real-size pilot experiment, which will provide the opportunity to further refine and better couple the methodologies used. This way, the validity and usability of both current atmospheric transport models and of ground monitoring networks used for air pollution assessment will be enhanced. Two pilot sites for implementation of this methodology and computer toolkit have been identified allowing the evaluation of the usefulness of ICAROS for the implementation of environmental treaties and legislation at the local and regional policy level. These pilot sites are in Brescia (Italy), the European Space Centre in Kourou and the urban area of Cayenne (French Guyana). They have been selected as areas which permit at best the evaluation of the proposed methodology feasibility by combining the use of advanced information and environmental assessment. In the case of Brescia, the implementation of ICAROS will support the planning of an advanced air pollution real-time monitoring network. In French Guyana, integrated environmental protection of ecologically fragile zones will be supported by ICAROS. The project work schedule is divided into 5 work packages to be realised in 3 phases as follows: Phase I 1. Identification of the state of the art in the employed methods 2. Development of the ICAROS integrating computational environment Phase II 3. and 4. Application of the ICAROS methodology and implementation of the ICAROS computational environment in two pilot cases Phase III 5. Drawing of conclusions from the comparative assessment of the pilot cases. Evaluation of the transferability of the ICAROS methodology and toolkit to different identified cases of urban/regional air pollution The findings of the project will be appropriately disseminated through publications, training seminars, information transfer to international environmental bodies (e.g. EEA, IGCC, EC). Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technologyengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringremote sensingengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineeringnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 030102 - Pilot projects Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Commission of the European Communities Address Via enrico fermi 21020 Ispra Italy See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Azienda Servizi Municipalizzati del Comune di Brescia Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via lamarmora 230 25124 Brescia See on map FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V. Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Kreuzeckbahnstrasse 19 82467 Garmisch-partenkirchen See on map Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération - ORSTOM France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 500,rue j f breton 500 34093 Mais Montpellier See on map NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address 33,panepistimioupolis 33, building physics v, univers 15784 Zographos, athens See on map University of the Aegean Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address 17,karantoni street 17 81100 Mytilini See on map
