Research projects

The team of the SIRTA observatory is working on the topic of urban atmosphere dynamics in the context of several cross-cutting projects within the PANAME initiative. 

PhD Jonnathan Céspedes (LMD-IPSL, École Doctorale IP Paris): The nocturnal Low-Level Jet in the Paris Region – Interactions with the urban atmosphere and surface characteristics

PhD project (2020-2024) funded by a public-private partnership between Région Ile-de-France, VAISALA and École polytechnique. A Scanning Doppler Lidar (Vaisala windcube 400s) was purchased with the support of DIM QI2 (a program supported by Region Ile-de-France), of OBS4CLIM (an EQUIPEX+ project supported by the PIA-3 program), and of CNRS-INSU special investment funds.

Using novel scanning Doppler wind lidar observations in the Paris region, this project examines on the one hand how the regional phenomenon of the nocturnal low-level jet influences near-surface microclimate conditions in the city and how surface characteristics (topography, urban buoyancy) in turn affect the low-level jet characteristics.

ANR H2C Heat and Health in Cities

The main goal of the Heat and Health in Cities (H2C) ANR project is to improve the urban climate services to support preventive actions and policies to deal with the risk of heat and extreme heat in cities, with the Paris region (France) as a case study. In response, the three scientific objectives are identified:

  • Improve our understanding of the impacts of urban covers and surface heterogeneities in the city on UHI, local meteorology and air quality.
  • Strengthen the synergy between numerical modeling and multisource observations to study the environmental phenomena in detail, and assess the spatial and temporal variations in population exposure to heat and air pollution, and the associated health risks.
  • Develop and provide information that is useful for decision-making, in terms of UHI assessment, consequences on exposure in both outdoor and indoor environment, associated health impacts, and opportunities for prevention.

EU H2020 Green Deal RI-URBANS (ACTRIS)

The main objective of RI-URBANS is to demonstrate how service tools from atmospheric research infrastructures can be adapted and enhanced in air quality monitoring networks in an interoperable and sustainable way. The ABL testbed is contributing to the service tools for measurements of boundary layer heights, and wind and turbulence profiling.

EU H2020 Green Deal ICOS-Cities (PAUL)

ICOS Cities brings together and evaluates the most innovative measurement approaches of greenhouse gas emissions in densely populated urban areas. The project supports the European Green Deal and aims at developing useful tools and services for cities in support of their local climate action plans.

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