Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency Completes First Atmospheric Research Expedition

Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency (EAD) shared on Tuesday that it completed the first-ever Atmospheric Research Expedition in the Arabian Gulf with marine research vessel Jaywun.

The expedition was in collaboration between EAD, the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of the Cyprus Institute from Cyprus and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry from Germany.

The overall project was assisted by scientists from the University of Bremen in Germany and the Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory in France. When the project reaches its simulation stage, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia will also get involved in it.

The agency became the first one to do atmospheric research from Spain to Abu Dhabi, covering eight seas and oceans alongside 25 countries, from December 2022 to January 2023.

"Following our extremely successful Atmospheric Research Expedition from Vigo in Spain to Abu Dhabi in the UAE to measure air quality, we have now completed the first-ever atmospheric research expedition in the Arabian Gulf using the new EAD research vessel Jaywun," Faisal Hammadi, executive director of the Environmental Quality Sector, said, as per WAM.

"Gathered by a multinational team, the results will be available in 2024 and serve several purposes," he added. "From a scientific perspective, they will enhance our understanding of ozone formation in the region and improve atmospheric models."

Hammadi explained that by "unraveling the dynamics of ozone formation and its connections to regional sources in this largely understudied area, policymakers will have a better foundation for implementing effective measures to control and regulate emissions."

Moreover, the research and data collected through this expedition will also benefit Abu Dhabi in various ways. He pointed out that Abu Dhabi experiences high levels of ozone and this expedition will help find how this pollution is transported within the emirate.

"By understanding these transport patterns, policymakers and authorities can develop targeted mitigation measures to alleviate the impact of ozone on the local environment and public health," the executive director added.

The expedition was conducted in eight major bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Sea of Oman and Arabian Gulf alongside three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia.

Furthermore, it monitored 22 parameters, including air quality regulated parameters, greenhouse gas concentrations, volatile organic compounds and aerosol properties.