Scientists monitor pollution from Beijing

LA JOLLA, Calif., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists are taking advantage of the Summer Olympics by monitoring what occurs when a densely populated region curbs everyday emissions.

The rare opportunity to monitor such an event is occurring as Chinese officials initiated the "great shutdown," with factories curbing their operations by as much as 30 percent and automobile traffic reduced by half to safeguard the health of competing athletes.

The monitoring project, funded by the National Science Foundation, involves the use of unmanned aircraft carrying instruments that can measure smog and its effects on meteorological conditions.

"Thanks to the concern of Olympic organizers, the Chinese government and the cooperation of the Korean government, we have a huge and unprecedented opportunity to observe a large reduction in everyday emissions from a region that's very industrially active," said lead investigator V. Ramanathan of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which developed the aircraft.

Ramanathan's co-lead investigator, Soon-Chang Yoon of Seoul National University, said the project marks the first use of unmanned aircraft in east Asia for air pollution and cloud interaction studies.

Satellite and ground observations began Aug. 1, with the entire project to run through September.