TARGET

(Tropospheric Ambient Radicals in Ground level Environments of Taiwan)

Funded by the DFG (2026-2029)

Scientific objectives

TARGET aims at a further understanding of the formation of high pollution episodes in Taiwan with a particular focus on the role of peroxy radicals in polluted atmospheres. The combination of intensive observational periods of ground-based data set of radicals, precursors, related selected trace gases and meteorological ancillary measurements with adequate modelling will provide for a comprehensive analysis of the data obtained in the target location.

In a first step, aportable instrument for collocated ground-based measurement of the total sum of peroxy radicals reacting with NO to produce NO2will be developed and customized for the ground-based deployment in Taiwan.

TARGET deals specifically with two scientific objectives:

Partners

• In cooperation with the Research Center for Environmental Changes (RCEC-AS), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

• Investigation of dominant chemical and physical processes involved in the local formation of elevated O3 and PM2.5 concentrations in different seasons of the year at the Tainan supersite in Taiwan. A particular focus will be on improving understanding of the role of peroxy radicals in the regional oxidation of polluted atmospheres.
• Investigation of the seasonality and relative importance of local and long-range transported pollution for the air quality in Southern Taiwan, in particular taking into consideration the effect of the East-Asian Monsoon. The measurement of peroxy radicals will provide essential information about photochemical activity to assess the relative contribution of local emissions in the sampled air masses.

Partner:

In cooperation with the Research Center for Environmental Changes (RCEC-AS), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan