Buenos Aires Research on Urban Climate and Air Pollution (BARUCA) I

In the Argentinean mega city Buenos Aires a binational joint research project on urban and bioclimate as well as air pollution has been in progress since 2005. It is aimed to study the temporal and spatial distribution of heat waves/ hot periods and their thermal perception by humans in various structured neighbourhoods. Additionally, the actual state of atmospheric pollution is analysed. For this purpose, measurements of meteorological parameters just as gaseous and solid air pollutants, e.g. particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen dioxide were realised at several sites during one year between 2006 and 2007. Furthermore, several campaigns of vertical soundings were carried out in all seasons. Long-term meteorological data (1975-2007) provided by the Argentinean Meteorological Service complete the own measurements. In addition, it is intended to study the occurrence of local wind flows in the urban atmosphere and their influence on the distribution of air pollutants in Buenos Aires.