Conferences
5th ECATS Conference
Local air quality is a limiting factor in the development of many airports. In particular, the EU limit value for NO2 of 40 µg/m³ as an annual mean; that for PM10 will be of 20 µg/m³, which is valid since January 1, 2010. Ambient concentrations at many European airports are already close to, or above these values. There is as yet no EU limit value for PM2.5, but neither is there yet any evidence of a safe threshold; epidemiological studies in the US suggest that an extra 1 µg/m³ reduces mean life expectancy by 12 months. If air traffic is to continue to increase in Europe, its impact on local air quality will have to be better understood and cleaner modes of operation developed.
Day 1
This first day will be of direct significance to the OLGA and other Lighthouse projects (Stargate and Tulips), built on identifying commonalities between projects, and the need for discussion and information sharing to work productively as these projects enter their delivery phase. It will feature a curated selection of invited speakers, ensuring high-quality, relevant contributions. A panel session is also proposed, potentially involving project coordinators to provide strategic insights. The overall focus will be practitioner-based, highlighting practical implementations and the tangible outcomes of project activities with a specific focus on (but not limited to):
Day 2
The second and third day of the conference will be a more conventional scientific conference with a call for abstracts and papers rather than by invitation. Several key ECATS themes will form the basis of the conference technical sessions in a plenary fashion.
TECHNICAL SESSIONS are considered for, but are not limited to, the following topical areas:
All such measurements must be fitted into theoretical and numerical models so that today’s airports can be extrapolated to tomorrow’s. Thus, we can develop dynamical models of the dispersion of aircraft emissions, which may then be included in regulatory models of local air quality impact. Likewise, micro-physical and chemical models can describe how the primary emissions of an aircraft evolve into the secondary emissions that are relevant to what the neighbours of the airport may have to breathe. Similarly, operational studies can illuminate how changes in management practice (e.g. more efficient control of taxiing) may impact upon local air quality.
ECATS is looking for early career scientists/engineers who are interested in submitting papers for consideration to receive the Research Award of Excellence in Honour of Ivar Isaksen and Chris Wilson. The award will be presented to an early career researcher who authors and presents a paper at the ECATS 2026 conference.
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