Pollution monitoring

A forest fire and smoke pollution monitoring system for Asia is the latest King’s College London project to win funding from Innovation China-UK (ICUK).

The award of £63,500 has been made to a project led by Martin Wooster, professor of Earth Observation Science of the Department of Geography at King’s College London, who will help develop a geostationary forest fire monitoring and characterisation system for China and the wider Asia region.

ICUK sponsors jointly fund collaborative research and partnerships between UK partners and Chinese Universities and research institutes. Launched in November 2007, and managed on behalf of the King’s by King’s Business, the College has, to date, been awarded seven King’s Proof of Concept projects and Partnership grants worth almost £300,000.

Geography postdoctoral scientist, Dr Weidong Xu, together with Dr Liqun Yang of King’s Business, played a critical role in securing the award, negotiating with the Chinese partners, translating material and organising a trip to China to coordinate the proposal prior to its submission.

Prof Wooster said: 'Though the funding is only for a year, we already have much of the software (for the system) operating with European satellites through an existing Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant, and have a further year's funding secured through an EU research project that will help build a global system.’