Need
The Gwad’Air project, led by the air quality observatory of Guadeloupe (part of the national federation ATMO France) in collaboration with the We Explore vessel captained by French navigator Roland Jourdain, arose from the need to expand knowledge about atmospheric pollution in the ocean. While it is known that pollution travels across seas, no studies had previously been conducted in the middle of the ocean. This project aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how atmospheric pollution behaves in a maritime environment.
This initiative addressed the need to better understand air quality at sea. Until now, Gwad’Air had focused on monitoring air quality in Guadeloupe, including pollution from Saharan dust. However, this innovative project allowed them to study atmospheric pollution in the open ocean for the first time.
The installation of the Hom’Air sensor (a Kunak AIR Pro nicknamed as such) aboard the We Explore vessel enabled the measurement of various atmospheric pollutants, including fine particles, nitrogen oxides, and tropospheric ozone, every 10 minutes during the journey from Guadeloupe to Brittany. These data, transmitted to a remote server, have enhanced understanding of air quality at sea and supported efforts to protect the environment.
