
The project is a joint initiative of the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate, Wageningen University, and Leiden University. Our team is driven by the desire to use new high-resolution satellite measurements (S5P-TROPOMI) of air pollutants and innovative data science techniques to track down ships not complying with international emission agreements. The focus will be on verifying emissions of nitrogen oxides and Sulphur dioxide by ships on open sea, where compliance monitoring is traditionally difficult, but new TROPOMI satellite data now provides unique new opportunities. Activities of the PhD student will include analysis of satellite-observed pollution plumes, high-resolution plume dispersion modeling, creation of input for machine-learning of ship signatures, and development of fast and automated satellite data processing algorithms.