Sites In Central London Research Articles

Characterization and reconstruction of historical London, England, acidic aerosol concentrations.

Several past studies of the historical London air pollution record have reported an association between daily mortality and British Smoke levels. However, this pollution index does not give direct information on particulate mass or its chemical composition. A more specific particulate matter index, aerosol acidity, was measured at a site in central London, and daily data are available for the period 1963-1972. British Smoke and SO2 were also measured at the same site. Also, meteorological parameters were routinely measured at a nearby British Meteorological Office. Thus, daily fluctuation of the acidic aerosols was characterized in terms of other environmental parameters. Each of the other parameters analyzed seems necessary, but not sufficient to explain a high level of acidic aerosol. Overall, about half of the variance of log-transformed daily fluctuations of acidic aerosols can be explained by a combination of parameters including SO2 and British Smoke concentrations, temperature, ventilation by wind, and humidity. The rest of the variance cannot be explained by the parameters included in this analysis. Potential factors responsible for this unique variance would be variations in the availability of basic gases to cause neutralization and variation in the availability of catalytic metal salts. Because the acidic aerosol has a unique component of variation, it may be possible to distinguish health effects due to this specific pollutant from other available pollution indices or environmental factors.

Dust deposition and the soiling of glossy surfaces

Measurements of changes in reflectance caused by dust deposits on a glossy surface using a standard gloss-meter are described. A microscope slide exposed at a roadside and a rooftop site in central London was used as a convenient collector surface to simulate the soiling by dust of such glossy surfaces as glass, polished metal and plastic, automotive finishes and gloss paint. Measured reductions in gloss made over a number of weeks showed mean values between 1·4% and 1·9% per 6 h. Measurements made at the roadside showed an approximately linear relationship between gloss and percentage area of the slide covered by dust, as measured by a Magiscan II image analyser set up to measure particles greater than 5 μm in diameter. No such relationship was observed for measurements made at the rooftop site.

Mobile measurements of SO 2 in heavy traffic in London

Regular surveys of SO 2 were made along the A10 and A23 roads through Central London with 2 vehicles during the Winter of 1983–1984. After spatial averaging, a strong correlation between SO 2 concentration and meterological variables was found allowing extrapolation of the results to predict a daytime Winter mean SO 2 concentration of 107 μg m −3. This is twice what is measured at National Survey sites in Central London. It is suggested that the difference arises from motor vehicle emissions. This is consistent with the sulphur content of petrol and Diesel fuel and the measured concentrations of CO and black smoke.

The Library Association Headquarters: A Historical Note

But for the firmness of its Executive Committee some thirty years ago and for the good offices of Salter Davies, a Carnegie United Kingdom trustee, the Library Association very soon might be homeless, back to the days of roughing it in one lodging after another. Col. Mitchell, the Trustees' Secretary, had promised a freehold site in Central London and a grant towards a building. So assured, and with his co‐operation, for months we had tramped in a widening circle round about the British Museum in search of a freehold where few remained.