MAGPROX Screening and monitoring of anthropogenic pollution over central Europe by using magnetic proxies.

Air pollution and the resulting environmental damage do not stop at national borders. Moreover, there is a lack of extensive permanent survey and monitoring 
networks with a sufficiently high grid density in Poland and Czech Republic (both EU-member candidates). The proposed project aims at introducing magnetic 
proxies as new and independent variables which can be used for a cost-effective and fast screening or monitoring of environmental pollution of air, soil and 
sediments with a high grid densitiy. The proposed so-called magnetic proxy screening/monitoring  
is based on the identification of industrial pollution by using measurements of magnetic parameters of atmospherically deposited aerosol particles, 
namely iron-oxides. Magnetometric investigations are planned within a large area spanning large parts of central europe (SW and S-Germany - N/Central Austria 
- Czechia - SW/S Poland).  
  
Main objective of the proposed project is the use of the magnetometry as a fast and cost-effective proxy method for screening and monitoring of anthropogenic 
pollution and enables a better targeting for further detailed measurements using standard methods. The project is focused on a large area affected by industrial 
activities, spanning Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland.The method will be also used for high resolution mapping of preselected sites showing anomaleous 
geochemical patterns in order to allow a proper sampling for obtaining additional information.  
Finally, the project will compare the pollution development in dependence of environmental protection standards in EU countries and countries in the pre-assession 
 process (EU-membership candidates).  
  
The proposed project will result in a new database represented by a regional cross-border magnetic map of pollution over a large central European area covering 
parts of Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland. This database will reflect the recent pollution developement in dependence of different environmental 
protection policies. A general magnetic screening-map with an average grid density of 10km will be compiled. High-resolution mapping (average grid density 
of about 1km) will be carried out over selected areas (Krkonose, Beskydy, Sumava, Bayr. Wald, Schwarzwald, Parts of Bayr. Alpen, Koeflach Area, Hohe Tauern 
Nationalpark). Samples from representative sites will be collected for laboratory studies. In order to observe the time-developement and to monitor the 
pollution, certain areas will be re-screened and re-mapped in the 3rd year of the project. Monitoring of short-term variations will be carried out by measurements 
along defined profiles within short regular time intervals. Long-term variations will be monitored by investigations on open depth sections of soils or collected 
soil cores.