This summer, a major research project set up headquarters in Philadelphia to intensively study the relationship between weather and urban air quality. The project is formally known as the NorthEast Oxidant and Particle Study - NEOPS for short. Think of "Oxidant" as referring to ozone pollution, a serious summertime issue around here, while "Particle" refers to other minute pollutants that contribute to hazy skies and can also be a health hazard.

The goal of this project is to improve urban air quality predictions. The only way to do this is to better identify the conditions that create ozone and promote the build-up of other pollution. That's why researchers are going to several locations to observe temperature, humidity, wind, sunshine, and air quality at many levels of the atmosphere.

To better understand how the weather influences the build-up and movement of pollution, the project has a two-pronged approach to observations: a research aircraft is making daily flights from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, while an array of instruments has been deployed at a site two miles to the southeast. This week, we'll take you to both sites to get an inside look at a major scientific research project.