It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that pollution sometimes makes the winter air in northern Utah's valleys so bad it's unhealthy.

But now, thanks to a federal research grant, a small army of atmospheric scientists will soon set out to learn exactly how winter weather contributes to the inversions that periodically make our air the nation's dirtiest.

The University of Utah announced Tuesday the National Science Foundation is underwriting a $1.3 million, three-year study of the weather-pollution connection in the Salt Lake Valley

"This is something we have wanted to do for a decade," said John Horel, an atmospheric sciences professor at the U. and one of the project's three leaders. "It's long overdue to get a better handle on what's going on in the Salt Lake Valley."

Horel, joined by David Whiteman, a research professor of atmospheric sciences at the U., and Sharon Zhong, an associate professor of geography at Michigan State University, will examine "cold-air pools" in the Salt Lake Valley with the help of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. They also will be recruiting students and the public to help gather basic information about the subtle weather patterns that drive the pollution spikes.

"This study is going to identify the weather that contributes to the development, maintenance and breakup of these inversions," Horel said.

Whiteman notes the pattern is familiar to Salt Lake Valley residents:

The skies clear after a storm. Cold temperatures persist near the surface while temperatures aloft become much warmer. It's exactly opposite of what might be expected, with colder air at higher elevations and conditions that mix the pollution and send it over the mountains and away from the Wasatch Front.

Such inversions are made worse, said Whiteman, because "fog and low clouds often form within the cold-air pool, which affects the air pollution chemistry, besides leading to reduced visibility on roads and flight delays at the Salt Lake City International Airport."

Zhong points out these cold-air pools are a challenge to study because the winds are light, and the temperature and moisture varies subtly around the valley and up and down in the air.

"If we can improve our ability to understand and simulate cold-air pools in the Salt Lake Valley," she said, "then other researchers can apply those improvements elsewhere."

Finding the best places to put monitoring equipment will be a focus until fieldwork begins in earnest in December.

Participating scientists and students probably will include those from other University of Utah departments such as biology, geology and mechanical engineering, as well as some from Utah State University, Brigham Young University and other universities.

Federal, state and local agencies will be involved, as will businesses, groups interested in air quality in the Salt Lake Valley and the public.

fahys@sltrib.com