This research combines current scientific knowledge and historical data to model the airborne dust concentration generated by the Belval steelworks in Esch-sur-Alzette between 1911 and 1997. The calculations are based on a model of atmospheric dispersion, using parameters such as production volumes, the presence of filter systems and meteorological data. Simulations, a form of data generation widely used in engineering, open new opportunities for the recreation of historical data. These historical data can be re-analysed and visualised on the basis of new and/or current perspectives. Visualisation of the simulated data offers insights into the extent and variability of dust concentrations over time, along with the underlying reasons (e.g. wars, technical innovations, …). An interdisciplinary approach allows for the integration of chemical and health perspectives, which are placed in a historical context. Our main aim is to explore new ways of generating, validating, analysing and visualising historical data through interdisciplinary collaboration, rather than to validate a model for the study of historical dust pollution. This work discusses (a) the model, (b) the parameters used, (c) the results of the dust simulation, (d) the impact on health, (e) the historical sources, and (f) the limitations of the model and the challenges involved in visualising and simulating historical data. The research is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the REMIX project (which focuses on the history of the Minett region, in the framework of the event Esch-sur-Alzette – European Capital of Culture 2022) and the LuxTIME project (which attempts to build and visualise historical datasets, with the aim of studying the impact of local environmental changes).
Dust Pollution, Environment, Data visualization, Simulation, Steel Industry, History of Luxembourg