Integrated Chemistry of Ozone in the Atmosphere
Ozone is an important air pollutant, harmful to human health, vegetation (crop yields) and materials, and a greenhouse gas. In the lower atmosphere (troposphere), ozone is a problem; in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), it shields us from harmful UV light.
Ozone levels are hard to predict as ozone is formed in the atmosphere, by chemical reactions - it is not emitted. We are developing new methods to measure the rate of local chemical ozone formation and removal, to distinguish between processing of local emissions, and advection.
The instrument development work is supported by NERC, and the project is a collaboration with the Universities of Leeds, Leicester, York and UEA (including use of the Weybourne Observatory, pictured).