Research Opportunities in the Atmospheric & Environmental Physics Cluster

Investigating physical and chemical properties of aerosols and gaseous species in the marine coastal environment and their ultimate role in climate change.

Characterizing Strong Oxidants in the Atmosphere: The Self-Cleaning Power of the Atmosphere and its Limitations

Project Description: The atmosphere has two major possibilities to clean itself: (1) by rainout of water soluble particles and gases, and (2) by oxidation reactions resulting in products with higher water solubility which can then be removed by rain. The most important oxidant in the lower atmosphere is the OH radical which is produced during daytime from sunlight in the presence of ozone and water vapour. My research group has achieved - for the first time worldwide - long-term measurements of OH concentrations in the coastal atmosphere which started in 2009 at our Mace Head research station near Carna, Connemara. We are using a highly sophisticated mass spectrometry method based on chemical ionisation of target molecules in conjunction with a broad range of supporting trace gas and aerosol measurement techniques. Our research contributes to better understand the changing composition of the atmosphere as a result of man-made pollution and global climate change. We have detected at least one unidentified oxidant species of similar importance to OH which may result from iodine emissions by seaweed indicating the potential importance of marine biology to the self-cleaning of the atmosphere. Currently, we are planning to extend our measurement programme in a major collaboration with the University of Bristol (UK) and the Research Center Jülich (Germany).

Identification and Treatment Options for Waste Streams of Certain Bromine Containing Flame Retardants (WAFER)

Project Description: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently announced a research programme to establish a national survey of the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in electronic, vehicular, and construction waste in Ireland. Of particular importance are bromine containing substances which have been added to corresponding materials as flame retardants and which may constitute a significant health risk if leached into water systems by rain or other processes. In collaboration with the University of Bristol we have submitted a proposal to the EPA which is currently under review. We anticipate that it will be funded and research will begin in spring 2015. There will be a need for one PhD student to be engaged in field measurements at corresponding sites in Ireland and contributing to the data analysis and a final synthesis report to the EPA. The student will be trained and partially supervised by a postdoctoral fellow who has already strong expertise in this research area. We expect from the student a strong interest for environmental themes, practical engagement with measurement techniques, and basic knowledge of pollutant chemistry (a physics student can do this !). Co-supervision with Prof. Stuart Harrad (Univ. Birmingham, UK)