Development of a trace gas budget - new insights on methanol
Dr. Gunnar
Schade,
Dr. Schade is a candidate for the Atmospheric Science faculty position
Since the beginning of
systematic research into atmospheric chemistry, the atmospheric budget of
numerous trace gases has been studied to sometimes great detail. As a result,
we know today that carbon monoxide is emitted mostly by incomplete combustion,
much methane is coming from natural and man-made wetlands, ozone is dominantly
produced in the troposphere and not transported from the stratosphere, and
plants emit large amounts of VOCs, in particular
isoprene.
The discovery that a
specific atmospheric trace gas has significant effects on atmospheric chemistry
(or climate) is reason enough to spark interest in its atmospheric cycling.
Within the group of VOCs, the scientific community
has long focused on hydrocarbon emissions from plants. Since the mid-90s,
however, a group of compounds named oxygenated VOCs
has been of growing interest to atmospheric chemists due to their ubiquitous
abundance and significant influence on ozone chemistry.
Using methanol as an
example, I will describe how the research on OVOCs
developed into a more or less consistent global trace gas budget. I will show
results of recent measurements targeting different aspects of the methanol
cycle, and conclude with an outlook on how the current deficits in
understanding might be filled.
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