Project description DEENESFRITPL Understanding ozone depletion from volcanic eruptions The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs dangerous UV irradiation, protecting human health and agriculture. Since even just small changes can provoke serious damages, it is important to understand the chemistry behind ozone depletion. Although it is accepted that ozone depletion is due to human-made emissions, volcanic eruptions also represent a major concern since it is supposed that they could cause the bigger perturbation to the ozone layer in the future. The EU-funded SOLVE project aims to determine the impact on the ozone layer of halogen injections into the stratosphere. By applying laboratory and quantum chemical methods integrated into a global chemistry and climate model, the project will define the kinetics of bromine-containing species to understand the mechanisms of halogen reactions. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs harmful UV irradiation, protecting life on Earth. Only small changes are needed for significant damage to human health and agriculture, making it essential to understand the chemistry behind ozone depletion. Most of the ozone depletion has been caused by man-made emissions of the CFCs and halons, which are now banned through the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. However, due to the long-lived nature of these species, full recovery of the ozone layer is still decades away. In a changing climate, stratospheric composition, temperature and dynamics may be significantly altered, changing the catalytic ozone depletion in the future. Furthermore, new concerns regarding the ozone layer have emerged, with explosive volcanic eruptions possibly causing the largest perturbation to the ozone layer in the future. In this project, I will use different methods to determine the impact of halogen injections into the stratosphere on the ozone layer, determining the kinetics of bromine-containing species using laboratory and quantum chemical methods and incorporating them into a global chemistry and climate model. The first two years, I will be at Harvard, where I will use different atmospheric models to investigate the stratospheric impact of volcanic eruptions for a variety of future climate scenarios. I will also be carrying out experiments using cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy to determine the kinetics of an atmospheric reservoir species for reactive bromine in the atmosphere. In the last year of the project I will be at University of Copenhagen and carry out experiments with a cold matrix setup with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to investigate the reaction. Throughout the project, I will determine the mechanisms of halogen reactions at the molecular level using quantum chemical calculations. I will introduce the results from the kinetic experiments and quantum calculations into the models as they become available. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencesozone depletionnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopyabsorption spectroscopynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryhalogensagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture Keywords Atmospheric chemistry Spectroscopy Future Climate Regional and global modelling Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET Net EU contribution € 286 921,92 Address Norregade 10 1165 Kobenhavn Denmark See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE United States Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Massachusetts avenue 1350 02138 Cambridge See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 177 265,92
