Project Description
Supervisors
Dr Rebecca Fisher, Faculty of Science, Royal Holloway, University of London – contact me
Dr Dave Lowry, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr James France, Environmental Defense Fund
Scientific Background
Globally, atmospheric concentrations of methane and hydrogen are increasing. Reducing emissions is essential to meet Paris Agreement goals. Increasing atmospheric hydrogen concentrations can also extend methane’s lifetime and contribute to warming.
The UK has a detailed inventory of methane emissions, but discrepancies remain between inventories and measurements, particularly in urban areas. Hydrogen emissions, including from combustion, are poorly quantified. Improved understanding of current emissions, their sources, and how they are changing is needed to identify further opportunities for emission reduction.
Research Methodology
The PGR will be based in the greenhouse gas research group at Royal Holloway, Egham, using instrumentation for in situ and mobile measurements of methane, hydrogen, and associated gases. 30 years of methane and hydrogen measurements from Egham will be used to quantify changes in emissions and identify sources across the London region. Machine learning and atmospheric dispersion modelling will be used to understand variability and identify emission patterns.
Mobile methane and hydrogen surveys will be conducted in targeted urban areas, particularly London, with opportunities to investigate other UK cities. These measurements will be used to quantify and identify current emission sources. For methane, comparison with previous surveys will allow changes in emissions and sources over the past decade to be assessed.
Royal Holloway has recently developed capability for mobile measurement of hydrogen in ambient air. The PGR will assess whether this approach can locate and quantify hydrogen emissions alongside established mobile methane measurements. The project will also review current understanding of UK hydrogen emissions and identify key gaps in knowledge.
Training
The PGR will receive training in atmospheric composition measurements using spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry for greenhouse gas isotope analysis. They will gain extensive laboratory and field experience, with opportunities to use UAVs as mobile measurement platforms. Training in atmospheric dispersion modelling and GIS mapping will also be provided.
Person Specification
We seek a numerate individual with an interest in atmospheric science and enthusiasm for field and laboratory measurements, data analysis, and developing new approaches to understanding greenhouse gas emissions.
Acceptable first degree subject(s): Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences or other related disciplines.