Towards near real-time quantification of fossil fuel emissions, CASE project with The National Physical Laboratory

Towards near real-time quantification of fossil fuel emissions, CASE project with The National Physical Laboratory

Project Description

Supervisors

Dr Penelope Pickers, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Professor Dorothee Bakker, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Dr Matthew Jones, School of Environmental Sciences and the Tyndall Centre, University of East Anglia

Dr Dafina Kikaj, The National Physical Laboratory (NPL)

 

Scientific Background

Successful implementation of the Paris agreement relies on countries’ emissions being accurately known and readily available, but our ability to evaluate fossil fuel CO2 (ffCO2) emissions is currently limited.

‘Bottom-up’ emissions estimates, based on inventory-style accounting and mobile tracking data, can differ significantly from each other at policy-relevant scales, while ‘top-down’ estimates, based on atmospheric measurements and modelling, are hampered by large natural fluxes of CO2 between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere (1).

UK atmospheric measurement sites: Heathfield Tall Tower (left) and Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory (right).

 

Research Methodology

The primary objective of this PhD studentship is to develop near real-time capability for top-down ffCO2 quantification, based on synchronous changes in atmospheric CO2 and oxygen (O2) measurements, in combination with complementary tracers such as Radon. Using new data products of fossil fuel O2 and CO2 emission ratios and new measurements from the Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory (https://weybourne.uea.ac.uk/) and the Heathfield Tall Tower in the UK, you will:

–           Disentangle atmospheric signals into anthropogenic and natural processes (1, 2) to quantify ffCO2, making use of other tracers such as Radon (5);

–           Investigate O2 and CO2 fossil fuel emissions ratios for the UK (3);

–           Work towards near real-time top-down ffCO2 emissions reporting for the UK;

–           Use your new ffCO2 knowledge to re-evaluate land and ocean carbon sink partitioning and investigate carbon budget imbalances (4).

 

Training

We will provide extensive 1-to-1 training in:

–           High-precision atmospheric O2 and CO2 measurement;

–           Measurement of related tracers (e.g., Radon);

–           Programming (e.g., R, Python) for advanced atmospheric time-series analyses, including machine learning;

–           Skills for presenting research at scientific conferences and writing peer-reviewed papers.

This PhD includes 3-6 months spent at the UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL), for research-led training on inferring CO2 emissions using atmospheric datasets and atmospheric modelling.

There is also the opportunity for a 1-3 month research visit in Wellington, New Zealand, working with state-of-the-art CarbonWatch-NZ data (https://niwa.co.nz/climate/research-projects/carbon-watch-nz). Attendance at summer schools, such as the National Centre for Atmospheric Science summer school (https://ncas.ac.uk/study-with-us/atmospheric-measurement-summer-school/), will provide additional training and networking opportunities.

 

Person Specification

We seek an enthusiastic team player with strong interest in the carbon cycle and climate change, self-motivation and numerical skills.

Acceptable first degree subjects: A BSc degree (or equivalent) in environmental sciences, physics, chemistry, natural sciences, engineering, or another subject in a similar area.

Project code: PICKERS_UEA_ARIES26_CASE

All ARIES CASE studentships include a three to 18-month placement with the non-academic CASE partner during their period of study. The placement offers experience designed to enhance professional development.

References

  • Pickers, P. A., Manning, A.C., Le Quéré, C., Forster, G.L., Luijkx, I.T., Gerbig, C., Fleming, L.S. and Sturges, W.T. (2022) Novel quantification of regional fossil fuel CO2 reductions during COVID-19 lockdowns using atmospheric oxygen measurements, Science Advances. 8, 16, abl9250.
  • Rödenbeck, C., Adcock, K.E., Eritt, M., Gachkivskyi, M., Gerbig, C., Hammer, S., Jordan, A., Keeling, R.F., Levin, I., Maier, F., Manning, A.C., Moossen, H., Munassar, S., Pickers, P.A., Rothe, M., Tohjima, Y., and S. Zaehle (2023). The suitability of atmospheric oxygen measurements to constrain western European fossil-fuel CO2 emissions and their trends, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 23, 15767–15782, 2023. doi: 10.5194/acp-23-15767-2023
  • Jones, M. W., Andrew, R. M., Peters, G. P., Janssens-Maenhout, G., De-Gol, A. J., Ciais, P., Patra, P. K., Chevallier, F. & Le Quéré, C. (2021). Gridded fossil CO2 emissions and related O2 combustion consistent with national inventories 1959-2018, Scientific Data. 8, 2. doi: 10.1038/s41597-020-00779-6
  • Friedlingstein, P., O'Sullivan, M., Jones, M.W., Andrew, R.M, Bakker, D.C.E., and 119 other authors (2023) Global Carbon Budget 2023. Earth System Science Data 15, 5301–5369, 2023. doi: 10.5194/essd-15-5301-2023
  • Kikaj, D., Chung, E., Griffiths, A.D., Chambers, S.D., Forster, G., Wenger, A., Pickers, P., Rennick, C., and 8 other authors (2025). Direct high-precision radon quantification for interpreting high-frequency greenhouse gas measurements, Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 18, 151–175, 2025. doi: 10.5194/amt-18-151-2025

Key Information

  • This studentship has been shortlisted for funding under the UKRI NERC DLA funding scheme and will commence on 1 October 2026. The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 7 January 2026.
  • Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£20,780 p.a. for 2025/26) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.
  • ARIES postgraduate researchers (PGRs) benefit from bespoke training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
  • ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
  • All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis. International applicants should check whether there are any conditions of visa or immigration permission that preclude part-time study. All advertised project proposals have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive and appropriate research and fieldwork environment with respect to protected characteristics. If you have any concerns, please contact us.
  • For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the 'apply now' link.
  • ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential and will be stored on the UEA SharePoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be asked to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
  • ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Postgraduate Researchers are expected to live within reasonable distance of their host organisation for the duration of their studentship. Please see https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/ for more information.

Apply Now

Apply now via the  University of East Anglia Application Portal