Dr. Eiko Nemitz

Overview

I am an Environmental Physicist, currently leading the Science Area 'Atmospheric Chemistry & Effects' at UKCEH's Edinburgh site. My work encompasses the measurement of surface / atmosphere exchange fluxes of a wide range of trace gases and aerosols, using micrometeorological flux measurement approaches. This includes fluxes of reactive nitrogen compounds (NH₃, HNO₃, NO, NO₂, HONO), greenhouse gases (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone, sulphur dioxide and aerosols (total number, size-segregated and chemically resolved for NH₄⁺, NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, Cl^- and organic aerosol) above vegetation and urban areas. The data are analysed to quantify dry deposition inputs and to develop the process understanding of the exchange processes, which feeds into the development of parametrisations of both emission and dry deposition. I closely work with chemistry and transport modellers to apply these parameterisations in numerical models, ranging from the local scale to the global scale, e.g. with the EMEP and UKCA chemistry and transport models. Our work underpins UK and European policy on nitrogen deposition, particulate matter and emissions.

A particular interest of mine is the interaction between surface / atmosphere exchange fluxes and chemical processes in the surface layer and within plant canopies, as well as the development of new flux measurement setups with state-of-the-art instrumentation, for example instrumentation to measure chemically resolved aerosol fluxes using wet-chemistry gradient systems and two versions of the Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer. We further contribute to the standardisation of flux measurements approaches and long-term observations with advanced measurement approaches.

Current project activities fall into the following categories:

• Emissions verification.  
• Process understanding of exchange processes
• Development and harmonisation of flux measurement approaches

I graduated in 1994 from UMIST (now amalgamated into the University of Manchester) in Physics with Environmental Science, from where I also obtained a PhD in Physics on the subject "Surface-atmosphere exchange of ammonia and chemically interacting species" based on work carried out at UKCEH Edinburgh.

I joined the UKCEH staff in 1998 and currently lead the UKCEH Science Area "Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects".

During 2002/03 I spent a year sabbatical in the Atmospheric Chemistry Division at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado.