CLEARFOGG - Checking Layers of the Earths AtmospheRe For halogenated Ozone-depleting and Greenhouse Gases
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Environmental Sciences
Abstract
To current knowledge the atmosphere contains a number of trace gases with concentrations below one part per billion. In contrast to their low concentrations these gases can have large environmental effects. Notably halocarbons are known to be very effective in global warming. For instance, in 2005 the two halocarbons CFC-11 and CFC-12 alone contributed about 14% of the effect of CO2 to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, while CO2 is about 500,000 times more abundant (IPCC, 2007). Although most of the CFCs are decreasing in the atmosphere due to regulation by the Montreal Protocol their fluorinated substitutes also have high global warming potentials and are increasing quickly. In addition, halocarbons can enhance the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. This occurs if chlorine or bromine is released from these molecules. In particular bromine is a very effective ozone 'killer' and the object of an ongoing scientific debate. The known organic bromine compounds do not provide enough bromine to account for the observed inorganic bromine in the stratosphere. Only a limited number of known halocarbons are continuously monitored worldwide and at times new ones are identified. There are strong indications for other fluorinated, chlorinated and brominated substances to be present in the troposphere and stratosphere. The aim of the project is to perform a systematic screening of various 'layers' in the Earth's atmosphere (boundary layer, free troposphere, tropical tropopause layer and stratosphere) for unknown halocarbons. After establishing a capable analytical system, the search for substances will start with samples from clean-air ground-based stations around the globe, then proceeding with aircraft observations in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere and finally with balloon samples from the stratosphere. For the detected novel substances the radiative forcing and atmospheric lifetimes will be estimated in order to calculate their global warming potentials. If necessary for this purpose new infrared cross section measurements will be conducted, and radiative transfer modelling carried out. Archived air samples from remote observatories and firn air samples from deep polar snow dating back about 50 years will provide access to long term time trends. Also the influence of the new halocarbons on stratospheric ozone depletion will be determined. Not only will this search for previously unknown gases be undertaken, but also, importantly, extensive measurements will be made of the global distribution of those gases of radiative or stratospheric importance for which very few measurements presently exist; for example short-lived brominated, chlorinated and iodinated organic gases of stratospheric significance. The project will be carried at the University of East Anglia which has has extensive experience and expertise in this area.
People |
ORCID iD |
Johannes Laube (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Johannes Laube (Author)
(2011)
The truth is out there: atmospheric forensics
in Planet Earth
Zuiderweg A
(2012)
Stable carbon isotope fractionation in the UV photolysis of CFC-11 and CFC-12
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Newland M
(2013)
Southern hemispheric halon trends and global halon emissions, 1978-2011
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Jones C
(2011)
Results from the first national UK inter-laboratory calibration for very short-lived halocarbons
in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Von Hobe M
(2013)
Reconciliation of essential process parameters for an enhanced predictability of Arctic stratospheric ozone loss and its climate interactions (RECONCILE): activities and results
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Laube J
(2013)
Observation-based assessment of stratospheric fractional release, lifetimes, and ozone depletion potentials of ten important source gases
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Laube J
(2014)
Newly detected ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere
in Nature Geoscience
Oram D
(2012)
Long-term tropospheric trend of octafluorocyclobutane (c-C<sub>4</sub>F<sub>8</sub> or PFC-318)
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Description | The CLEARFOGG project was a systematic search for unknown greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere with a focus on halogenated organic compounds. A novel analytical approach was established and a large number of species discovered. These included some of the strongest greenhouse gases discovered in the atmosphere to date. The new substances included a range of perfluorocarbon gases (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and some man-made ozone-depleting substances such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The origins of many of these compounds remain unclear. The newly detected compounds were observed in various atmospheric "layers" such as the troposphere (the lowermost layer) and the stratosphere (where most of the ozone that protects us from damaging UV light is located). Using a 'bank' of archived air samples from Tasmania, as well as a 'natural' archive of air trapped in deep polar snow, it was possible to trace the atmospheric histories of these compounds and so reveal their man-made origins and their continuing build-up in the atmosphere. Using measurements from ground-based stations, aircraft, and balloons, the global distribution of these compounds has been derived, which provides information on their persistence in the atmosphere, and also permits estimates of their global warming and stratospheric ozone depletion to be made. In addition, this project improved the knowledge of the distributions of those compounds of radiative or stratospheric importance for which very few measurements previously existed. The project has thus led to improvements of our understanding of the global composition of the atmosphere and how it has changed over recent decades. Society will benefit from this project as it will result in careful scrutiny, and hopefully restrictions, on future emissions of these and other strong greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting compounds. |
Exploitation Route | This grant did not include a "Pathways to Impact" part. |
Sectors | Environment |
Description | This project has contributed to the previous assessment of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on the status of the ozone layer (WMO, 2011) and will contribute to the next assessment in 2014. Furthermore the results of this project have contributed to the recent assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2013) and thus also fed back on climate policy. Finally some of the outcomes of this project were made available to a wide scientific and scientifically interested community via a feature published in the recent Winter Edition of the NERC journal Planet Earth (Laube, 2011: The truth is out there: atmospheric forensics). |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | WMO/UNEP Ozone Assessment 2010 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | FORESIGHT - FOREnSic Innovations to constrain GreenHouse Trace gas budgets |
Amount | £462,849 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/I021918/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2011 |
End | 10/2016 |
Description | Integrated non-CO2 Greenhouse gas Observation System |
Amount | € 402,307 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 284274 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 11/2011 |
End | 10/2015 |
Title | Newly detected greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere |
Description | Data on atmospheric distributions, trends, and emissions of newly detected greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances were published alongside peer-reviewed publications in open-access journals. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2010 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Easier access for other researchers and international policy-relevant assessments. |
Description | Firn air measurements and modelling |
Organisation | University of Grenoble |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Measurements of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases in firn air with a focus on newly-detected gases. |
Collaborator Contribution | Reconstructing the atmospheric histories of the above-mentioned gases via firn modelling. |
Impact | This collaboration has resulted in essential contributions to many scientific publications, e.g. Laube et al., Nature Geoscience, 2014; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Buizert et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Sturges et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Witrant et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2010. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Radiative impact of newly detected greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances |
Organisation | University of Reading |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Detection and measurements of novel greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances |
Collaborator Contribution | Rediative forcing modelling of novel greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances |
Impact | Resulted in publication: Etminan, M., Highwood E.J., Laube, J.C., McPheat, R., Marston, G., Shine, K.P. and Smith, K.M., Infrared Absorption Spectra, Radiative Efficiencies, and Global Warming Potentials of Newly-Detected Halogenated Compounds: CFC-113a, CFC-112 and HCFC-133a, Atmosphere, 5, 473-483, 2014. |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Stratospheric trace gas measurements: Balloons |
Organisation | Goethe University Frankfurt |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Measurements of newly detected greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances and chlorine isotopes in chloroflurocarbons on stratospheric air samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Collection and provision of stratospheric air samples via large balloons which provides access to higher altitudes than any aircraft |
Impact | This collaboration has resulted in essential contributions to many scientific publications, e.g. Laube et al., Science, 2010; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2013; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2010 (two papers). |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Stratospheric trace gas measurements:aircraft |
Organisation | Utrecht University |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Measurements of halogenated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances on stratospheric air samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of stratospheric air samples as collected on board the Geophysica research aircraft which flies higher than any other aircraft. |
Impact | This collaboration has resulted in essential contributions to many scientific publications, e.g. Laube et al., Nature Geoscience, 2014; Kloss et al., Atmosphere, 2014; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2013; Oram et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2010 (two papers). |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Trace gas distributions in the upper troposphere |
Organisation | Max Planck Society |
Department | Max Planck Institute for Chemistry |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Measurements of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases with a focus on newly detected compounds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collection and provision of air samples collected in the upper troposphere at various locations around the world. |
Impact | This collaboration has resulted in essential contributions to many scientific publications, e.g. Laube et al., Nature Geoscience, 2014; Wisher et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2014; Kloss et al., Atmosphere, 2014; Oram et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Sturges et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2012; Laube et al., Atm. Chem. Phys., 2010. |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Revelations from Atmospheric Detectives |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Keynote Lecture at the British Science Festival Summary Atmospheric chemists like Dr Johannes Laube are tracking down potentially damaging molecules, and trying to work out how they affect our atmosphere, what problems they cause and how to reduce the adverse effects. "We first have to separate the trace gases from the main components of the air using extraction techniques. We then have to separate them from each other and do that using gas chromatography. Finally we mainly use different variants of mass spectrometers to detect them." Many strong greenhouse gasses, much stronger than CO2, have been detected in this way. "They can be thousands of times more powerful than CO2 so you don't need much of them to cause the atmosphere to heat up quicker. In fact, more than 20 % of the man-made greenhouse effect is currently believed to be caused by halogenated greenhouse gases , their decomposition in the atmosphere can produce compounds that are toxic to ecosystems such as trifluoroacetic acid some of those compounds start to be toxic to humans at concentrations of a few parts in a million air parts. This can happen when their concentrations build up locally e.g. in confined spaces when somebody gets close to where plastics are heated or burned." Working out how to minimise the impact that they have on both the atmosphere and our health is difficult. "Predicting the future has always been a risky business but knowledge of potential threats is a good start." After my talk I received positive feedback and was repeatedly contacted by journalists for my expertise. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | media interest (study on chlorine isotopes published in Science) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Press release and media interest following the publication of a study on chlorine isotopes in the journal Science. Advancement of science (opening up a new field) and a better understanding of the public. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |