What is the role of the transport sector on observed variations of PM2.5 over Delhi, India?

Project Description-

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that particulate matter (PM) now affects more people than any other pollutant. The project will focus on PM less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) as they pose a greater risk to human health via respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The project has a focus on Delhi, India for three main reasons: 1) according to the WHO it is the most polluted megacity in the world with annual median PM2.5 values typically exceeding 100 micrograms/m3 (cf annual median of 5 micrograms/m3 Edinburgh, UK, 2015), 2) the transportation sector is one of the largest sources (~30%) of PM2.5 in Delhi, and 3) the student can take advantage of a new UK-India measurement programme. Working in Delhi presents numerous scientific challenges not least because of its mix of biogenic, anthropogenic, and pyrogenic gases and particles, high temperatures, and high level of NOx.

The project will address two key science questions:

1) What is the relative importance of physical and chemical processes in describing observed variability of surface PM2.5 over Delhi?
2) How important is the transport sector on the distribution of surface-level PM2.5 over Delhi?

To address these questions the student will use a volatility basis set (VBS) model, developed primarily by colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University, for describing the aging of PM2.5. VBS describes organic aerosol (OA) as a series of saturation mass concentrations with less volatile material associated with smaller saturation mass concentrations. By using this approach primary OA and secondary OA are assumed to be semi-volatile and photochemically reactive. The student will use a 2-D version of the VBS approach that also includes the oxygen content (O:C) as the second dimension as a way to describe the OA composition. An existing version of the 2-D VBS model will be combined with an existing multi-phase atmospheric box model. The resulting model will be integrated along pre-calculated high-resolution trajectories using a Lagrangian atmospheric dispersion model. These trajectories will be used to map PM2.5 distributions across Delhi and to assess the sensitivity of results to model assumptions.

Supervisors:

Paul Palmer (University of Edinburgh); Dr Tim Wallington (Ford Motor Company)

Application procedure:

Please submit an application via the university’s online system (http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&id=95). Please submit a copy of your CV instead of a research proposal, two academic references and copies of your degree documents (certificates and transcripts). We will require translations of any documents not in English.