Missions

Characterization emissions of volatile organic compounds and subsequent particle formation from permafrost thawing.

Activities

Running laboratory experiments to characterize emission of volatile organic compounds and particles using advanced mass spectrometry techniques
Analysis of data generated from experiments performed in the laboratory
Writing scientific article

Skills

Atmospheric chemistry (reactivity, particle formation)
Analytical Chemistry (mass spectrometry)
Experimental skills (atmospheric simulation chamber, aerosol flow reactor)

Work Context

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and atmospheric oxidants have critical roles in the troposphere by notably ubiquitously forming organic particles that have major impacts on climate change and air quality. Of primary importance, ultrafine particles are believed to occur through the condensation of oxygenated volatile organic compounds and inorganic species. While physical processes yielding new particles are more and more constrained, we are unable to predict fine atmospheric aerosol concentrations and spatial distribution, particularly in remote places such as the Arctic. This lack of knowledge is notably due to existing shortcomings in VOC sources. This project aims to reveal that permafrost thawing can release reactive gaseous species impaction the formation of particles in the Arctic.

This project focuses on the emissions of gaseous species from permafrost thawing, where this extensive source of organic and inorganic materials is anticipated to have consequences on the atmospheric composition. By exploiting recent instrumental developments and using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry techniques, this project will provide an understanding of the chemical processes occurring over the Arctic in the present and future times. To do so, field, laboratory, and modeling experiments will be performed to establish the central role of the permafrost in VOC emissions and its impact on for the formation of new particles over the Arctic.

IRCELYON, a joint research unit between the CNRS and the University of Lyon, brings together heterogeneous catalysis expertise from the Lyon area to create the largest catalysis laboratory in France and Europe. The laboratory brings together 115 permanent researchers from the CNRS and the University of Lyon, as well as an equal number of doctoral and postdoctoral students. IRCELYON, an academic research laboratory entirely dedicated to heterogeneous processes, focuses its research activities on sustainable development issues. More specifically, the CARE team is positioned at the intersection of many major societal issues related to water resources, waste recovery, air quality, and climate change. Its fundamental and applied research is based on the pooling of strong specificities combined with an innovative and high-performance analytical fleet to characterize, eliminate, and recover pollutants. Being at the interface between environmental sciences, heterogeneous catalysis, analytical chemistry and electrochemistry, the CARE team proposes developments of innovative methods of remediation (photocatalysis, electrochemical promotion of catalysis, etc.), process coupling (catalysis-photocatalysis, catalysis-electrochemistry, etc.), chemical analysis (high resolution mass spectrometry) for the study of atmospheric processes.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

RAS