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Centre for Atmospheric Science

Professor of Atmospheric Science

Observational studies of atmospheric structure and photochemistry: from climate change to air pollution and human health

In our group we use a wide range of measurement and modelling techniques to study the chemical composition and physical structure of the earth’s atmosphere.

The atmosphere controls much of the complex environment in which we live. Ozone in the stratosphere protects us from harmful shortwave solar radiation, while changes in CO2 and other greenhouse gases are influencing the world’s changing climate. In the troposphere, chemical processes act to remove many unwanted species, while at the same time contributing to poor air quality, impacting the health of many, and leading to millions of premature deaths, particularly in the developing world. 

 

Low cost sensors for monitoring urban pollution

We develop low cost air quality sensors which allow us to probe urban pollution in unprecedented detail.  You can find out more by watching our short video above. 

 NO and NO2 levels in Cambridge on one afternoon, illustrating how complex urban air pollution can be.

As part of our research we are demonstrating how these low cost air quality sensor networks can be used to address important scientific and political questions. Studies include low cost sensor network deployments at Heathrow airport, in Beijing and in Delhi. 

Results from a recent sensor network deployment at Heathrow Airport, used to both quantify airport emissions and provide a prediction of the likely impact of an airport expansion.

Air quality and human health 

We use portable air quality sensors to test the linkages between exposure to pollution and health impacts. These units allow us to develop activity models which we can use to predict air pollution dose far more accurately than before.  They are now used for studies of Chronic Obsructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in London, and wider health impacts (Beijing and elsewhere).

A portable air quality sensor used by the group, which includes GPS and accelerometers, with illustration of measurements.

Other projects

Other projects within the group range from using cavity ringdown spectroscopy and its variants for making ultrasensitive (sub-ppt level) airborne and ground based measurements of radical species (using the FAAM aircraft), balloon borne measurements of GHGs, volcanic emissions and many more.

Selected Presentations

AAMG Presentation 2016

Further information

If you are interested in joining us as a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher, please contact me at rlj1001@cam.ac.uk.  

Publications

A Systematic Review Protocol of Opportunities for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention via Public Space Initiatives in African Cities.
ERI Mogo, T Lawanson, L Foley, C Mapa-Tassou, F Assah, T Ogunro, V Onifade, D Odekunle, R Unuigboje, N Blanche, R Alani, L Chatzidiakou, O Popoola, R Jones, T Oni
– Int J Environ Res Public Health
(2022)
19,
2285
New methods to derive street-scale spatial patterns of air pollution from mobile monitoring
LE Padilla, GQ Ma, D Peters, M Dupuy-Todd, E Forsyth, A Stidworthy, J Mills, S Bell, I Hayward, G Coppin, K Moore, E Fonseca, OAM Popoola, F Douglas, G Slater, K Tuxen-Bettman, D Carruthers, NA Martin, RL Jones, RA Alvarez
– Atmospheric Environment
(2022)
270,
118851
Evaluating uncertainty in sensor networks for urban air pollution insights
DR Peters, OAM Popoola, RL Jones, NA Martin, J Mills, ER Fonseca, A Stidworthy, E Forsyth, D Carruthers, M Dupuy-Todd, F Douglas, K Moore, RU Shah, LE Padilla, RA Alvarez
– Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
(2022)
15,
321
Air flow experiments on a train carriage—Towards understanding the risk of airborne transmission
H Woodward, S Fan, RK Bhagat, M Dadonau, MD Wykes, E Martin, S Hama, A Tiwari, SB Dalziel, RL Jones, P Kumar, PF Linden
– Atmosphere
(2021)
12,
1267
Predictive and retrospective modelling of airborne infection risk using monitored carbon dioxide
HC Burridge, S Fan, RL Jones, CJ Noakes, PF Linden
– Indoor and Built Environment
(2021)
31,
1363
Personal exposure to air pollution and respiratory health of COPD patients in London.
D Evangelopoulos, L Chatzidiakou, H Walton, K Katsouyanni, FJ Kelly, JK Quint, RL Jones, B Barratt
– The European respiratory journal
(2021)
58,
2003432
Constraining emission estimates of carbon monoxide using a perturbed emissions ensemble with observations: a focus on Beijing
L Yuan, OAM Popoola, C Hood, D Carruthers, RL Jones, H Liu, Z Lv, Q Zhang, AT Archibald
– Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health
(2021)
14,
1587
Observations of speciated isoprene nitrates in Beijing: implications for isoprene chemistry
CE Reeves, GP Mills, LK Whalley, W Joe, WJ Bloss, LR Crilley, S Grimmond, DE Heard, C Nicholas Hewitt, JR Hopkins, S Kotthaus, LJ Kramer, RL Jones, JD Lee, Y Liu, B Ouyang, E Slater, F Squires, X Wang, R Woodward-Massey, C Ye
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2021)
21,
6315
Evaluating the sensitivity of radical chemistry and ozone formation to ambient VOCs and NOx in Beijing
LK Whalley, EJ Slater, R Woodward-Massey, C Ye, JD Lee, F Squires, JR Hopkins, RE Dunmore, M Shaw, JF Hamilton, AC Lewis, A Mehra, SD Worrall, A Bacak, TJ Bannan, H Coe, CJ Percival, B Ouyang, RL Jones, LR Crilley, LJ Kramer, WJ Bloss, T Vu, S Kotthaus, S Grimmond, Y Sun, W Xu, S Yue, L Ren, W Joe, C Nicholas Hewitt, X Wang, P Fu, DE Heard
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2021)
21,
2125
Key Role of NO3 Radicals in the Production of Isoprene Nitrates and Nitrooxyorganosulfates in Beijing
JF Hamilton, DJ Bryant, PM Edwards, B Ouyang, TJ Bannan, A Mehra, AW Mayhew, JR Hopkins, RE Dunmore, FA Squires, JD Lee, MJ Newland, SD Worrall, A Bacak, H Coe, C Percival, LK Whalley, DE Heard, EJ Slater, RL Jones, T Cui, JD Surratt, CE Reeves, GP Mills, S Grimmond, Y Sun, W Xu, Z Shi, AR Rickard
– Environ Sci Technol
(2021)
55,
842
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Centre Highlights

• January 2024: The CCPG have successfully submitted a proposal for PACESETTERS!

• September 2nd 2023: Dr Annela Anger-Kraavi has co-authored a paper analysing just transition narratives in European coal regions. Read the paper here

• December 13th 2022: The CCPG have co-authored a paper on game-changing innovations towards net-zero, published in Energy Strategy Reviews. Read the open access paper here.

• November 15th 2022: The final conference of PARIS REINFORCE is taking place today in Sorbonne. Read more about the event here

• October 24th 2022: The CCPG have successfully submitted a proposal for the Cambridge-Tsinghua joint research initiative! 

• May 5th 2022: We've submitted to the UNFCCC's Global Stocktake (GST). More information is available on our news page. 

• March 23rd 2022: Multiple CAS academics have published a paper investigating the future role of anthropogenic methane emissions. Read the open access paper here.

• Feb 18th 2022: Dr Parris and Dr Anger-Kraavi have co-authored a paper that develops a tool to support co-designed transformative change. Read the open access paper here.

• Dec 16th 2021: Dr Parris has co-authored a paper that introduces a tool to support plastic pollution policy. Read the open access paper here.

• Nov 22nd 2021: Dr Anger-Kraavi has co-authored a paper with Paris Reinforce. Read the open access version here


Want to know more about our high-profile publications? Check out our Publication Highlights!


 

Group leader

Research Interest Group

Telephone number

01223 336466

Email address