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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

Professor John Pyle FRS

What I do

My research involves the use of state-of-the-art numerical models, run on supercomputers, to study the processes controlling the present state of the atmosphere and its evolution. A NERC Unit, the Atmospheric Chemistry Modelling Support Unit, is incorporated into the group.

Current research activities include:

Stratospheric Modelling

The chemistry, dynamics and radiative transfer of the stratosphere are being studied using a number of numerical models. Three particular problems being tackled are (i) the rapid depletion of ozone found recently in the polar spring, the so-called 'ozone hole', (ii) the more gradual decline in northern hemisphere ozone levels (which we have recently ascribed partly to long-term changes in atmospheric flow, and (iii) the effect on stratospheric ozone of increasing concentrations of CO2, CH4, N2O and the chlorofluorocarbons.

Tropospheric Modelling

We have developed a range of models for studying the chemistry of the lower atmosphere, from complex 3D models to models based on air parcel trajectories. A major research theme is the changing oxidizing capacity of the troposphere (the ability of the troposphere to cleanse itself of pollution). An important part of our work includes involvement in field campaigns.

Chemistry/climate interactions

These interactions have become a major research topic in recent years. We have included a detailed chemistry package into the Met Office's climate model, to study composition change since the industrial revolution and into the future. We have calculated the change in surface ozone at the end of this century, under certain assumptions about changing industrial emissions. The change is very climate-dependent, but shows massive increases (which are expected to lead to major health problems) over some of the continents.

Atmospheric composition measurements

We have developed lightweight gas chromatography instruments to measure halocarbons. These have been deployed from balloons and high-flying research aircraft.

Many of the problems addressed are of an interdisciplinary nature. Members of the group, which numbers about 20 postdoctoral researchers and students, come from a wide range of backgrounds in mathematics and physical science. Within Cambridge we collaborate closely with scientists at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.

Publications

Interannual variability of tropospheric composition: The influence of changes in emissions, meteorology and clouds
A Voulgarakis, NH Savage, O Wild, P Braesicke, PJ Young, GD Carver, JA Pyle
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
2491
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-2491-2010)
An introduction to the SCOUT-AMMA stratospheric aircraft, balloons and sondes campaign in West Africa, August 2006: rationale and roadmap
F Cairo, JP Pommereau, KS Law, H Schlager, A Garnier, F Fierli, M Ern, M Streibel, S Arabas, S Borrmann, JJ Berthelier, C Blom, T Christensen, F D'Amato, G Di Donfrancesco, T Deshler, A Diedhiou, G Durry, O Engelsen, F Goutail, NRP Harris, ERT Kerstel, S Khaykin, P Konopka, A Kylling, N Larsen, T Lebel, X Liu, AR MacKenzie, J Nielsen, A Oulanowski, DJ Parker, J Pelon, J Polcher, JA Pyle, F Ravegnani, ED Riviere, AD Robinson, T Rockmann, C Schiller, F Simoes, L Stefanutti, F Stroh, L Some, P Siegmund, N Sitnikov, JP Vernier, CM Volk, C Voigt, M von Hobe, S Viciani, V Yushkov
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
2237
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-2237-2010)
Corrigendum to "Overview: oxidant and particle photochemical processes above a south-east Asian tropical rainforest (the OP3 project): introduction, rationale, location characteristics and tools" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 169–199, 2010
CN Hewitt, JD Lee, AR MacKenzie, MP Barkley, N Carslaw, GD Carver, NA Chappell, H Coe, C Collier, R Commane, F Davies, B Davison, P Di Carlo, CF Di Marco, JR Dorsey, PM Edwards, MJ Evans, D Fowler, KL Furneaux, M Gallagher, A Guenther, DE Heard, C Helfter, J Hopkins, T Ingham, M Irwin, C Jones, A Karunaharan, B Langford, AC Lewis, SF Lim, SM MacDonald, AS Mahajan, S Malpass, G McFiggans, G Mills, P Misztal, S Moller, PS Monks, E Nemitz, V Nicolas-Perea, H Oetjen, DE Oram, PI Palmer, GJ Phillips, R Pike, JMC Plane, T Pugh, JA Pyle, CE Reeves, NH Robinson, D Stewart, D Stone, LK Whalley, X Yang
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
563
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-563-2010)
Corrigendum to "Overview: oxidant and particle photochemical processes above a south-east Asian tropical rainforest (the OP3 project): introduction, rationale, location characteristics and tools" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 169–199, 2010
CN Hewitt, JD Lee, AR MacKenzie, MP Barkley, N Carslaw, GD Carver, NA Chappell, H Coe, C Collier, R Commane, F Davies, B Davison, P DiCarlo, CF Di Marco, JR Dorsey, PM Edwards, MJ Evans, D Fowler, KL Furneaux, M Gallagher, A Guenther, DE Heard, C Helfter, J Hopkins, T Ingham, M Irwin, C Jones, A Karunaharan, B Langford, AC Lewis, SF Lim, SM MacDonald, AS Mahajan, S Malpass, G McFiggans, G Mills, P Misztal, S Moller, PS Monks, E Nemitz, V Nicolas-Perea, H Oetjen, DE Oram, PI Palmer, GJ Phillips, R Pike, JMC Plane, T Pugh, JA Pyle, CE Reeves, NH Robinson, D Stewart, D Stone, LK Whalley, X Yang
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
563
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-563-2010)
Overview: Oxidant and particle photochemical processes above a south-east Asian tropical rainforest (the OP3 project): Introduction, rationale, location characteristics and tools
CN Hewitt, JD Lee, AR MacKenzie, MP Barkley, N Carslaw, GD Carver, NA Chappell, H Coe, C Collier, R Commane, F Davies, B Davison, P Di Carlo, CF Di Marco, JR Dorsey, PM Edwards, MJ Evans, D Fowler, KL Furneaux, M Gallagher, A Guenther, DE Heard, C Helfter, J Hopkins, T Ingham, M Irwin, C Jones, A Karunaharan, B Langford, AC Lewis, SF Lim, SM MacDonald, AS Mahajan, S Malpass, G McFiggans, G Mills, P Misztal, S Moller, PS Monks, E Nemitz, V Nicolas-Perea, H Oetjen, DE Oram, PI Palmer, GJ Phillips, R Pike, JMC Plane, T Pugh, JA Pyle, CE Reeves, NH Robinson, D Stewart, D Stone, LK Whalley, X Yin
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
169
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-169-2010)
Snow-sourced bromine and its implications for polar tropospheric ozone
X Yang, JA Pyle, RA Cox, N Theys, M Van Roozendael
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
(2010)
10,
8135
Multi-model assessment of stratospheric ozone return dates and ozone recovery in CCMVal-2 models
V Eyring, I Cionni, GE Bodeker, AJ Charlton-Perez, DE Kinnison, JF Scinocca, DW Waugh, H Akiyoshi, S Bekki, MP Chipperfield, M Dameris, S Dhomse, SM Frith, H Garny, A Gettelman, A Kubin, U Langematz, E Mancini, M Marchand, T Nakamura, LD Oman, S Pawson, G Pitari, DA Plummer, E Rozanov, TG Shepherd, K Shibata, W Tian, P Braesicke, SC Hardiman, JF Lamarque, O Morgenstern, JA Pyle, D Smale, Y Yamashita
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
(2010)
10,
11659
Effects of climate-induced changes in isoprene emissions after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo
PJ Telford, J Lathiere, NL Abraham, AT Archibald, P Braesicke, CE Johnson, O Morgenstern, FM O'Connor, RC Pike, O Wild, PJ Young, DJ Beerling, CN Hewitt, J Pyle
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
(2010)
10,
6871
(doi: 10.5194/acp-10-7117-2010)
Bromoform in the tropical boundary layer of the maritime continent during OP3: The contrast between coast and rainforest
JA Pyle, NRP Harris, AD Robinson, B Gostlow, LM O'Brien, MJ Ashfold, GD Carver, NJ Warwick, AJ Manning, SE Yong, LK Peng, HE Ung, S Ong
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
(2010)
10,
14969
Modelling deep convection and its impacts on the tropical tropopause layer
JS Hosking, MR Russo, P Braesicke, JA Pyle
– Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
(2010)
10,
20267
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Research Groups

Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 336473

Email address

john.pyle@atm.ch.cam.ac.uk

College

St Catharine's College

    Study at Cambridge

    About the University

    Research at Cambridge