UMS scientist in Antarctica
MALAYSIAN atmospheric scientist Assoc Prof Dr Justin Sentian is in Antarctica in the Austral summer to carry out a climate and atmospheric science research project.
Dr Justin who is a Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) lecturer, is the first Malaysian scientist to collaborate with the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) in a research expedition at the Great Wall Station, Antarctica.
He left Malaysia and travelled to Punta Arena in Chile on Dec 14 and arrived in King George Island, Antarctica four days later.
He will be at Wall Station for more than a month, and is expected to return to Malaysia by the end of January.
The main objective of the collaborative research expedition is to investigate the vertical stratospheric ozone transport in the polar region into the upper troposphere layer, commonly known as Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange (STE).
In addition to the downward fluxes of ozone from the stratosphere into the troposphere, other factors affecting the tropospheric ozone chemistry will be investigated, such as climate change and the enhancement of other chemical constituents such as short lived halogenated halocarbons.
Sensitivity analyses could also provide a better insight into which of those factors are more important to the net production of tropospheric ozone.
He said the research output will enhance the understanding of the oxidation capacity status of the polar atmosphere under changing climate scenarios.
The potential sources of the halocarbon can also be determined and helps to understand the roles of these compounds in polar tropospheric chemistry. Tropospheric ozone, a secondary pollutant as well as an important greenhouse gas, is generally understood to be generated largely from photochemistry reactions. However, a substantial amount of ozone has also been found to be transported from the stratosphere.
“This downward flux is not only a constituent of the main transport mechanism, but is also responsible for stratospheric ozone depletion and significant input of reactive species into the tropospheric chemical system,” he said.
In Antarctica, Dr Justin said it was found that ozone in the troposphere largely originates from the stratosphere through a variety of processes known as stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE). However, he added that the investigation into the roles of future climate scenarios in STE and tropospheric ozone chemistry in the polar region remains relatively limited.
“This limited understanding of these combined effects on future tropospheric ozone in the polar region warrants a strategic research approach combining field measurements (meteorology, trace gases, vertical ozone profiles and halocarbons) and modelling (climate model, atmospheric chemistry and transport model).
“This Antarctic collaborative research aims to investigate the occurrence of the STE phenomenon and to characterise the tropopause and tropospheric ozone chemistry,” he added.
Dr Justin said this research will significantly contribute to the global community’s ongoing efforts towards understanding the potential sources and chemistry of tropospheric ozone under future climate scenarios.