Special Professor in Emission, dispersion, and deposition of atmospheric constituents at Wageningen University. Studies the physical aspects of air quality with measurements and models; with an emphasis on the underlying processes governing the dry deposition of nitrogen. Employed at the Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
Abstract: Conducting research on nitrogen deposition amidst a nitrogen crisis
Deposition, the process by which trace gases or particles are transferred from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, is just one of several removal processes within the air quality cycle. However, it also serves as an input term for soil and vegetation, placing it at the heart of the so-called 'nitrogen crisis.' In this crisis, excessive deposition leads to an overabundance of nitrogen in natural areas, resulting in a loss of biodiversity.
In my lecture, I will begin with a brief introduction to the nitrogen cycle and provide background information on the nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands. The Public Institute for Health and the Environment plays a crucial role in monitoring nitrogen deposition. But how is this monitoring conducted, and how accurately can the amount of nitrogen deposition be determined? I will discuss the physics of the dry deposition process and how it is parameterized in models. Measurement campaigns of dry deposition are expensive and technically demanding, and thus have been relatively scarce. Recently, more data has become available for validation studies, shedding light on the performance of these parameterizations and offering clues for improvement. However, the question remains: when is the right time to implement a potential improvement?
