Dr Neil Brough is an Atmospheric Chemist and is interested in various processes studies of the atmosphere, mainly involving the air-ice interactions over Antarctica. This incorporates a wide range of topics ranging from snow photo-chemistry, aerosol studies to the oxidising capacity of the atmosphere. He is also interested in greenhouse measurements and participates in globally-recognised initiatives such as WMO-GAW and the Equianos Greenhouse Gas network, and provides a platform for long- and short-term collaborations including with international collaborators (U. Groningen, U. Helsinki), the Natural History Museum, as well as numerous UK HEIs.
He is the technical manager (instruments & facilities) for the tropospheric chemistry group at BAS and responsible for the development of our atmospheric chemistry instruments. He manages all technical aspects, health & safety of all staff and visiting collaborators, and day-to-day management of our Clean Air Sector Laboratory (CASLab) in Antarctica.
Some recent collaborations:
Prof. Harro Meijer/UOG (Flask measurements for O2/N2 ratios in Antarctic air).
Dr. Andrew Manning/UEA (Oxygen/Nitrogen ratio continual measurement instrument).
Prof. Martin King/RHUL (Thin film studies and the effects on Aerosol distribution).
Some public outreach collaborations
Halley VI Lego Model (http://warrenelsmore.com/blog/trust-me-on-this-this-is-seriously-cool/19/2/2015) in which a replica model of the Halley VI station was built out of LEGO pieces.
Anne Brodie (http://www.annebrodie.com/) Antarctic light data is used to provide a science link to the public via a high quality visual light display designed by Anne Brodie
2017
Legrand, M., Preunkert, S., Savarino, J., Frey, M. M., Kukui, A., Helmig, D., Jourdain, B., Jones, A. E., Weller, R., Brough, N., and Gallée, H.: Inter-annual variability of surface ozone at coastal (Dumont d’Urville, 2004–2014) and inland (Concordia, 2007–2014) sites in East Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 8053-8069, doi:10.5194/acp-16-8053-2016, 2016
2016
Legrand, M., Preunkert, S., Savarino, J., Frey, M. M., Kukui, A., Helmig, D., Jourdain, B., Jones, A. E., Weller, R., Brough, N., and Gallée, H.: Inter-annual variability of surface ozone at coastal (Dumont d’Urville, 2004–2014) and inland (Concordia, 2007–2014) sites in East Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 8053-8069, doi:10.5194/acp-16-8053-2016, 2016
2015
Roscoe, H.K., A.E. Jones, N. Brough, R. Weller, A. Saiz-Lopez, A.S. Mahajan, A. Schoenhardt, Z. Fleming, J.P. Burrows, “Particles and iodine compounds in coastal Antarctica”, J. Geophys. Res. 120, 7144-7156, doi: 10.1002/2015JD023301 (2015).
2014
H.K. Roscoe, N. Brough, A.E. Jones, F. Wittrock, A. Richter, M. Van Roozendael, F.Hendrick, Characterisation of vertical BrO distribution during events of enhanced tropospheric BrO in Antarctica, from combined remote and in-situ measurements, Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy & Radiative Transfer, 138, 70–81, 2014.
Jones, A. E., Brough, N., Anderson, P. S., and Wolff, E. W.: HO2NO2 and HNO3 in the coastal Antarctic winter night: a “lab-in-the-field” experiment, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 11843-11851, doi:10.5194/acp-14-11843-2014, 2014.
2013
Jones, A. E., Wolff, E. W., Brough, N., Bauguitte, S. J.-B., Weller, R., Yela, M., Navarro-Comas, M., Ochoa, H. A., and Theys, N.: The spatial scale of ozone depletion events derived from an autonomous surface ozone network in coastal Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 1457-1467, doi:10.5194/acp-13-1457-2013, 2013.
Buys, Z., Brough, N., Huey, L. G., Tanner, D. J., von Glasow, R., and Jones, A. E.: High temporal resolution Br2, BrCl and BrO observations in coastal Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 1329-1343, doi:10.5194/acp-13-1329-2013, 2013.
Frey, M. M., Brough, N., France, J. L., Anderson, P. S., Traulle, O., King, M. D., Jones, A. E., Wolff, E. W., and Savarino, J.: The diurnal variability of atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) above the Antarctic Plateau driven by atmospheric stability and snow emissions, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 3045-3062, doi:10.5194/acp-13-3045-2013, 2013.
2011
J.-B. Bauguitte, N. Brough, M. M. Frey, A. E. Jones, D. J. Maxfield, H. K. Roscoe, M. C. Rose, and E. W. Wolff, A network of autonomous surface ozone monitors in Antarctica: technical description and first results, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 4, 645-658, 2011.
Liao, J. and Huey, L. G. and Tanner, D. J. and Brough, N and Brooks, S. and Dibb, J. E. and Stutz, J. and Thomas, J. L. and Lefer, B. and Haman, C. and Gorham, K. Observations of hydroxyl and peroxy radicals and the impact of BrO at Summit, Greenland in 2007 and 2008. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 8577-8591, doi:10.5194/acp-11-8577-2011, 2011.
2010
Jones, A. E., Anderson, P. S., Wolff, E. W., Roscoe, H. K., Marshall, G. J., Richter, A., Brough, N., and Colwell, S. R.: Vertical structure of Antarctic tropospheric ozone depletion events: characteristics and broader implications, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 7775-7794, doi:10.5194/acp-10-7775-2010, 2010.
2009
Jones, A. E., Anderson, P. S., Begoin, M., Brough, N., Hutterli, M. A., Marshall, G. J., Richter, A., Roscoe, H. K., and Wolff, E. W.: BrO, blizzards, and drivers of polar tropospheric ozone depletion events, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 4639-4652, doi:10.5194/acp-9-4639-2009, 2009.
2007
Sommariva, R., Pilling, M. J., Bloss, W. J., Heard, D. E., Lee, J. D., Fleming, Z. L., Monks, P. S., Plane, J. M. C., Saiz-Lopez, A., Ball, S. M., Bitter, M., Jones, R. L., Brough, N., Penkett, S. A., Hopkins, J. R., Lewis, A. C., and Read, K. A.: Night-time radical chemistry during the NAMBLEX campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 587-598, doi:10.5194/acp-7-587-2007, 2007.
2006
Z. L. Fleming, P. S. Monks, A. R. Rickard, D. E. Heard, W. J. Bloss, P. W. Seakins, T. J. Still, R. Sommariva,, M. J. Pilling, R. Morgan, T. J. Green, N. Brough, G. P. Mills, S. A. Penkett, A. C. Lewis, J. D. Lee, A. Saiz-Lopez, and J. M. C. Plane ; Peroxy radical chemistry and the control of ozone photochemistry at Mace Head, Ireland during the summer of 2002; Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 2193-2214, doi:10.5194/acp-6-2193-2006, 2006.
Heard, D. E., Read, K. A., Methven, J., Al-Haider, S., Bloss, W. J., Johnson, G. P., Pilling, M. J., Seakins, P. W., Smith, S. C., Sommariva, R., Stanton, J. C., Still, T. J., Ingham, T., Brooks, B., De Leeuw, G., Jackson, A. V., McQuaid, J. B., Morgan, R., Smith, M. H., Carpenter, L. J., Carslaw, N., Hamilton, J., Hopkins, J. R., Lee, J. D., Lewis, A. C., Purvis, R. M., Wevill, D. J., Brough, N., Green, T., Mills, G., Penkett, S. A., Plane, J. M. C., Saiz-Lopez, A., Worton, D., Monks, P. S., Fleming, Z., Rickard, A. R., Alfarra, M. R., Allan, J. D., Bower, K., Coe, H., Cubison, M., Flynn, M., McFiggans, G., Gallagher, M., Norton, E. G., O’Dowd, C. D., Shillito, J., Topping, D., Vaughan, G., Williams, P., Bitter, M., Ball, S. M., Jones, R. L., Povey, I. M., O’Doherty, S., Simmonds, P. G., Allen, A., Kinnersley, R. P., Beddows, D. C. S., Dall’Osto, M., Harrison, R. M., Donovan, R. J., Heal, M. R., Jennings, S. G., Noone, C., and Spain, G.: The North Atlantic Marine Boundary Layer Experiment(NAMBLEX). Overview of the campaign held at Mace Head, Ireland, in summer 2002, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 2241-2272, doi:10.5194/acp-6-2241-2006, 2006.
Timothy J. Green, Claire E. Reeves, Zoe L. Fleming, Neil Brough, Andrew R. Rickard, Brian J. Bandy, Paul S. Monks and Stuart A. Penkett An improved dual channel PERCA instrument for atmospheric measurements of peroxy radicals, J. of environ. Monit., 2006 DOI: 10.1039/b514630e
Z. L. Fleming, P. S. Monks, A. R. Rickard, B. J. Bandy, N. Brough, T. J. Green, C. E. Reeves, and S. A. Penkett. Seasonal dependence of peroxy radical concentrations at a Northern hemisphere marine boundary layer site during summer and winter: evidence for radical activity in winter, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 5415-5433, doi:10.5194/acp-6-5415-2006, 2006.
Bird J, Brough N, Dixon S, Batchelor SN. Understanding adsorption phenomena: investigation of the dye-cellulose interaction. J Phys Chem B. 2006 Oct 5;110(39):19557-61.
Sommariva, R., Bloss, W. J., Brough, N., Carslaw, N., Flynn, M., Haggerstone, A.-L., Heard, D. E., Hopkins, J. R., Lee, J. D., Lewis, A. C., McFiggans, G., Monks, P. S., Penkett, S. A., Pilling, M. J., Plane, J. M. C., Read, K. A., Saiz-Lopez, A., Rickard, A. R., and Williams, P. I.: OH and HO2 chemistry during NAMBLEX: roles of oxygenates, halogen oxides and heterogeneous uptake, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 1135-1153, doi:10.5194/acp-6-1135-2006, 2006.
2004
M. O’Connor, K. S. Law, a, J. A. Pyle, H. Barjat, b, N. Brough, K. Dewey, T. Green, J. Kent, and G. Phillips; Tropospheric ozone budget: regional and global calculations; Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 4, 991–1036, 2004.
2003
J.G. Esler, P.H. Haynes, K.S. Law, K. Dewy, J. Kent, H. Barjat and N. Brough. Transport and Mixing between Airmasses in Frontal Circulations during Dynamics and Chemistry of Frontal Zones (DCFZ), J. Geophys. Res., (J. Geophys.Res. 2003, Feb. vol.108, D4, ACL-6-1 to ACL 6-19.).
Purvis, R. M., Lewis, A. C., Carney, R. A., McQuaid, J. B., Arnold, S. R., Methven, J., Barjat, H., Dewey, K., Kent, J., Monks, P. S., Carpenter, L. J., Brough, N., Penkett, S. A. & Reeves, C. E, Rapid uplift of nonmethane hydrocarbons in a cold front over central Europe, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4224, doi:10.1029/2002JD002521, D7
Brough, N., Reeves, C. E., Penkett, S. A., Stewart, D. J., Dewey, K., Kent, J., Barjat, H., Monks, P. S., Ziereis, H., Stock, P., Huntrieser, H., and Schlager, H.: Intercomparison of aircraft instruments on board the C-130 and Falcon 20 over southern Germany during EXPORT 2000, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 3, 2127-2138, doi:10.5194/acp-3-2127-2003, 2003.
Methven, J.; Arnold, S. R.; O’Connor, F. M.; Barjat, H.; Dewey, K.; Kent, J.; Brough, N. Estimating photochemically produced ozone throughout a domain using flight data and a Lagrangian model, J. Geophys. Res. Vol. 108 No. D9 May 2003
Z.L. Fleming, P.S. Monks, A.R. Rickard, N. Brough, T.J. Green, S.A. Penkett; Measurement of Peroxy Radicals in the European Marine Boundary Layer with a new Dual Inlet PERCA Instrument. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 5, 12036, 2003.
Zanis, P.S. Monks, T.J. Green, E. Schuepbach, L.J. Carpenter, G.P. Mills, A.R. Rickard, N. Brough and S.A. Penkett. Seasonal variation of peroxy radicals in the lower free troposphere based on observations from the FREE Tropospheric EXperiments in the Swiss Alps.: Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol 30, 10, 1497, 2003.
2002
T.J.Green, C.E. Reeves, N. Brough, G.D. Edwards, P.S. Monks and S.A. Penkett. Airbourne measurements of peroxy radicals using the PERCA technique. J. Environ.. Monit., 2002, 4(advanced article) DOI:10.1039/b204493e
2000
Hov, F.Flatoy, S. Solberg, N. Schmidbauer, C. Dye, J.S. Foot, K. Dewey, J. Kent, H. Richter, A. Kaye, D. Kley, S. Schmitgen, S.A. Penkett, C. Reeves, B. Bandy, N. Brough, T. Green, G. Mills, K. Law, P-H. Plantevin, N .Savage, S. Arnold, M. Lobb, M. Evans, F. O’Connor, J. Pyle, M. Beekmann, J. Kowol-Santen, E. Dugault, P.S. Monks, G.D. Edwards and J. McQuaid. Maximum Oxidation Rates in the Free Troposphere (MAXOX) Final Report, ENV4-CT97_0525, 2000.
Brough, NOx and NOy measurements in Maximum Oxidation Rates in the Free Troposphere (MAXOX). Final Report edited by O. Hov Brussels, EU, 21-23, ENV4-CT97_0525, 2000.
1998
Foster AB, Brough N, Burns W, Fawcett AH, Harrod S, Poon LW (1998) Growth and control of chloroprene popcorn, abstract of papers of the American Chemical Society, 216, 3, 54.
1996
Brough N, Fawcett AH, Burns W, Harrod S (1996) Polychloroprene ‘popcorn’ growth kinetics measured by the Mcbain balance, Polymer, 37, 3, 537-539.
Jones, A., & Brough, N. (2019). 1-hourly medians of Aethalometer data (880 nm) measured at Halley station throughout 2015 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/ab371235-68c5-4da3-89d6-30b23c07427f
SONATA will design and implement an optimal approach to assess the state, variability and climatic drivers of the contemporary Southern Ocean carbon sink. This overriding objective will be achieved through a combination of atmospheric and marine field measurements as well as numerical modelling.
MOYA is a major NERC-funded project to study the global budget of atmospheric methane, the balance between sources and loss processes, and to understand what is changing to cause the increase in methane currently observed.
Current and previous projects
CEFAC- “Chemical Exchange and Feedbacks between the Atmosphere and Cryosphere”. A competitive core-funded research grant focused on year-round measurements in Antarctica to study the influence of sea ice on atmospheric composition.
GSHOX- “Greenland Summit Halogen-HOx Experiment”. The interaction of Halogen chemistry with snow and the affects on the oxidising capacity of the atmosphere above Summit, Greenland.
MAC- “Micro-physics of Antarctic Clouds”. A fieldwork/modelling project to study the microphysics of Antarctic clouds and develop parameterisations for numerical models. (https://www.bas.ac.uk/project/microphysics-of-antarctic-clouds-ne/)
MOYA- “Methane Observations and Yearly Assessment” . A project to determine the global budget of methane by making major improvements in methane observations, as well as targeted process studies, to support a major advance in modelling the global methane budget.
SONATA- “Southern OceaN optimal Approach To Assess the carbon state, variability and climatic drivers”. The project will focus on the flux of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the Southern Ocean. The overarching aims of the project are to deliver i) State of the art observation-based assessment of the size, variability and climatic drivers of the contemporary Southern Ocean carbon sink; ii) A legacy optimal strategy to measure the future evolution of the Southern Ocean carbon sink over the 21st Century. These aims will be achieved through a combination of measurements of atmospheric CO2 and atmospheric oxygen, exploiting measurement databases, and data mining of existing data not yet publicly available.
Some months in the Antarctic calendar are slightly less exciting than others for various reasons but still have enough originality to be enjoyed, more so by the fresh and innocent […]
Draws small volumes of air through filters to collect particles in the atmosphere for chemical analysis.
Draws large volumes of air through filters to collect particles in the atmosphere for chemical analysis.
Measures surface ozone, indicative of fast photochemistry.
Measures the number of particles in the atmosphere with radius greater than 10 nm.
Measures atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour.
Measures particulate carbon in the atmosphere that derives from combustion.
Specialised observatory with a suite of instruments to measure the air and snow chemistry around Halley.
BBC Horizon program: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03syd92
Whitehaven news: (http://test.cnmedia.co.uk/from-mirehouse-to-antarctica-1.391705)
Cumberland newspaper: (http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk/features/Survival-of-the-coolest).