The Atmospheric Measurements section conducts research, oversees monitoring and provides advisory services and education on the physical and chemical processes that influence air quality, its development and the atmosphere's impact on land surfaces. We work to protect human health, preserve nature’s balance, ensure a clean water environment, and create a better climate for the future.
Atmospheric Measurements is responsible for parts of the national air quality monitoring in Denmark, and our expertise dates back to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Pollution Laboratory in 1977 (Read more about our historical background).
See also a video about the section's work on air pollution in Danish cities.
The section focuses on six areas:
For many years, the section has worked on mapping and understanding the processes that control the evolution of greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane, as well as short-lived gases and particles in the atmosphere, known as "short-lived climate forcers". These studies occur both in the Arctic and in and around Denmark, especially in Danish natural areas. Our major Horizon Europe research projects, GreenFeedback and CleanCloud, focus on climate and air quality.
Although particles are the most harmful form of air pollution to health, there is still uncertainty about which types of particles are most dangerous. To improve our understanding of airborne particle pollution, the section investigates airborne particle pollution; we measure the physical and chemical properties of particles in the environment, including their chemical composition in different size fractions.
The section also focuses on particles from traffic, wood stoves, and fireplaces, as well as urban and rural air. These studies are closely linked to our research on the health consequences of air pollution.
Our work also focuses on the impact of particles on the climate. The section coordinates the Danish ACTRIS network, which is part of the European research network that maps the climate impact of particles. Additionally, we host Denmark's largest ACTRIS station on the Risø campus and the northernmost ACTRIS station at Villum Research Station in Northeast Greenland.
The section investigates how much the Danish population is exposed to air pollution and airborne allergens such as pollen. We do this by measuring daily exposure, analyzing data from fixed measurements, and using model calculations in collaboration with the atmospheric modelling section.
We also work closely with national environmental and occupational medicine specialists to analyze the negative health effects. Our measurements and model development in the pollen area are at the highest international level, and the section is part of several international networks, including several European COST actions.
The section has conducted high-level international research projects in the Arctic for many years. In the Arctic, we study contaminants such as mercury and organic compounds, which accumulate in food chains and provide a direct measure of global pollution. Our studies also focus on the exchange of greenhouse gases between the atmosphere, sea, and ice, as well as more short-lived gases and particles that affect the climate.
These latter studies include black carbon. When black carbon settles on snow and ice-covered Arctic surfaces, it reduces sunlight reflection – amplifying warming in the region via the albedo effect. We also focus on ozone and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the lower Arctic atmosphere.
We measure CO2 and methane greenhouse gases at our ICOS station, which is part of the European research infrastructure. The station is the northernmost ICOS station and is thus crucial to our global understanding of how greenhouse gas concentrations evolve.
The section conducts its Arctic work within AMAP (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program) under the Arctic Council. Additionally, we participate in several Danish and international projects, such as the Horizon Europe projects GreenFeedback (coordinated by our section) and CleanCloud (coordinated by the Atmospheric Modeling section).
Finally, a key focus of the section's Arctic work is the Villum Research Station in Northeast Greenland. The research station was established in 2014 with support from the Villum Foundation. It is run by Aarhus University, and the Department of Environmental Science plays a leading role.
Danish nature is under pressure from airborne nitrogen deposition originating from combustion and agriculture. This nitrogen often exceeds what sensitive ecosystems can tolerate. Therefore, the study of nitrogen deposition in nature and water environments is an important research area for the section.
We investigate, among other things, the interaction between air and the environment through field studies in Danish natural areas, including measurements on heathlands, meadows, forests, and coastal waters.
We aim to contribute to understanding this interaction and develop new mathematical descriptions for use in models to calculate air quality and atmospheric deposition.
Danish ammonia emissions are among the highest in Europe per square kilometer. As our national registry data provide unique research opportunities, ammonia from agriculture is a research area for the section.
The monitoring activities also have significant spin-off effects on our air research, as they provide access to high-quality measurement data as well as modelling and experimental expertise. We have also developed an internationally recognized model for ammonia emissions with exceptionally high spatial and temporal resolution in collaboration with other sections of the Department of Environmental Science.
