Project Information
Project name
BASEVOC
Project full name
Baltic Air-Sea Exchange and Shipping Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds
Disciplines (P08)
Atmosphere
(DS05)
Biological oceanography
(DS01)
Chemical oceanography
(DS02)
Summary incl. objectives
The project BASEVOC aims to advance our understanding of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in marine environments through continuous, high-resolution measurements using Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) and eddy covariance techniques. The study addresses two critical knowledge gaps: (1) the characterization of marine VOC dynamics, including their relationship with phytoplankton blooms and environmental parameters in the Baltic Sea, and (2) the comprehensive analysis of ship-derived VOC emissions under real operating conditions with various fuel types. The project uniquely combines automated phytoplankton imaging with VOC measurements to establish links between biological activities and VOC emissions in the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Simultaneously, the project's examination of ship-derived VOC emissions contributes valuable data for improving emission control strategies, especially with the complexity of new marine technologies and fuel alternatives. The integration of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements for ship plume analysis further strengthens the comprehensive characterization of maritime emissions. The dual-focused approach of the BASEVOC-project does not only enhances our scientific understanding of sea-atmosphere interactions of trace gases but also provide practical applications for maritime environmental protection.
Start Date
2025-04-01
End Date
2025-09-30
Lighthouse Region of interest
Baltic & North Sea
Keywords
Proton-Transfer-Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, PTR-TOF-MS, Volatile Organic Compounds, VOC, BVOC, Ship Emission
Researchers
Christa Marandino Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Eve Gallen University of Copenhagen Mehrshad Foroughan University of Copenhagen Riikka Rinnan University of Copenhagen Thomas Holst Lund University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences