Modelling and mapping UK emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture, nature, waste disposal and other miscellaneous sources for 2013

A contribution to the UK National Atmospheric Emission Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Ammonia emissions from UK non-agricultural sources in 2016: contribution to the National Atmospheric Emission Inventory

This report is part of the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) project

Experimental field estimation of organic nitrogen formation in tree canopies

The content of organic N has been shown in many studies to increase during the passage of rain water through forest canopies. The source of this organic N is unknown, but generally assumed to come from canopy processing of wet or dry-deposited inorganic N. There have been very few experimental studies in the field to address the canopy formation or loss of organic N. We report two studies: a Scots pine canopy exposed to ammonia gas, and a Sitka spruce canopy exposed to ammonium and nitrate as wet deposition. In both cases, organic N deposition in throughfall was increased, but only represented a small fraction (<10%) of the additional inorganic N supplied, suggesting a limited capacity for net organic N production, similar in both conifer canopies under Scottish summertime conditions, of less than 1.6 mmol Nm2 mth1 (equivalent to 3 kg N ha1 y1)

Ammonia in a time of COVID-19. A submission of evidence to Defra/AQEG

A submission to the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG), an expert committee of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) • Ammonia gas (NH3) is a priority pollutant both as a precursor to particulate matter and for ecosystem impacts. • Three scenarios for UK emission reductions during COVID-19 in emission sectors, where activity is likely reduced ,have been assessed. • Total UK emissions of NH3 are likely to have decreased slightly (~2%), which is within the uncertainty and meteorological variability of the UK atmosphere. • Urban background and urban on road and roadside emissions of NH3 are likely to have decreased, by as much as 30% and 90% respectively compared with usual emissions before COVID-19. • Unratified data from three of the five UK automatic NH3 analysers (Auchencorth Moss, Chilbolton Observatory, and Manchester OSCA Observatory) show typical springtime NH3 concentrations across the UK. • Data from the non-automatic National Ammonia Monitoring Network will enable analysis at UK level in the months ahead. This includes roadside data from London Cromwell Rd. • Evidence gaps & future approaches are outlined. Future analysis of the Defra UKEAP rural networks proposed. • The key measurement gap is urban roadside NH3 (and PM ammonium) as there is only one long-term site in the UK measuring roadside NH3 concentrations. It is suggested that a roadside network of samplers and/or analysers are urgently put in place (perhaps aligned with the UK Urban NO2 Network; UUNN) to monitor NH3 at roadsides during and post COVID-19 lock down where possible

Uncertainties and implications of applying aggregated data for spatial modelling of atmospheric ammonia emissions

Ammonia emissions vary greatly at a local scale, and effects (eutrophication, acidification) occur primarily close to sources. Therefore it is important that spatially distributed emission estimates are located as accurately as possible. The main source of ammonia emissions is agriculture, and therefore agricultural survey statistics are the most important input data to an ammonia emission inventory alongside per activity estimates of emission potential. In the UK, agricultural statistics are collected at farm level, but are aggregated to parish level, NUTS-3 level or regular grid resolution for distribution to users. In this study, the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP), associated with such amalgamation, is investigated in the context of assessing the spatial distribution of ammonia sources for emission inventories. England was used as a test area to study the effects of the MAUP. Agricultural survey data at farm level (point data) were obtained under license and amalgamated to different areal units or zones: regular 1-km, 5-km, 10-km grids and parish level, before they were imported into the emission model. The results of using the survey data at different levels of amalgamation were assessed to estimate the effects of the MAUP on the spatial inventory. The analysis showed that the size and shape of aggregation zones applied to the farm-level agricultural statistics strongly affect the location of the emissions estimated by the model. If the zones are too small, this may result in false emission “hot spots”, i.e., artificially high emission values that are in reality not confined to the zone to which they are allocated. Conversely, if the zones are too large, detail may be lost and emissions smoothed out, which may give a false impression of the spatial patterns and magnitude of emissions in those zones. The results of the study indicate that the MAUP has a significant effect on the location and local magnitude of emissions in spatial inventories where amalgamated, zonal data are used

Ammonia emissions from UK non-agricultural sources in 2017: contribution to the National Atmospheric Emission Inventory

This report is part of the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) project

Development of a high sensitivity ammonia sensor: Phase 1 feasibility study report (01/05/18 – 31/08/18)

Gas sensor technologies for monitoring atmospheric concentrations of ammonia gas are reviewed and summarised in this report

Ballynahone Bog SAC Wind Data Analysis October 2020 to September 2021.

Local prevailing wind patterns play a key role in atmospheric nitrogen (N) input to designated sites, in terms of local ammonia (NH3) concentrations and N deposition originating from local, regional and transboundary sources. The aim of this study is to investigate local wind patterns and their temporal variability using locally measured weather data for the period October 2020 to September 2021 on Ballynahone Bog. These data were analysed in conjunction with NH3 measurements within and surrounding Ballynahone Bog SAC (Thomas et al. 2020; Williams et al. 2021). This report aims to assess local wind patterns for the period October 2020 to September 2021 and establish how local wind patterns influence NH3 concentrations on Ballynahone Bog