LAERO welcomes Eric Yao from UJLoG

The Aerology Laboratory (LAERO) (a joint research unit under the University Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier and the CNRS) is delighted to welcome Eric M. Yao, a PhD student from the University Jean Lorougnon Guédé (UJLoG), Côte d’Ivoire, under the supervision of Fabien Solmon, a research scientist at LAERO, and Marcellin Adon, a research scientist at UJLoG. Eric’s research is focused on modelling the variability of atmospheric nitrogen deposition under the influence of climatic and anthropogenic factors in West Africa.

The ongoing population expansion in Africa is leading to an increase in anthropogenic emissions, but the impact of this increase on atmospheric chemistry and nitrogen deposition is unknown. In order to characterise the chain of processes linking emissions and deposition, and the relationship between this chain and various climatic and environmental factors, long term studies are required that incorporate observations and modelling approaches that cover different spatial and temporal scales, and different levels of complexity. Eric’s research will help elucidate some of the unknowns by using a regional earth system model to study the variability and drivers of the regional nitrogen cycle at both the seasonal and decadal scale in west Africa.

Eric will spend eight months in Toulouse, working with Fabien Solmon on setting up and validating a regional coupled atmospheric-chemistry / climate model (RegCM4) for West Africa.

During his thesis, Eric will use this model to explore the dependence of regional atmospheric chemistry on climate and emissions variability. In particular, the model will be used to propose interpretation mechanisms in relation to trends and correlations observed in measurements. In the context of INSA, this work will contribute to a better understanding of the regional nitrogen balance in West Africa.