Dr. rer. nat. Birgit Quack
Research Division 2: Marine Biogeochemistry
Research Unit Chemical Oceanography
Workgroup: Halocarbons
Office:
room: 20-118
tel.: 0431 600 4206
fax: 0431 600 4202
e-mail: bquack(at)geomar.de
Address:
GEOMAR | Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Düsternbrooker Weg 20
D-24105 Kiel
Reserach Interests
The gradual recovery of the ozone layer is expected over the next decades due to the reduction of anthropogenic emissions of long-lived chlorofluorocarbons following the Montreal Protocol of 1987. The sources of marine very short-lived halocarbons ( e.g. of bromoform, CHBr3) and their influence on ozone, on the other hand, are increasing. We investigate the distribution and biogeochemical cycling of natural and anthropogenic halocarbons from various sources (phytoplankton, macro algae, disinfection processes) in the ocean and their air- sea exchange.Through seagoing measurements of the trace gases and in cooperation with biologists and earth-system modellers, regional and global, spatial and temporal data gaps are closed in order to clarify the oceanic contributions to future tropospheric and stratospheric ozone chemistry.Seaweed solutions for a healthy planet are also of recent interest to our research. We investigate their interactions with the environment.
Further and more detailled information can be found on the Halocarbons page.
Education and professional experience
| 1981-1985 | Study of food chemistry at the University of Münster |
| 1986 | Researchassistent at the University of Missouri (USA) |
| 1987 | Food chemist at the Federal Investigation Office in Münster |
| 1988 | Stipendiary at the Biological Institution of Helgoland in Hamburg (Halogens from macro algae |
| 1989 | Study of oceanography |
| 1990-1994 | Ph.D. in Marine Atmospheric Chemistry at the Institute for Marine Research in Kiel |
| 1995 | Scientist at the GEOMAR research institute, Kiel (Atmospheric trace gases over the western Pacific) |
| 1996-2000 | Parental leave |
| since 2000 | Postdoc in various projects of Marine Biogeochemistry |
| 2000-2001 | Trace gas transformations and tracer ages in the deep ocean |
| 2002-2003 | Oceanic distributions and emissions of natural trace gases |
| 2003 | Research Assistant at NCAR (National Center of Atmospheric Research) and NOAA-CMDL (Climate Monitoring Division Labortory) |
| since 2004 | Processes and controls of regional and global oceanic halocarbon distributions and their air-sea exchange |
