Dr.Heiko Bozem

My research focuses on the Arctic, using airborne in-situ trace gas measurements and Lagrangian model simulations to study transport regimes and the Polar Dome across regions and seasons. Air masses reach the high Arctic via different pathways depending on source region and time of year, creating a layered tropospheric structure due to atmospheric stability.

The lower troposphere is largely isolated from mid-latitude influence by the Polar Dome, a transport barrier formed by sloping isentropes caused by strong radiative cooling, especially during the dark winter months. I identify its boundary through gradients in anthropogenic tracers such as CO and CO₂.

Synoptic disturbances can weaken this barrier, allowing mid-latitude air to enter the high Arctic and affect air quality and climate. My work aims to better understand and quantify exchange processes across the Polar Dome, for which accurately locating its boundary is essential.