Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar

Aqueous Aerosols, Aerosol Chemistry, and the Chemical Disciplines

Prof. Murray Johnston,
University of Delaware

"Airborne particles strongly influence climate and human health. Understanding these impacts requires knowledge of chemical processes associated particle formation and growth, and draws upon fundamental principles in the chemical disciplines (analytical, physical, etc.). While these disciplines provide insight into aerosol chemistry, the reverse is also true: studying aerosols as opposed to bulk phases provides insight into disciplinary topics. This presentation will focus on the unique environment of aqueous aerosol particles, which can show very different reactivity from a bulk aqueous solution as well as from their dry particle counterparts. These differences have important implications for how particles grow in the atmosphere, and they help us better understand chemical measurements that rely on the formation of aerosol droplets."