Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar

Small molecules in the Anthropocene: Opportunities in remote pristine and polluted air by Prof. Rainer Volkamer,
ANYL Faculty, CU Boulder
"The Volkamer group develops advanced optical instrumentation (in situ and remote sensing) to measure small molecules and aerosols that are relevant to public health and climate. We seek to develop a molecular level understanding of the fundamental physical chemistry affecting their sources, transformations and sinks using a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments and modeling. Opportunities for graduate study exist as part of funded projects to 1) better understand anthropogenic enhancements of biogenic organic aerosol and new particle formation (laboratory studies), 2) to develop innovative retrievals for CU SOF, apply them to aircraft datasets that characterize wildfires quantitatively for the first time, and test and develop atmospheric models, and 3) to develop long-term datasets of halogen oxide radicals and oxygenated VOC in the remote marine atmosphere."
and
In situ production of methyl bromide, methyl chloride, and carbon disulfide in the GISP2D ice core by Christopher Lee,
ANYL 1st year, CU Boulder
"The mixing ratios of methyl bromide, methyl chloride, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide were measured via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in eleven samples from the GISP2D ice core from Summit, Greenland. The samples range in depth from 1826 meters to 2020 meters and in age from 15000 years BP to 25000 years BP. Correlations between the trace gas mixing ratios and the concentrations of major ions (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-) in the ice at the same depth are examined. Additionally, correlations between the trace gas mixing ratios and the concentrations of sea salt and non-sea salt components of major ions in the ice at the same depth are examined. Finally, correlations between the trace gas mixing ratios and the concentrations of major ions in the ice at the same age are examined. Due to the significant difference in age (~619 years) between the air trapped in the ice and the ice itself, the same-depth correlations provide evidence for the in situ production of methyl bromide, methyl chloride, and carbon disulfide within the examined depth range. The same-age correlations provide evidence for a contemporaneous connection between carbonyl sulfide and sodium chloride."