Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar

Atmospheric Chemistry of Volatile Organic Compounds by Joost de Gouw
CIRES & Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
"Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released to the atmosphere from many different sources, both natural and man-made. In the atmosphere, VOCs are removed on time scales of minutes to months and this chemistry leads to formation of ozone and organic aerosol, two air pollutants that also affect climate. We have studied the emissions and chemistry of VOCs using a combination of field and laboratory measurements with mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. I will present some examples of the projects that I have worked on with graduate students over the years and of future research directions." 

and 

Every Drop Counts…Looking for Water on Mars by Maggie Tolbert
CIRES & Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
"Mars is a cold, dry planet where pure liquid water is not stable. However, recent observations of “recurring slope lineae” (RSL) on Mars may be evidence of current liquid water flows. Several different hygroscopic salts are known to exist in the Martian soil, and deliquescence of those salts could provide small amounts of liquid water temporarily. Our research group uses Raman microscopy and an environmental cell to probe the conditions under which such liquid brines can form and persist under low Martian temperatures. In addition, an optical trap is used to probe phase changes of individual levitated droplets. In this talk, I will discuss laboratory results for the brine-forming ability of several different Mars-relevant salts and salt mixtures and implications for water on Mars."