Molecular Atmospheric Chemistry at Michigan Tech
Collaborative Research: Nitrogren Partitioning and Evolution of Particulate Organic Nitrogen in Peat Fire Emissions. NSF Atmospheric Chemistry Program, 2015-2017 Overview: This project aims to provide an insight into the partitioning and evolution of nitrogen (N) containing compounds emitted from combustion of peat soils (also referred to as organic soils). The two main objectives are: 1) to evaluate the partitioning of
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Matthew Brege was awarded the 2015 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship for his proposal involving the aqueous phase processing of biomass burning emissions. A summary of the proposal is provided below. Proposal Summary: Atmospheric processing of the primary emissions from biomass burning contributes to the formation of light absorbing secondary organic aerosol (SOA), which is often referred to as humic-like substances
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Aqueous Phase Secondary Organic Aerosol: Isoprene Oxidation Products and Cloud Processing Michigan Tech Research for Excellence Research Seed 2014 – 2016 Atmospheric aerosol particles and cloud droplets determine what fraction of solar radiation reaches the Earth’s surface and what fraction of it returns to space, thus reducing the warming potential of greenhouse gases. Aerosol particles exert a combination of effects
» Read more
Collaborative Research: Chemical, Physical, and Radiative Properties of North Atlantic Free Tropospheric Aerosol after Long-range Transport NSF Atmospheric Chemistry Program, 2011-2014 The radiative forcing of aerosol is not determined solely by local sources and fresh emissions, but also by changes in the microphysical and chemical properties with atmospheric transformation. The composition of continental pollution outflow is altered by mixing, an
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NSF MRI: Development of a Turbulent Cloud Chamber NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program, 2010-2013 (Extended to 2015) This effort will develop a laboratory cloud chamber to assess impacts of well-characterized turbulence (generated via Rayleigh-Benard convection) on cloud microphysics and aerosol processing. The cylindrical chamber will have a working volume of 3.14 m^3 and be capable of simulating a full range of
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Collaborative Research: Hygroscopic Properties of Aerosol Organics NSF Atmospheric Chemistry Program, 2009-2012 Aerosols affect the Earth’s radiation balance directly by scattering sunlight and indirectly through their role as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). An increase in the number of CCN leads to more numerous but smaller cloud droplets and increased cloud albedo. Current estimates of direct and indirect effects, -0.9 to
» Read moreWorking with a large number of samples and many variables can be especially challenging. In our research, we typically have a few thousand variables (identified molecular formulas from mass spectra) for just a few samples. But recently, we stepped up our game and started working with a dataset that had 42 samples and close to 6000 variables.
» Read moreIn Milan this week, Dr. Mazzoleni presented two presentations at the European Aerosol Conference. The first was an oral presentation regarding ultrahigh resolution MS/MS for structural insights to atmospheric organic aerosol collected at the Storm Peak Laboratory (Read more). The second was a contribution to an oral presentation regarding our observations of aerosol at the Pico Mountain Observatory in the Azores
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Collaborative Research: Nitrogren Partitioning and Evolution of Particulate Organic Nitrogen in Peat Fire Emissions. NSF Atmospheric Chemistry Program, 2015-2017 Overview: This project aims to provide an insight into the partitioning and evolution of nitrogen (N) containing compounds emitted from combustion of peat soils (also referred to as organic soils). The two main objectives are: 1) to evaluate the partitioning of
» Read more
The following time-lapse video was created by Dr. Mazzoleni using a GroPro Hero 3 at the Pico Mountain Observatory. Footage spanning 2.5 hours is shown in just 50 seconds. Time flies when you’re having fun.
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Matthew Brege was awarded the 2015 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship for his proposal involving the aqueous phase processing of biomass burning emissions. A summary of the proposal is provided below. Proposal Summary: Atmospheric processing of the primary emissions from biomass burning contributes to the formation of light absorbing secondary organic aerosol (SOA), which is often referred to as humic-like substances
» Read more
Turbulent Cloud Chamber Infrastructure The following video was produced by Michigan Tech University Marketing and Communications. It’s an introduction to the new cloud chamber developed with support from a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant. Shaw, R., W. Cantrell, C. Mazzoleni and L.R. Mazzoleni, Development of a Turbulent Cloud Chamber, NSF Major Research Instrumentation, 2010-2013 (Extended to 2015). Read
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Written by Kevin Hodur for the 2015 Michigan Tech Research Magazine Deep in the eastern Atlantic, roughly 900 miles west of Portugal, lies the tiny island of Pico. On maps, it looks like nothing— hardly more than a pinpoint in a sea of blue. But to atmospheric researchers, the remote island’s towering Pico Mountain holds the key to understanding how aerosols
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Dr. Yunzhu Zhao 2014 Ph.D. Environmental Engineering Molecular Characterization of Atmospheric Organic Matter in Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosol, Ambient aerosol and Clouds Dissertation Abstract: Atmospheric aerosol affects the Earth’s energy budget, reduces visibility and influences human health. The organic composition of aerosol is quite complex and continuously evolves through various atmospheric processes. To gain a deeper understanding of the molecular composition
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Aqueous Phase Secondary Organic Aerosol: Isoprene Oxidation Products and Cloud Processing Michigan Tech Research for Excellence Research Seed 2014 – 2016 Atmospheric aerosol particles and cloud droplets determine what fraction of solar radiation reaches the Earth’s surface and what fraction of it returns to space, thus reducing the warming potential of greenhouse gases. Aerosol particles exert a combination of effects
» Read more
Bad Medicine Written by Marcia Goodrich for the 2014 Michigan Tech Research Magazine Nothing about the packet on the bench in front of Sandy Orlowski ’08 ’10 seemed out of the ordinary. As a forensic scientist, she was used to police bringing her small, plastic-foil envelopes with cheery, whimsical labels totally at odds with the contents. This one said “Ivory
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