Atmospheric Chemistry

The atmospheric sciences are inextricably linked to chemistry in many ways. The composition of the earth's atmosphere, including gas, liquid, and solid phases, determine the radiative and dynamical properties of the atmosphere and sustain life on this planet. In turn, life influences the chemical composition of the atmosphere in beneficial and deleterious ways. The University of Colorado at Boulder, has long maintained strong programs in atmospheric chemistry that include collaborations with investigators at nearby laboratories such as NOAA and NCAR, and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) is establishing new and innovative links between atmospheric chemistry, radiation, and dynamics.

Researchers are engaged in research ranging from laboratory and theoretical studies of the composition and chemistry of cloud and aerosol particles to field measurements of trace compounds in the atmosphere using ground-, aircraft-, and satellite-based sensors. Research topics include: origins and transport of air in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, natural and anthropogenic causes for variations of ozone in the earth's stratosphere, the influence of volcanoes on atmospheric chemistry and radiative balance, the coupling of stratospheric ozone and dynamics, halogen photochemistry in the arctic boundary layer, remote sensing of clouds, microphysics of polar clouds, land-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide, the response of mesospheric temperatures to changes in carbon dioxide, laboratory studies of uptake and reactivity of trace species on atmospheric aerosol particles, and studies of photo-reactive molecules and their clusters.

Current Projects

• Aerosol Measurements: Jimenez, Toohey
• Aerosol Modeling Research: Toon
• Field Measurements/Observations: Avallone, Helmig, Jimenez, Toohey
• Heterogeneous Chemistry: Tolbert
• High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS): Avallone, Gille, Toon
• Land/Atmosphere Gas Exchange: Bonan, Helmig
• Spectroscopic Studies of Atmospheric Molecules: Vaida

Faculty

• Linnea Avallone
• Gordon Bonan
• John Gille
• Detlev Helmig
• Jose-Luis Jimenez
• Susan Solomon
• Margaret Tolbert
• Brian Toon
• Darin Toohey
• Veronica Vaida