Atmospheric Ozone Formation: New measurement approaches to sidestep chemical complexity

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

• Bill Bloss (University of Birmingham)
• Monday 21 October 2013, 14:15-15:30
• Unilever Lecture Theatre, Department of Chemistry.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Dr Amanda Maycock.

Ozone is an important air pollutant, harmful to human health, agricultural crops and vegetation; the main precursor to the atmospheric oxidants which initiate the degradation of most reactive gases emitted to the atmosphere, and is an important greenhouse gas in its own right. The capacity to understand, predict and so to manage tropospheric ozone levels is a key goal for atmospheric science research. This goal is hard to achieve, as ozone is a secondary pollutant, formed in the atmosphere from the complex oxidation of VOCs in the presence of NOx and sunlight, and a combination of in situ chemical processes, deposition and transport govern ozone levels. Uncertainties in all of these factors affect the accuracy of numerical models used to predict current and future ozone levels. This talk presents results from two complementary experimental approaches (large atmospheric simulation chambers, and field process studies) which aim to provide new understanding of ozone formation in complex atmospheric systems, through an integrated process view : (a) The atmospheric degradation of a new biogenic VOC , Methyl Chavicol, whose emissions are growing exponentially with the expansion of Oil Palm plantations (b) A new approach for the direct measurement of local chemical ozone production rates in the ambient atmospheric boundary layer.

This talk is part of the Centre for Atmospheric Science seminars, Chemistry Dept. series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• All Talks (aka the CURE list)
• CamBridgeSens
• Cambridge Environment
• Cambridge talks
• Centre for Atmospheric Science seminars, Chemistry Dept.
• Climate Science Seminars within Cambridge
• Department of Chemistry
• Featured lists
• LCLU Departmental Talks
• Life Science Interface Seminars
• Queens' College Politics Society
• School of Physical Sciences
• Talks related to atmosphere and ocean dynamics and climate science
• Trust & Technology Initiative - interesting events
• Unilever Lecture Theatre, Department of Chemistry

Note that ex-directory lists are not shown.