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A Phd candidate goes abroad: Four months of learning about differential optical absorption spectroscopy and optimal estimation methods in Heidelberg, Germany

Informal Lunchtime Atmospheric Chemistry Discussion Series

Presented by
Zoey Davis, Phd. Graduate Student
Chemistry Department

Tuesday, November 11, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Bldg.
York University

Description:

A four month exchange was undertaken at the Institut für Umweltphysik at Heidelberg University, Germany in order to learn more about and implement Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) analysis techniques on Multi-Axis DOAS (MAX-DOAS) measurements from the Alberta Oil Sands (AOS) and retrieve profiles of boundary layer aerosol extinction and trace gases from these measurements using an optimal estimation method. The scarcity of independent measurements of industrial air pollution emissions in the AOS limits our understanding of the impacts of the area’s industrial activity and the ability to make quality environmental management decisions. The dataset was collected during the 2013 Environment Canada AOS air quality campaign and represents the first retrievals of vertical profiles of SO2 and NO2 from MAX-DOAS measurements in the AOS. This talk will present improvements to our methodology for trace gas retrievals using DOAS analysis. The basic theory of the optimal estimation retrieval method and a case study from preliminary retrieval results will be presented. Potential methods for estimation of trace gas emissions from particular AOS facilities using the retrieved trace gas profiles will be discussed.

 


What to do in Europe for 3 months: Tales from an IACPES Research Exchange

Informal Lunchtime Atmospheric Chemistry Discussion Series

Presented by
Dr. Marina Saccon
York University, Chemistry Department

October 28, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 PM
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Bldg.
York University

Description:
A 3 month exchange was completed at the Forschungszentrum Jülich to conduct kinetic experiments of reactions of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOC). During the last decade, the number of publications using carbon isotope ratio measurements in studies of atmospheric VOC has been increasing substantially. Knowing the kinetic Continue reading







Understanding semivolatile organic compounds in remote and urban atmospheres, Prof. Arthur Chan, UofT

Guest Speaker, Professor Arthur Chan

Guest Speaker, Professor Arthur Chan

Guest Speaker:  Professor Arthur Chan, Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto

Date: October 24, 2013, 1:30 PM

Venue: 106 Life Science Building

Description:  Constraining sources of organic aerosol is important for global climate and human health. There is increasing evidence that semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and their oxidation products are highly reactive and can be a dominant source of organic aerosol. Identifying and quantifying SVOCs is difficult, often limited by sampling losses and insufficient separation capabilities. Here we use a newly developed instrument that quantitatively analyzes SVOCs on a bihourly timescale. We deployed this instrument in a pine forest, and show that many SVOCs are biogenically derived, and they dominate reactive loss of ozone. We have also developed a method combining chromatographic separation with vacuum ultraviolet photoionization to analyze hydrocarbon isomers in a complex organic mixture, speciating alkanes by their molecular structures (carbon number, alkyl branching and number of rings/double bonds). This method was applied to understanding the photochemical processing of vehicular emissions in California during the Calnex 2010 field campaign. Continuing instrument development will also be discussed.


Abdus Salam establishes second Aeronet Station in Bangladesh

Abdus Salam, a Post Doctoral Researcher and Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry of Dhaka University, was a Ph.D student under Professor Michael Mozurkewich and visiting scholar for the last two years.  Abdus and his team have successfully established an observatory at the Island of the Bay of Bengal (Bhola), Bangladesh for aerosol studies. There he has been collecting samples with PM2.5 samplers (EnviroTech) and an Aeronet sunphotometer (NASA). This is the latest Aeronet station of two in Bangladesh. The first Aeronet station was built at Dhaka University, Bangladesh in June 2012.

May 10, 2013