This is a past event.

Colette Heald
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

Organic carbon in the troposphere consists of a wide range of compounds in both the gas and particle phase. These compounds can make up a dominant fraction of fine aerosol, with implications for climate, health, and visibility. The oxidation of gas-phase organics is a key element of ozone formation. Despite the importance of these compounds, the global budget of organic carbon in the atmosphere is very poorly understood. In this talk I will use examples of my own work on the organic carbon budget, the emissions of isoprene, the primary source of biological aerosol particles and the changing composition of organic aerosol to discuss some of the challenges and mysteries of organic carbon in the atmosphere.

Suggested Reading Material

GOLDSTEIN AND GALBALLY
Known and Unexplored Organic Constituents in the Earth's Atmosphere

KANAKIDOU ET AL.
Organic Aerosol and Global Climate Modelling: A Review

Host Shiliang Wu (slwu@mtu.edu)