Center for Environmental Research and Technology

Join us as we explore the realm of atmospheric particulate matter with Dr. Markus Petters. Dr. Petters will dive into aerosol mixing state and fluxes observed in an urban environment during the TRacking Aerosol Convection Interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) campaign.

Event Details:

• Speaker: Dr. Markus Petters
• Date: May 14, 2024
• Location: Hybrid; Room 105 and Zoom (https://ucr.zoom.us/j/98457254957Meeting ID: 984 5725 4957)
• Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• RSVP: All are welcome and encouraged to join! Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

About Dr. Markus Petters: Dr. Markus Petters is a professor in the Chemical and Environmental Engineering (CEE) department and a faculty member at CE-CERT. His research focuses on unraveling the mysteries of atmospheric particulate matter and understanding the crucial moments when these particles transition from a liquid to a solid state, a phenomenon that significantly impacts their volatility and reactivity in the atmosphere. Beyond this, Dr. Petters' research explores the influence of ambient particulate matter on cloud droplets and ice crystal formation. Utilizing a combination of ground-based and airborne measurements, his research advances our understanding of these complex atmospheric processes.

Presentation Title: Aerosol mixing state and aerosol fluxes observed in an urban environment observed during the TRacking Aerosol Convection Interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) campaign

Abstract: Quantifying the aerosol mixing state and surface-atmosphere exchange rates of particles is important for understanding their impact on human health, the extent to which particles disperse through the atmosphere, and the effect that the particles have on clouds and the climate system. In this seminar, Dr. Petters will present measurements obtained during the TRACER campaign at the La Porte site in Houston, TX obtained between June 1 and September 25, 2022. The main foci will be measurements of refractory black carbon from a single particle soot photometer, measurements of aerosol water uptake for sub-50 nm particles from a nano-humidified tandem differential mobility analyzer, and measurements of supermicron particle number fluxes inferred from an infrared Doppler lidar. Combined these measurements will be used to better understand (1) the origin and evolution of refractory black carbon mixing state, (2) the origin and evolution of aerosol hygroscopicity mixing state, (3) the constraints of hygroscopicity on the composition of condensing materials governing nanoparticle growth, (4) the influence of black carbon mixing state and hygroscopicity mixing state on cloud droplet activation, and (5) the emission of coarse-mode particles from urban surfaces.