Collaborative Research: Laboratory Studies of Formation, Aging and Physicochemical Properties of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter

该项目的总体目标是减少与有机气溶胶粒子的形成、氧化老化和云凝聚核(CCN)活动相关的不确定性，从而为模拟和预测气候变化提供更可靠的基础。一种独特的实验室装置将用于表征气溶胶颗粒的组成、大小、形态和密度，并测量这些颗粒的CCN活性，以表征和了解二次有机气溶胶(SOA)的形成/演化机制，以及由羟基和氢过氧基以及臭氧氧化的与大气相关的前体气体的产量。还将研究与大气相关的有机化合物的多步骤非均相氧化。这些结果将提供必要的信息，以表征给定前体的SOA的化学成分，并准确反映其CCN倾向。主要调查人员(PI)将积极参与由Gelfand家庭慈善信托基金资助的一项倡议，该计划以TSIP概念(通过探究过程教授科学)为指导，指导波士顿市中心四所高中的理科学生。学生将在小组和一对一的环境中接受指导，目的是帮助他们准备科学博览会项目。其中两所学校已经举办了科学博览会(纪念碑高中和工程学校)。在另外两个项目中，私人投资促进机构将与教师和学生合作，帮助组织这类活动。潜在的科学讨论的载体将是当前的环境问题，特别是大气问题。

The overall goal of this project is to reduce uncertainties related to the formation, oxidative aging, and cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) activity of organic aerosol particles, thereby providing a more reliable base for modeling and predicting climate change. A unique laboratory setup to characterize the composition, size, morphology, and density of aerosol particles and to measure CCN activity of these particles will be used to characterize and understand secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation/evolution mechanisms and yields from atmospherically relevant precursor gases oxidized by hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals and ozone. Multi-step heterogeneous oxidation of atmospherically relevant organic compounds will also be studied. The results will provide information necessary to characterize chemical composition of SOA from given precursors and to accurately represent their CCN proclivity.The principal investigators (PIs) will actively participate in an initiative funded by the Gelfand Family Charitable Trust to mentor science students in four Boston inner city high schools, a program guided by the TSIP concept (Teaching Science through the Inquiry Process). Students will be mentored in small groups and in one-on-one settings with the aim of helping them prepare science fair projects. Two of the schools have science fairs already (Monument High School and The Engineering School). In the other two, working with the teachers and students, the PIs will help organize such fairs. The vehicle for potential science discussions will be current environmental issues with a specific focus on the atmosphere.