Collaborative Research: Isotopologue Synthesis and Use for Elucidating Important Chemical Mechanisms of Organic Condensation Reactions in Atmospheric Particles

化学部环境化学科学计划的这一奖项支持哈佛大学的Scot Martin教授和西北大学的Regan Thomson教授。他们的合作研究解决了来自植物的挥发性有机分子在大气中发挥的复杂作用。 这些分子在大气中的气体和颗粒之间以人们知之甚少的方式进行交换。 大气颗粒物，也称为气溶胶，影响许多重要的大气过程，如云的形成和地球的气候。 研究小组利用合成有机化学来制造被认为存在于大气中的分子，并将其用于模拟大气条件的实验中。这项研究的成果可能是对大气过程的更好理解，从而可以更准确地模拟天气和气候系统。这项研究为这两个机构的学生以及同行学习提供了机会。通过“科学面孔”YouTube系列，研究人员向公众传播科学和个人故事，吸引不同的受众。这项合作结合了合成有机化学的专业知识和大气科学的专业知识。该团队正在推进对二次有机气溶胶颗粒颗粒相复杂化学过程的理解。该合成使得能够获得一套复杂的、非市售的、但与大气高度相关的具有同位素标记的分子。特别是，蒎烯同位素探针，使挥发性生物萜烯的详细研究。 气溶胶实验提供了详细的机械信息的形成和大气中的有机颗粒的增长，通过使用不同条件下的同位素探针物种。竞争假说的流行的化学机制正在测试，从而阐明氧化/吸积途径和粒子formation.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命的机制方面，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This award from the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program of the Chemistry Division supports Professor Scot Martin of Harvard University and Professor Regan Thomson of Northwestern University. Their collaborative research addresses the complex roles played in the atmosphere by volatile organic molecules that are derived from plants. These molecules exchange between gases and particles in the atmosphere in ways that are poorly understood. Atmospheric particles, also known as aerosols, affect many important atmospheric processes, such as cloud formation, and the Earth's climate. The research team utilizes synthetic organic chemistry to make molecules thought to exist in the atmosphere and uses them in experiments designed to simulate atmospheric conditions. The outcome of this research may be an improved understanding of atmospheric processes, which allows for more accurate modelling of the weather and climate system. The research provides opportunities for students at both institutions as well as peer-to-peer learning. Through the "Faces of Science" YouTube series the researchers communicate science and personal stories to the general public, engaging diverse audiences. This collaboration combines expertise in synthetic organic chemistry with expertise in atmospheric science. The team is advancing the understanding of the complex chemical processes in the particle phase of secondary organic aerosol particles. The synthesis enables access to a suite of complex, non-commercially available, yet highly atmospherically-relevant molecules with isotopic labeling. In particular, pinene isotopologue probes enable detailed studies of volatile biogenic terpenes. The aerosol experiments provide detailed mechanistic information regarding the formation and growth of atmospheric organic particles, as derived by use of the isotopologue probe species under varying conditions. Competing hypotheses of the prevailing chemical mechanisms are being tested and thus elucidate mechanistic aspects of oxidation/accretion pathways and particle formation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.