This research is a component of a broad community experiment named SOAS (Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study) designed to further investigate the oxidation of the emissions (biogenic volatile organic compounds; BVOCs) of plants in the context of the atmospheric environment of the Southeast United States. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles arise, in situ, from atmospheric reactions of BVOCs together with the subsequent partitioning of these products into condensed phase materials. The direct measurement of sensitivities of SOA production rates and properties to various environmentally relevant perturbations in the ambient conditions at the SOAS study site will provide a convenient test point for the description of the chemical mechanisms of SOA formation, needed for use in a variety of climate and air quality models.
The project will involve undergraduate and graduate students, research staff and faculty, creating an environment for student development and exposure to interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
