Ongoing research focuses on investigating the effects of atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NOx) on aerosol (particulate) formation, using satellite data analysis, regional chemistry/meteorology model simulations, and field and laboratory measurements. The latter include in-house capabilities for gas-phase measurement of NO, NO2, NH3, and O3, gas-phase organics measurement via GC-MS and GC-FID; aerosol chemical composition analysis by FTIR spectrometry (in-house) and HPLC-ESI-MS (via an off-campus collaboration); particle size distribution and growth measurements by scanning electrical mobility sizing (SEMS) and optical particle counting (OPC); black carbon measurement via aethelometer and CO2 measurements via LiCor. Ambient sampling is enabled by our roof lab at Reed as well as Hi-Vol samplers and absorption cartridges that can be deployed remotely. Laboratory studies employ chamber experiments in the Reed Environmental Chamber and a kinetics flow tube. Interested in getting involved? Contact Julie: email@example.com for current research openings!
Meet the Reed Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, past and present
Academic Year 2014-2015
THESIS: Kang Kang: Chamber Study Exploring Aerosol Formation from NO3 Oxidation of α-pinene and Δ-carene under Varying HO2/RO2/NO3 Regimes
THESIS: Natalie Keehan: Organonitrate gas/aerosol partitioning and hydrolysis in NO3 + Δ-carene SOA formation.
THESIS: Eve Mozur: Organic aerosol composition around the Brooklyn Railyard
INDEPENDENT STUDY: Makoto Kelp:Particulate Matter, Black Carbon, and Human Health
Summer 2014: Kang Kang, Makoto Kelp, and Natalie Keehan work alongside Dr. Ayres & Prof. Fry to seek (fame, fortune, and) insights about the role of organonitrates in aerosol formation, and the contribution of rail traffic to diesel particulate matter in the Columbia River Gorge, including a field study in the Dalles and a collaborative chamber study in Boulder, CO.
Congratulations, 2014 graduates! Enjoying a sunny afternoon in Portland.
Aerosol science is serious business.
Academic Year 2013-2014
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP: Dr. Ben Ayres joined the group in April 2013 to work on SOAS 2013 and subsequent lab studies. Here he surveys the Alabama forest from atop the SOAS tower.
THESIS: Hannah Allen: Inorganic gas & aerosol composition in the Pacific Northwest and Southeastern U.S. Hannah shows you her fabulous Monitor for AeRosols and GAses (MARGA) instrument.
THESIS: Chris Cogell: Spatial analysis of the NO2 plume near Brooklyn Railyard.
THESIS: Alan Tuan: Railyard black carbon and particulate matter emissions. Can't look at the camera now - busy setting up our aethelometer in the Reed warehouse.
Field season 2013: The Atmospheric Strike Force of Ben Ayres, Danielle Draper, Hannah Allen, and Julie Fry head off to the Talladega National Forest in Alabama for the Southeastern Aerosol and Oxidant Study (SOAS)!
Congratulations, class of 2013! The fabulous four at senior dinner, 2013:
Danielle Draper, James Bianconi, Julie Fry, Laura Krause, Kathryn Sackinger
Academic Year 2012-2013
THESIS: James Bianconi: GC measurement of pinene oxidation products
THESIS: Danielle Draper: Chamber studies of NOx effects on BVOC SOA formation
THESIS: Laura Krause: Measuring and interpreting aerosol chemical composition in the eastern Columbia River Gorge
THESIS: Kathryn Sackinger: Synthetic analogs for oligomer formation in oxidation of a-pinene and D-carene
Summer 2012: Danielle Draper and Laura Krause work on chamber studies of acidity effects on SOA formation, and quantifying functional group contributions to aerosol composition via FTIR.
Julie just returned from a 2011-2012 sabbatical at NCAR and NOAA CIRES (Boulder, CO), where she investigated NO3-intiated aerosol formation in Colorado front range forests. Click here for a glimpse of what field research in atmospheric chemistry looks like (July-Aug 2011), and here for a summary of laboratory chamber and flow tube experiments at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (Sept-Nov 2011).
Danielle Draper, Julie Fry, and Kyle Zarzana, August 2011 at BEACHON-RoMBAS field campaign, Woodland Park, CO. Yes, but do you have a flag?
Congratulations graduates 2011! Some of Reed Chem's best & brightest celebrating at senior dinner:
Claire Remington, Steven von Kugelgen, Caleb Arata, Lauren Sanders, Ariyeh Conrad-Antoville, Alice Newton, Alex Diezmann
Academic Year 2010-2011
THESIS: Caleb Arata: Alpha-pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol: Formation kinetics and chemical composition
THESIS: Claire Remington: Sound wall effects on benzene concentration near roadways
Rhiana Meade's (left) independent study project focused on SOA yields from a-pinene under differing NOx and light conditions; Lisa Schomaker's (right) biology thesis included ozone exposure experiments on douglas fir pines in our Plant Torture Chamber.
Josh Katz is finishing up a project quantifying organic nitrates in FTIR of ambient aerosol samples; Li Zha is working on a manuscript on our satellite analysis of NOx/aerosol correlation.
Summer 2010: The Reed Atmospheric Army Motto: "Aim high!"
Julie Fry, Claire Remington, Rhiana Meade, Caleb Arata, Josh Katz, Li Zha, Kathryn Sackinger. Not pictured: Kassandra Reuss-Schmidt, Holly Neill.
Academic Year 2009-2010
THESIS: Tara "Fluffy" Cass: Atmospheric abundance of silver nanoparticles and reactions of NO2 thereon
Holly Neill (PSU Master's student) and Josh Katz continued work on Soxhlet extraction for FTIR analysis of filter-collected aerosol on our new roof deck lab; Li Zha develops correlation code for studying NOx/aerosol interactions in satellite data
Summer Research 2009
Caleb Arata: Measuring NO2 concentration gradients in the Columbia River Gorge
Steph Dillon: Polartiy fractionation and GC/MS techniques for aerosol chemical composition and source tracer analysis
Li Zha: Satellite analysis of NOx/aerosol correlations in the western U.S.
Academic Year 2008-2009
Celebrating thesis completion at senior dinner!
THESIS: Anna Stonestrom: FTIR functional group analysis of filter sampled ambient atmospheric aerosol
THESIS: Jessica "Look" Tobin: Satellite data analysis of NOx and aerosol in the Pacific Northwest