Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling

ACOM in the News

Chumash Engine 802 firefighter cooling the edge du, by Kari Greer, US Forest Service. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018_07_28-11.11.23.466-CDT.jpg

Air pollution is increasing over a wide swath of the U.S. because of record wildfires

Mashable.com interviewed ACOM Deputy Director Gabriele Pfister on the topic of wildfires and air quality. “We’re right in the middle of climate change,” Gabi remarked, referring to the increased frequency of record-breaking heat as average temperatures continue to climb.... Read more

The June 12, 1991 eruption column from Mount Pinatubo taken from the east side of Clark Air Base. U.S. Geological Survey Photograph taken on June 12, 1991, 08:51 hours, by Dave Harlow.

The Best Way to Shade Earth

Scientific American reported on ACOM scientist Simone Tilmes' experiments with geoengineering. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991 demonstrated that sulfur aerosols have a cooling effect by shading the earth's surface. The study found that harmful side effects... Read more

C-130 research aircraft in hangar at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport (July 11). Photo by Carl Drews.

Boulder scientists join major study of smoke from western wildfires

There will be an additional plane in the air over wildfires in the northwestern United States in coming weeks, but it won't be there trying to put them out. The C-130 research aircraft flying to Boise, Idaho, from... Read more

Detailed look at air pollution reveals surprising variety at molecular level