The Peregrinations of Airborne Particles

Abstract:

Airborne particles generally represent a small fraction of the composition of atmospheres. Yet they can have a profound effect on the climate of a planet, and in the context of Earth, also on air quality. I began my career as a student on the Viking mission, studying dust in the atmosphere of Mars and its impact on the climate of that planet. Almost two decades later, I returned to Earth as Aerosol Scientist for the Earth Observing System’s Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument. This led to numerous studies, with many collaborators, colleagues, and students, on airborne particles and their impact on the climate and air quality of our home planet. This work ranges from satellite retrieval algorithms and instrument calibration, to studies of wildfire smoke, volcanic ash, desert dust, and urban pollution plumes, to assessments of aerosol impacts on direct and indirect climate forcing, and prospects for future advancement of the field. The current talk focuses primarily on the early parts of my career, as AGU Fellow is a career award, and I and other members of my group have given many AGU presentations on our more recent results.