(69a) Air Quality in a Changing Climate: Impacts of Wildfires, CO2 Removal, and Solar Geoengineering

Climate change and its mitigation strategies are reshaping atmospheric composition, with significant implications for air quality. My research integrates atmospheric chemistry and chemical engineering to evaluate the impacts of wildfires, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) on atmospheric composition.

Wildfires are intensifying, emitting complex mixtures of pollutants. Using recent laboratory and field data, we trace the chemical evolution of wildfire plumes from the source to thousands of kilometers downwind, revealing their significant influence on regional and global air quality.

For CDR, we focus on amine-based sorbents used for CO₂ capture, which degrade and emit volatile byproducts. Using advanced chemical ionization mass spectrometry, we identify gas-phase degradation products, offering insights into sorbent stability, fugitive emissions, and improved deployment strategies.

To assess the risks of SAI, particularly to stratospheric ozone, we measure the heterogeneous uptake of halogen species onto SAI aerosols under stratospheric conditions. These experiments provide critical kinetic data to refine model predictions of SAI’s long-term atmospheric effects.

Together, this work advances understanding of how both climate change and its solutions impact air quality.