Inferring Sub-Global Variations in Tropospheric Oxidation To Improve Projections of Atmospheric Composition and Climate

Dr. Colleen Baublitz

Environmental Protection Agency

Monday September 9, 2024, 2 PM ET

Seminar materials: Careers at EPA Flyer, Monitoring Specialist Job Announcement

Abstract:

Tropospheric oxidation modulates pollution chemistry and greenhouse gas lifetimes. The hydroxyl radical (OH) is the primary oxidant and the main sink for methane, the second-most influential anthropogenic contributor to climate change. It also modulates the formation chemistry of key air pollutants like ozone. Despite its influence, the complexity of OH chemistry and its short lifetime (1-2 s) preclude the development of a representative measurement network for investigating its sensitivity and trends. This has led to a dearth of constraints for global models, which can differ substantially in their representation of the magnitude and sensitivity of OH, even when using the same emission scenario. This presentation will review recent efforts to constrain and interpret OH variations across spatiotemporal scales, toward improved projections of atmospheric composition and a better understanding of trends in the methane lifetime.

Biosketch:

Dr. Colleen Baublitz began her role as a Physical Scientist at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in late 2022. Her research focuses on the intersection of air pollution, climate and ecosystem welfare. In her current role, Colleen leads deposition modeling for the EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. She also investigates methane-air quality connections, for example as a participant in the HTAP3 model intercomparison. Colleen is currently a Co-Chair of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Total Deposition (TDep) Science Committee and a Program Chair for the 2025 AMS Atmospheric Chemistry Conference. She previously earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences (2021) from Columbia University.

Webinar:

Event site: https://go.umd.edu/baublitz

Zoom Webinar: https://go.umd.edu/baublitzwebinar

Zoom Meeting ID:
Zoom password: essic

US Toll: 13017158592
Global call-in numbers: https://umd.zoom.us/u/aMElEpvNu

For IT assistance:
Cazzy Medley: cazzy@umd.edu

Resources:

Seminar schedule