Key research themes
1. How do atmospheric aerosols influence weather, air quality, and climate through direct and indirect radiative effects?
This research area focuses on understanding the multifaceted roles of different aerosol types—such as dust, sulfate, black carbon (BC), and organic carbon—in modulating atmospheric thermodynamics, cloud microphysics, radiation balance, and precipitation patterns. It also examines the methodological challenges in modeling these effects accurately, crucial for improving weather forecasts, climate sensitivity estimates, and air quality management.
2. What are the complex interactions between meteorology, atmospheric dynamics, and air quality, and how do they influence pollutant dispersion and air pollution episodes?
This theme investigates how meteorological variables such as wind speed, temperature, stability, turbulence, and mesoscale features govern the transport, dilution, and chemical transformation of air pollutants. It highlights the role of boundary-layer dynamics, atmospheric circulation, and moist processes in modulating pollutant concentrations and air quality, providing crucial insights for improving air quality modeling and control strategies.
3. Can external geophysical and solar phenomena influence atmospheric composition, climate variability, and air quality through complex coupled mechanisms?
Research in this area explores the less conventional drivers of atmospheric variability, including geomagnetic field modulations affecting cosmic ray fluxes, solar eclipses impacting photochemical processes, and atmospheric disturbances triggered by lithospheric or solar events. Understanding these linkages is essential for comprehensive climate and air quality assessments, incorporating external forcings into predictive frameworks.