Forecast Total Ozone

Today

Click Here For A 30 Day History

Source: http://www.temis.nl/protocols/O3global.html

Source: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html

Source: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/sfc2.shtml

Click Here for a 30 Day History

Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science

Atmospheric chemistry research at the University of Maryland is focused on quantification of the effect of human activity on atmospheric ozone and aerosols.  Interestingly, pollution leads to higher levels of tropospheric ozone (so-called “bad ozone”, because ozone in the lower atmosphere is harmful to human health and agriculture) and, at the same time, pollution also leads to reduced levels of stratospheric ozone (so-called “good ozone”, because ozone in the upper atmosphere protects life from harmful solar ultra-violet radiation).  Aerosols, particularly small size particles produced by combustion, pose a significant health risk, especially for children and the elderly.  Atmospheric aerosols are also important for the radiative forcing of climate: aerosols caused by pollution can either warm or cool the surface, depending on the composition and optical properties of the particles.

Below we provide real time information on surface ozone, aerosols composed of particles smaller than 2.5 micron diameter (PM2.5), and total column ozone (reflecting mainly the amount of ozone in the stratosphere) at College Park, Maryland.   The Air Quality Index and UV Index, which reflect the cleanliness of the air we breathe and the time it takes to sunburn, are given below.  These indices are derived from the geophysical parameters that are the focal point of our research.

Links are provided to animations of these parameters, as well as more information on the underlying science and contemporary regulatory issues.

Lists of resident and nonresident faculty, graduate students, and research topics for prospective graduate students are given at the bottom of this page.

UV Index

Current Surface Pressure Analysis

Resident Teaching and Research Faculty:

1. •Allen, Dale - Tropospheric chemistry
   

2. •Canty, Timothy - Numerical modeling of stratospheric chemistry and air quality
   

3. •Dickerson, Russell - Chemistry of the atmosphere and its impacts on air quality, climate, and biogeochemical cycles
   

4. •Hudson, Robert - Atmospheric ozone and climate change
   

5. •Li, Zhanqing - Clouds, aerosols, and radiation
   

6. •Salawitch, Ross - Stratospheric ozone depletion and recovery, air quality, global carbon cycle
   

7. •Stehr, Jeffrey -  Aircraft observations of tropospheric composition
   

1. Adjunct Faculty:
   

1. •Burrows, John, University of Bremen - Remote sensing of atmospheric composition and climate
   

2. •Doddridge, Bruce, NASA Langley Research Center - Tropospheric photochemistry and climate change
   

3. •Thompson, Anne, Pennsylvania State University - Tropospheric ozone and atmospheric transport
   

4. •DeCola, Philip, Sigma Space Corporation - Remote sensing of atmospheric, hydrospheric, and biospheric composition and climate
   

5. •Pickering, Kenneth, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Deep convection, lightning, and their effect on tropospheric chemistry
   

Faculty Colleagues in other departments at UMd who conduct research in atmospheric chemistry

1. •Ondov, John, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Urban aerosols: composition, distribution, source receptor relation, and risk assessment.
   

2. •Zachariah, Michael, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Aerosol and nanoparticle science, combustion, and impact of aerosols on climate change
   

3. •Sapkota, Amir, School of Public Health - Effects of air pollution on human health
   

Present Atmospheric Chemistry Graduate Students Supervised by AOSC Faculty:

1. Student, Advisor(s)
   

2. •Abaziou, Florent, Dickerson
   

3. •Arkinson, Heather, Dickerson
   

4. •Brent, Lacey (Chem Dept), Dickerson
   

5. •Bueno, Pedro (Chem Dept), Zachariah/Dickerson
   

6. •Cummings, Kristin, Pickering/Allen
   

7. •Ding, Yanni, Li, Z.
   

8. •Flynn, Clare, Pickering
   

9. •He, Hao, Dickerson
   

10. •Hembeck, Linda, Salawitch/Canty
    

11. •Jongeward, Andrew, Li, Z.
    

12. •Kablick, Pat, Li, Z.
    

13. •Loughner, Chris, Allen/Dickerson
    

14. •Lyons, Theodore, Allen
    

15. •Martini, Matus, Allen/Pickering
    

16. •Mok, Jungbin, Li, Z.
    

17. •Niu, Feng, Li, Z.
    

18. •Nowottnick, Edward, Li, Z.
    

19. •Sawyer, Virginia, Li, Z.
    

20. •Stevenson, Julie (Chem Dept), Salawitch/Canty
    

21. •Wang, Jing, Allen
    

22. •Yegorova, Elena, Dickerson/Allen
    

23. •Yoo, Hye Lim, Li, Z.
    

24. •Yorks, John, Dickerson
    

Potential Research Topics/Projects for Prospective Graduate Students:

1. •Air Quality Modeling
   

2. •East-AIRE (East Asian Study of Tropospheric Aerosols: an International Regional Experiment
   

3. •Field Measurements and Modeling of Local Air Quality: RAMMPP
   

4. (Regional Atmospheric Measurement Modeling and Prediction Program)
   

5. •Global Carbon Cycle
   

6. •Laboratory Measurements of Organic Aerosols
   

7. •Nitrogen Oxide Production in Lightning
   

8. •Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Halogens and Ozone
   

9. •Remote Sensing of Stratosperic and Tropospheric Ozone
   

10. •Stratospheric Ozone Depletion and Recovery
    

11. •Thunderstorms and Air Pollution
    

Past Dissertations

1. •Atmospheric Chemistry Research Supervised by Professor Dickerson
   

2. •Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, All Disciplines, Ph.D Degree
   

3. •Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, All Disciplines, M.S. Degree
   

Courses Relevant to Atmospheric Chemistry:

1. •AOSC 434/658R, Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Change (Introductory)
   

2. •AOSC 620, Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere I (AOSC Core)
   

3. •AOSC 621, Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere II (AOSC Core)
   

4. •AOSC 637, Atmospheric Chemistry (Advanced)
   

5. •CHEM 474, Environmental Chemistry
   

6. Link to Official UMd Schedule of Classes

Air Quality Data

Further information:

Current Air Quality, MDE: http://www.mde.state.md.us/PROGRAMS/AIR/Pages/index.aspx

    Current Air Quality, Clean Air Partners: http://www.cleanairpartners.net/historical.cfm?pageView=Summary

    Current and Forecast Air Quality, Air Now: http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&cityid=76

Index