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Course Description

Summary

Air pollution is a global problem, affecting the quality and longevity of life for millions world-wide. This is true even for certain areas in the U.S. where, despite regulatory efforts, air pollutant concentrations exceed safe limits on a regular basis. In an effort to forecast and prevent detrimental air pollution events, atmospheric measurements of various pollutants are needed to understand the chemistry behind air pollution as well as the meteorological conditions associated with poor air quality. This course explores the types, causes, and trends, of air pollution using data obtained from student-led sampling efforts using atmospheric chemistry instrumentation and/or air quality databases. Analysis and reporting of these data are expected for both regular assignments and as part of the course’s final project. Students should therefore be comfortable with standard quantitative analyses (e.g., statistics) and scientific writing. We will also explore topics in air quality research through discussion of several relevant articles from the primary literature.