Highest Degree
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Activities
My recent research has emphasized the statistical interpretation of atmospheric data to understand the sources and transport pathways of aerosol components in the troposphere and the linkages of weather variables to human health during climate change. Some significant findings are these: (1) Two components of sea salt aerosol are apparently formed over the North Atlantic Ocean from sea water during spray droplet formation by bursting air bubbles at the sea surface. In addition, industrial pollution aerosol components from sources in Europe and North America are transported to mid ocean locations and can be distinguished from natural aerosol containing the same elements. (2) The distribution of hourly temperature observations in Florida is affected by Pacific sea surface temperatures (SST), causing a broadening and skewing during warm SST (El Nino) and a decrease in frequency of optimum conditions for adult malaria mosquitoes, and the opposite during cool SST (La Nina). These changes from optimum may affect the potential for spread of malaria if it should return. (3) In surface waters of north Florida, most nitrate, a limiting plant nutrient in fresh and coastal waters and a regulated pollutant, comes from atmospheric deposition, not urban or agricultural runoff. It is ultimately derived from fossil fuel combustion and long range transport from distant pollution sources, not from nearby stack and tailpipe emissions from electric power, industrial and automotive sources. (4) Extremely fine particles containing silicon are formed in the atmosphere from coal combustion emissions and are transported from sources in Europe and Asia over the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans to the United States. The particles, which differ from coarser soil mineral aerosol by absence of aluminum, may be the troposphere's most abundant inorganic aerosol component in number concentration.
