Research

Speaker: Patrick Veres - NCAR/EOL

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) has become a widely available and commonly used tool for atmospheric laboratory and field investigations. With recent advancements in commercially available time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers and the development of flexible ion sources, the TOF-CIMS has become an increasingly powerful tool providing detection capabilities for a large range of target molecules. Modern TOF-CIMS instruments are now capable of providing sensitive and selective in- situ measurements with fast time response (>1Hz) and limits of detection on the order of tens of parts-per-trillion (ppt) and lower. My own research has long focused on the adaptation and innovation of CIMS technology, with a particular focus on the development of airborne deployable instrumentation. This talk will focus on the challenges faced, technological improvements, and advancements in CIMS methodology. This research and development process has produced some of the most accurate and precise airborne in-situ CIMS observations of trace gases available, which we continue to leverage to yield new discoveries. In this talk I will discuss a recent example, the identification of a previously unobserved dimethyl sulfide (DMS) oxidation product hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF). Additionally, I will present on the development and deployment of a semi-autonomous TOF-CIMS capable of operating in extreme conditions present in the Stratosphere that has been providing a clearer picture of chemistry in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS). Through these examples I will emphasize the continued need for support in instrument development, a key driver of discovery in the field of atmospheric research.