Our research group hosts the world's largest indoor environmental chamber for the study of ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation.  The temperature and humidity controlled dual 90 m3 chambers (left side) are illuminated with four fluorescent blacklight banks.   The chamber (right side) facilities also include a 37.5 m3 indoor chamber (MEZ), a mobile 20 m3 Teflon chamber (MACh), and an oxidation flow reactor.  All of these chambers are located in the Atmospheric Processes Laboratory building (left). 

The combination of chambers allows us to simulate a variety of atmospheric conditions.  The large dual chambers are used to simulate chemical processes under highly realistic conditions and has been used to study both anthropogenic VOCs (e.g., aromatics, consumer products), the mezzanine chamber is most often used to investigate complex mixtures (e.g., agricultural VOCs; cooking, engine and biomass burning emissions) while the MACh is designed to interface directly with our vehicle emissions research laboratory test facility and study whole vehicle emissions.  The oxidation flow reactor is used for multiple day equivalent oxidation studies.

Generally speaking, the atmospheric chemistry thrust or our research group focuses on connecting gas-phase oxidation processes with secondary organic aerosol formation.  We are additionally interested in evaluating the role of kinetic limitation on gas-particle processes.  The ultimate goal of the research is to provide the experimental foundation necessary for development of air quality models with increasing accuracy..