Dr. Darrel Baumgardner, NCAR and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)
Urban aerosols are clearly a factor in the modification of local weather and climate and have serious impacts on health, as well. Mexico City is representative of what has been called a Megacity and is one of the most polluted cities in the world. It will no longer be that unique, however, as the world's population continues to migrate towards urban centers and such areas will soon equal or exceed Mexico City's pollution.
Before mitigation strategies can be implemented that start to reduce the problems of pollution, it is critical that we understand the fundamental processes of aerosol production and evolution and their interactions with the environment. The Aerosol Group at the Center for Atmospheric Research, UNAM, has been measuring aerosol properties in Mexico City since late 1997 with a focus on understanding the urban aerosol cycle. This seminar will discuss the impact of urban aerosols on the environment and will discuss our findings to this point. An upcoming field campaign, the Megacity Impact on Regional and Global Environment (MIRAGE), will be reviewed in the context of our measurements.