Welcome

Our research group welcomes you to the science of analytical and atmospheric chemistry.


We study the composition of the earth's atmosphere in:

• remote locations throughout the Pacific region from Alaska to New Zealand;
• highly polluted cities throughout the world; and
• areas with special conditions, such as burning forests and/or agricultural wastes, or the marine boundary layer in oceanic locations with high biological emissions.
  

Whole air samples are collected on land, ships, and aircraft and are returned to our laboratory for analysis.

In order to determine "background" concentrations of selected trace gases, since 1978 we have been collecting air samples at surface locations every three months in Pacific regions from northern Alaska to southern New Zealand.

Since 1988 our research group has been involved in NASA and NSF sponsored airborne projects. The general motivation for these experiments is regional or global change.

Recently, we have also embarked on a new field of research. For the past couple of years, our high-precision, non-invasive analysis of exhaled human breath has moved forward with studies involving several specific diseases, including cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pneumonia. We are currently involved in several collaborative studies in the field.

Professor Rowland and Professor Blake are co-directors of the Rowland-Blake research group.