UW Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science

@uwenvironment.bsky.social @uwess.bsky.social @uwatmossci.bsky.social @uw-sefs.bsky.social

Theoretical Mapping of the Gas-Phase Ozonolysis of α-Pinene: Formation of First-Generation Products under Different Atmospheric Conditions Ozonolysis of α-pinene is a significant and well-established source of atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA), which plays a pivotal role in climate, air quality, and human health. The products of α-pinene ozonolysis measured experimentally are typically characterized by only their molecular formulas, while their structures and formation mechanisms often remain unclear. In this work, we theoretically map the oxidation pathways, structures, and formation time scales of the major first-generation products formed from α-pinene ozonolysis by calculating the H-shift and bond-scission reaction rate coefficients of the peroxy (RO2) and alkoxy (RO) radicals that arise under atmospheric conditions with different RO2 bimolecular reaction rates (kbi): polluted (kbi > 0.2 s–1), moderate (0.2 s–1 > kbi > 0.01 s–1), and pristine (kbi ≈ 0.01 s–1). In polluted environments, almost no RO2 unimolecular reactions are of importance and ozonolysis leads to nitrates and small fragmented products. By contrast, in moderate to pristine atmospheres, C10 highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) with up to 12 oxygen atoms can form from either purely unimolecular or a combination of unimolecular and bimolecular reactions. Our results suggest that explicit chemical mechanisms of α-pinene ozonolysis used ubiquitously in the literature require significant revision in their treatment of unimolecular-isomerization and stereoisomer-specific reactions.

Excited to share our new paper, out today in ACS ES&T Air! Using theory, we map the pathways of α-pinene ozonolysis leading to first-generation products under different atmospheric conditions.

Co-authors: Jing Chen (lead), @atmostaj.bsky.social, and Henrik Kjaergaard.

@uwatmossci.bsky.social
(1/2)

@uwenvironment.bsky.social @uwess.bsky.social @uwatmossci.bsky.social @uw-sefs.bsky.social @uwsafs.bsky.social @cig-uw.bsky.social

Interested in learning about food systems and student work happening at UW Farm?

Join us for a virtual panel with #UWEnvironment experts like Professor Eli Wheat during #PNWClimateWeek

Driving Climate Action with Evidence-Based Solutions
Wednesday, July 16th, 2-3 PM PST
Register: lu.ma/7agmepme

As Dr. Joel Thornton (@atmostaj.bsky.social) takes on the role of interim dean for the College of the Environment, Dr. Becky Alexander will serve as the Department's interim/acting chair. Welcome aboard, Dr. Alexander!

@uwenvironment.bsky.social

@atmostaj.bsky.social time to update your banner!

Joel Thornton named interim dean of the College of the Environment University of Washington Provost Tricia R. Serio announced that Joel Thornton has agreed to serve as interim dean of the College of the Environment, effective July 1, until a new permanent dean is...

Welcome to Joel Thornton, who will serve as interim dean of the UW College of the Environment.

Thornton is an @uwatmossci.bsky.social atmospheric chemist who studies the impacts of human activities on air quality and climate. #UWEnvironment

www.washington.edu/news/2025/06...

The World Is Warming Up. And It’s Happening Faster.

In a recent @nytimes.com article about global warming, Professor Cecilia Bitz expressed that "nothing is defying our big picture about the physics of the climate system.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/c...

Maya Tolstoy reflects on her leadership at UW Environment Maya Tolstoy is stepping down June 30 as the Maggie Walker Dean of the UW College of the Environment, returning to New York for family reasons. We sat down with Tolstoy as she reflected on leadership,...

Maya Tolstoy is stepping down June 30 as dean of our College, returning to New York for family reasons. We wish her well as she departs and thank her for her leadership. Here's our interview with Tolstoy about her impact, favorite memories and tenure as dean: environment.uw.edu/news/2025/06...

Congratulations to the ATMOS Class of 2025, you did it!! ☁️☔️🌀
And a big thank you to the friends and family who joined us to celebrate this special milestone!☀️🌈

Congratulations to the Dawgcast senior Class of 2025! 🎓 #UWGrad25 #wawx
@uwatmossci.bsky.social

ATMOS undergrads at the recent department research symposium and the UW undergrad research symposium! Thank you all for the outstanding presentations!

We had a great time at Mariners Weather Education Day this morning!

Very grateful to FOX13 & the Mariners for the opportunity to share our love of weather and continue this tradition for the graduating seniors. ☀️☔️❄️⛈️ #wawx

Today we had our last club meeting of the 2024-2025 school year! We enjoyed bringing you the forecasts this last year with plenty of wind, rain, and even snow to keep us busy. ❄️🍃🌦️

State tuned for summer forecasts! ☀️🌇 #wawx

Study projects that increasing wildfires in Canada and Siberia will actually slow global warming A new University of Washington–led study projects that in the next 35 years increasing boreal fires will actually slow global warming by 12% globally and 38% in the Arctic. Because the aerosols in...

A new #UWEnvironment study projects that increasing wildfires in Canada and Siberia will actually slow global warming @uwnews.bsky.social @uwatmossci.bsky.social

www.washington.edu/news/2025/06...

Atlantic Ocean current expected to undergo limited weakening with climate change, study finds The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is a system of ocean currents that plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate by transporting heat from the Southern to Northern...

A new study from Postdoc David Bonan, Prof. Kyle Armour, and co-authors finds that although the AMOC will weaken under global warming, it is likely to do so to a much lesser extent than current projections suggest.

@uwnews.bsky.social ‪@lkkirschman.bsky.social
www.washington.edu/news/2025/05...

Huge congratulations to Ursula, one of this year’s Graduate Dean’s Medalists! 🏅 She received the award yesterday at the College of the Environment Spring Celebration. Cheers to Ursula and all the incredible 2024–25 award winners!🎉🎉

Thank you Prof. Barnes for returning to UW and giving us a wonderful talk on AI applications for Earth system prediction!🌎

Shout out to Sky and Eric for leading this year's GSDVL, and Amelia, Coco, Nick, and ATMOS admin for helping with the reception!

📷: James Y., Sky G.

One more presentation!:
Yiding Luo and Shetian Xia "Evaluating Machine Learning Weather Prediction Models for Mesocyclone Forecasting"

Want to see what ATMOS undergrad students are up to? Stop by NAN Commons this Friday, May 23 at 3:30pm for the ATMOS Research & Internship Symposium to learn more!
⛈️☀️❄️🔥🧪

🐠🐋🌊🪸 We're looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for the UW Aquatic Sciences Open House, taking place from 10am-4pm!

🦀 Join us for a fun day of science!

fish.uw.edu/students/stu...

Happy Friday, Huskies! We hope you survived the unseasonable gloom this week. Thankfully, though, it will be dry for the Spring Show tonight. 🎉 So, go out and enjoy yourselves before another round of rain arrives this weekend. #wawx #uw #pnw #spring @uwatmossci.bsky.social

Join us on May 16, 2025, for the 28th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium!💜💛
Check out which ATMOS students will be presenting at the Symposium! 🐾
symposium.uw.edu. #HuskyResearch #UWInnovates

We will put this on the next faculty meeting agenda

Dawgcast: Meet the team making weather forecasts for the UW community Perhaps you’ve seen them on your feed: short videos of students standing on Red Square, delivering a sunny forecast or warning about impending rain with a touch of humor.

@theuwdawgcast.bsky.social featured on The Daily!

www.dailyuw.com/science/dawg...

📅RSVP and mark your calendar! The 2025 Graduate Students' Distinguished Visiting Lecture is happening on May 14! This year's speaker, Prof. Elizabeth Barnes from CSU, will be speaking about the development and application of AI tools for Earth system prediction.
RSVP: forms.gle/K2gsVP6ugMpw...

Big thanks to @theuwdawgcast.bsky.social for inviting #UWEnvironment along on a visit to the @nws.noaa.gov Seattle office today! 🙌🌦️ What a great way to connect classroom learning with real-world experience! #HuskiesInTheField #UWDawgcast #STEMeducation #HuskyExperience @uwatmossci.bsky.social

Graduate student Ursula Jongebloed’s paper, published in Geophysical Research Letters, is ranked within the top 10% of the journal’s most-viewed papers in 2023! #TopViewedArticle

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

📣 Call for Session Proposals!

🌎 This December, #AGU25 returns to New Orleans, Louisiana (15–19 December) with the theme: Where Science Connects Us. Add your voice to the conversation and help share this year's program!

➡️ Session proposals due 23 April: buff.ly/6ssSI4E

🏆 Congratulations to graduate students Vince Cooper, Alton Daley, and Eric Mei for being selected to receive the AGU24 Outstanding Student Presentation Award (OSPA)!
www.agu.org/honors/ospa/...