Special Symposia

Special Symposia: “Aerosol Physical Chemistry and Microphysics”

Organizers:
Cari Dutcher, University of Minnesota
Sarah Petters, Aarhus University
Miriam Freedman, Penn State University

Aerosol physicochemical properties and phase transitions - including their pH, phase, viscosity, surface tension, and hygroscopicity - are critical to understanding particle dynamics and chemical transformations. Submissions are welcome in the novel areas of aerosol science and technology in which phase is a controlling factor in microphysics and reactivity. The scope of this symposium includes aerosol studies of:

• acidity and pKa;
• phase state, morphology, and viscosity;
• surface tension/surfactants and interfacial energy/reactivity;
• aerosol chemical thermodynamics (e.g., hygroscopicity, droplet nucleation, liquid-liquid equilibria, and vapor-liquid equilibria);
• or notable effects of the above properties on particle reactivity and microphysics.

This symposium seeks to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion around, and highlight recent advances in, fundamental aerosol physical chemistry and microphysical phenomena that are essential to addressing a range of questions and applications. Studies bridging scales and using computational, experimental, and observational techniques are encouraged.

 

Special Symposia: “Aerosol sources and constituents of emerging importance and their impacts across spatial scales”

Organizers:
Havala O.T. Pye, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Drew R. Gentner, Dept. of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Yale University

Indoor and outdoor air contain many thousands of aerosol constituents. Traditionally, ambient aerosol has been classified into broad components such as sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and other inorganic constituents. However, within these categories are extremely diverse chemical compounds including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), highly-functionalized transformation products, biological components such as those from harmful algal blooms (HABs), microplastics, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from volatile chemical products (VCPs) or other understudied precursors. For many of these novel or less-studied constituents, their airborne concentrations, dynamics, chemical/physical properties, and health impacts are not well understood, and may necessitate the use of advanced experimental techniques and computational methods. This special symposia invites presentations spanning laboratory, field, and modeling work that focuses on aerosol sources of increasing importance and novel constituents of emerging concern across indoor, urban, regional, or global scales.

 

Special Symposia: “Biomass combustion: outdoor/indoor transport and indoor air quality”

Organizers:
Rachel O’Brien, William & Mary
Benjamin Nault, Aerodyne Research, Inc.
Marina Vance, University of Colorado Boulder

Biomass burning and incomplete combustion are an important source of organic aerosol particles, soot, semi-volatile organic compounds, and oxidants. In many cases, these combustion products can be transported indoors impacting the air quality of indoor environments. Recent advances in instrumentation have allowed for identification and investigation of these compounds and the aging of their products. Many of the chemicals associated with the emissions are carcinogenic or have other negative health implications. Additionally, the overall impacts can change (increase or decrease) as the smoke ages in the atmosphere or after it is transported indoors. In addition to wildland fires, indoor combustion of fuels for heating or cooking can also impact indoor air quality significantly. This session will provide an opportunity for presentations and discussions that target the role wildfires and indoor combustion play on the air we breathe.

The goal for this special symposium is to bring together researchers with cross-cutting interests focusing on all forms of biomass and fuel combustion and impacts on human health.

Submission topics considered for this special symposium can range from characterization of combustion/wildfire aerosol particles, chemical transformations, transport and deposition of particles, impacts on air quality (outdoor and indoor), human health, and mitigation/air cleaning strategies.

We invite abstracts that address:

• The chemical composition, optical properties, and physical properties of smoke particles
• Chemical transformations during aging both outdoors and indoors and longer term health impacts/exposures to chemicals in the smoke
• Measurements and models of combustion efficiency, aerosol formation/removal and the impacts on air quality (indoor and outdoor)
• Real-time measurements of indoor and outdoor air quality during wildfires
• Methods to reduce exposure indoors and the toxicology and health impacts of smoke particles/volatile organic compounds
• Impact of the environment (i.e., local meteorology or indoor air exchange rates) on smoke particle chemistry, lifetime, and health impacts

 

Special Symposia: “Aerosol Science of Infectious Diseases: What we’ve learned and still need to know about transmission, prevention, and the one health concept”

Organizers:
Alex Huffman, University of Denver
Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate, University of Nebraska Medical Center

The COVID-19 pandemic has instigated considerable research and public discussion about the role of aerosols in infectious respiratory disease transmission. The AAAR community has been at the forefront of this process, leading scientific studies of how SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens, such as influenza and tuberculosis, are transmitted and can be mitigated to protect public health. As the pandemic continues, this special symposium provides an opportunity to share and discuss what we now know, and don’t yet know, about infectious respiratory disease transmission and prevention. Topics focusing on any aspects of multidisciplinary research or discussions regarding the science of aerosols relating to infectious diseases will be considered. In particular, abstracts covering the following topics are encouraged:

• Transmission: Fundamental science and mechanisms of how SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens are generated, emitted, and transmitted. Presentations may cover studies from the laboratory, human and animal models, numerical models, epidemiological approaches, or other perspectives.
• Prevention and mitigation: Presentations may focus on masks, filtration, ventilation, pathogen disinfection, or other novel approaches, and may include modeling, laboratory, population epidemiology, or other studies.
• Connecting science to the public response and policy, including strategies for improving public understanding and motivating proper public health guidance via direct interaction with governmental and public agencies, as well as by utilizing news, social media, or other avenues.

It is anticipated that additional components of the special symposium will be organized outside the hours of the technical session (evening or immediately post-conference) to allow more time for discussion related to the intersections between these complex topics, including lessons that have recently been learned and areas that still require focused discussion and work.