Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science in which the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets is studied. It is a multidisciplinary field of research and draws on environmental chemistry, physics, meteorology, computer modeling, oceanography, geology and volcanology and other disciplines. Research is increasingly connected with other areas of study such as climatology.
The composition and chemistry of the atmosphere is of importance for several reasons, but primarily because of the interactions between the atmosphere and living organisms. The composition of the Earth's atmosphere has been changed by human activity and some of these changes are harmful to human health, crops and ecosystems. Examples of problems which have been addressed by atmospheric chemistry include acid rain, photochemical smog and global warming. Atmospheric chemistry seeks to understand the causes of these problems, and by obtaining a theoretical understanding of them, allow possible solutions to be tested and the effects of changes in government policy evaluated.
| Average composition of dry atmosphere, by volume | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gas | per NASA | |
| Nitrogen | 78.084% | |
| Oxygen | 20.946% | |
| Argon | 0.934% | |
| Water vapor | Highly variable; typically makes up about 1% | |
| Minor constituents in ppmv. | ||
| Carbon Dioxide | 350 | |
| Neon | 18.18 | |
| Helium | 5.24 | |
| Methane | 1.7 | |
| Krypton | 1.14 | |
| Hydrogen | 0.55 | |
Chemistry
Meteorology :: Earth Sciences
Global Warming

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Aerosol Group - Activities include research on airborne releases of mercury compounds, airborne mercury speciation, atmospheric deposition in mountainous terrain, atmospheric mercury cycling, biogeochemical cycling of mercury in northern wetlands, and development of laser-induced plasma spectroscopy for continuous multielemental emission monitoring.
Aerodyne Research, Inc. - Aerodyne Research - Environmental air quality
Aerosol group, Biological Sciences, University of Essex - Research into airborne particles in atmospheric processes, photochemical oxidants, atmospheric modelling, urban air quality and air quality management.
Meta Description: [ This department offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in and
undertakes research in Biological Sciences, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, marine and Freshwater Biology, Biochemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine,
Cell and Molecular Biology, Sports and Exercise Science, Sports... ]
Aerosols and Heterogeneous Chemistry in the Atmosphere (AIDA) - Atmospheric Aerosol Research Department, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK), Research Centre Karlsruhe.
American Association for Aerosol Research - Conference information, newsletter, awards, events and member directory of nonprofit professional organization for scientists and engineers.
Meta Description: [ The American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) is a nonprofit professional organization for scientists and engineers who wish to promote and communicate technical advances in the field of aerosol research. ]
AmeriFlux - Long-term CO2 flux measurements of the Americas - Long-term measurements of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy exchange through the eddy covariance technique from different ecosystems integrated into consistent, quality assured, and fully documented data sets.
Meta Description: [ The AmeriFlux network, established in 1996, provides continuous observations of ecosystem level exchanges of C02, water, energy and momentum spanning diurnal, synoptic, seasonal, and interannual time scales. ]
ARB Lidar Facility - NASA Langley Research Center aerosol lidar studies within the Lidar applications group.
ATMOS User Center - AUC provides the European atmospheric satellite data user community with direct and easy access to measurements and derived data products from satellite based sensors.
Meta Description: [ WDC-RSAT ]
Atmospheric Chemistry Air Quality Glossary - Definitions in this glossary were initially generated by the students in a senior level class studying air quality and atmospheric chemistry at Sam Houston State University during the spring of 1995
Meta Description: [ Words and phrases used in atmospheric chemistry and environmental studies ]
Atmospheric Chemistry and Biogenic Emissions Research Group, University of Lancaster - research into the occurrence and behaviour of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere.
Meta Description: [ Lancaster University IENS - Biosphere-atmosphere interactions research group ]
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP) Journal - An international scientific journal dedicated to the publication and discussion of high quality studies investigating the Earth's atmosphere and the underlying chemical and physical processes.
Atmospheric Chemistry International Research Site (AIRSITE) - A focal point for information on atmospheric chemistry research taking place around the world
Meta Description: [ School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds. Information for prospective and current staff and students. ]
Atmospheric Chemistry Program (U.S. DOE) - Research into regional and continental chemistry and the fate of tropospheric air pollutants, extracontinental and global chemistry and the fate of tropospheric air pollutants, and aerosol genesis.
Atmospheric Chemistry Studies in the Oceanic Environment (ACSOE) - UK NERC Thematic Research Programme to investigate the chemistry of the lower atmosphere (0 - 12 km) over the oceans. The studies aim to bring about a clearer understanding of natural processes in the remote marine atmosphere, and how these processes are affected by atmospheric pollution originating from the continents.
Atmospheric Sciences Division - Atmospheric Sciences Division of Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. 30 scientists working mainly in atmospheric chemistry, the site provides links to personnel, publications, and research activities.
Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Experiment (ATMOS) - ATMOS is an infrared spectrometer (a Fourier transform interferometer) that is designed to study the chemical composition of the atmosphere from space.
British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC) - The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) designated data centre for the Atmospheric Sciences in the United Kingdom.
Meta Description: [ Assisting atmospheric researchers to locate, access and interpret atmospheric data, ensuring the integrity of the atmospheric data produced by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). ]
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Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station - The station, which the Bureau of Meteorology operates jointly with CSIRO Atmospheric Research, is a highly sophisticated, world-class facility. It supplies vital information about changes to the atmospheric composition of the Southern Hemisphere.
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) - Global-change data and information analysis for the US Department of Energy (DOE). Compiles and maintains extensive international data sets on atmospheric chemistry, particularly atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane other radiatively active gases.
Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry (CAC) - At the University of York, Ontario, CAC was formed to foster cooperative research in atmospheric chemistry, to take a leading role in Canada in the education of a new generation of qualified atmospheric chemists, and to provide a communications link between York atmospheric chemists and the national and international atmospheric chemistry community.
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Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Cambridge - A joint venture between the Departments of Chemistry and Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics in the University of Cambridge.
Meta Description: [ The Centre for Atmospheric Science is a joint venture between the Departments of Chemistry,
Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and Geography at the University of Cambridge, UK ]
Collaboratory for Atmospheric Science and Technology (CAST) - Aim of group is to promote interaction and collaboration between UK atmospheric scientists. Page includes related news, workspaces, list of current users, conference links and a user-friendly interface to an atmospheric trajectory model.
Creative Methods - US Air Quality Gradebook, which grades US counties A-F on 20 EPA measures of air quality.
Meta Description: [ 'Outside the box' perspective for fundamental issues, as in US Air Quality Gradebook, which grades US counties A-F on 21 EPA measures of air quality. ]
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CSIRO atmospheric research into greenhouse gases - Air samples are analysed in the CSIRO Global Atmospheric Sampling Laboratory (GASLAB), the most sophisticated of its type in the southern hemisphere. Results from GASLAB help us determine where greenhouse gases are coming from and what happens to them once they reach the atmosphere.
deMontigny, David - The site identifies David's research areas (carbon dioxide absorption), experience, and personal interests.
Meta Description: [ Carbon Dioxide is David deMontigny's area of study. ]
EMEP - Co-operative programme for the monitoring and evaluation of the long range transmission of air pollutants in Europe.
Meta Description: [ Co-operative programme for
monitoring and evaluation of the long range
transmission of air pollutants in Europe ]
EUROTRAC-2 - The EUREKA atmospheric environmental project on the Transport and Chemical Transformation of Environmentally Relevant Trace Constituents in the Troposphere over Europe.
Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Aerosol Program at the Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) - The Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Program of the WMO at the Jungfraujoch High-Alpine Research Station (3580 m asl), Switzerland, provides measurements for better understanding of the climate forcing by aerosol particles.
Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) - GTE is primarily an aircraft-based program supplemented by ground-based measurements and satellite observations and aims to understand the chemical processes in the troposphere on a global scale.
Meta Description: [ The Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth project, examining, through airborne field campaigns, the natural and human factors affecting global tropospheric chemistry. ]
Institute for Atmospheric Science - Information about research and academics.
Meta Description: [ ETH Zuerich ]
Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Lower and Upper Atmosphere (FISBAT-CNR) - Research activities include cloud physics and chemistry, aerosol chemistry and physics, wet and 'occult' deposition, and urban pollution.
International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project - Aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of the processes determining atmospheric composition, understanding interactions between atmospheric chemical composition and physical, biospheric and climatic processes, and to predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic forcings on the chemical composition of the atmosphere.
Jürgen M. Lobert - A site for atmospheric chemistry and earth science. J.M. Lobert's projects, publications, data and personal information and links for further studies.
Meta Description: [ A collection of data, results, publications, art work and personal information of Jürgen Lobert ]
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MACAWS, an Airborne Coherent Doppler Laser Radar (Lidar) for Wind and Aerosol Backscatter Measurement - Remote sensing of winds and aerosols using a coherent doppler lidar instrument on a NASA DC-8 research aircraft.
Meta Description: [ Remote sensing of winds and aerosols using a coherent doppler lidar instrument on a NASA DC-8 research aircraft. ]
Mauna Loa Atmospheric CO2 data - Time series record of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Michigan Aerospace Corporation - Lidar based weather sensing systems and optical air data systems.
Meta Description: [ Michigan Aerospace Corporation specializes in Astronautics, Defense Avionics, and Commercial Remote Sensing. We also offer an array of specialized products and engineering services. ]
NASA Ames Research Center, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch - Research is focused on the chemical and transport processes that determine atmospheric composition, dynamics, and climate, including man-made perterbations to those processes.
NASA Langley Atmospheric Sciences Data Center - The NASA Langley Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) archives and distributes data relating to Radiation Budget, Clouds, Aerosols, and Troposheric Chemistry.
Meta Description: [ The NASA Langley Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) archives and distributes data relating to Radiation Budget, Clouds, Aerosols, and Troposheric Chemistry. ]
National Center for Atmospheric Research Atmospheric Chemistry Division - The overall scientific goal of ACD is to identify and quantify the natural and anthropogenic processes that regulate the chemical composition of the troposphere and middle atmosphere and to assess future changes caused by human activities.
Meta Description: [ Atmospheric Chemistry Division (ACD) at NCAR ]
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NCAR Postdoctoral Appointments in Atmospheric Research - The National Center for Atmospheric Research postdoctoral program provides an opportunity for talented scientists who have recently received their Ph.D.s to continue to pursue their research interests and to develop expertise in new areas.
Ozone Production in the Upper Troposphere and the Influence of Aircraft During SONEX - Approach of NOx-saturated conditions.
Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory, Atmospheric Chemistry - Atmospheric chemistry and global change research at the Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory of NOAA. Details of research programmes and data server are given.
Pollution from Aircraft Emissions in the North Atlantic Flight Corridor (POLINAT-II) - Measurements and analysis of the relative contribution from air traffic exhaust emissions to the composition of the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere at altitudes between 9 and 13 km within and near the flight corridor over the North Atlantic.
SASS Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment (SONEX) - The impact of subsonic aircraft emissions on tropospheric NOx and ozone budgets that focus on upper tropospheric chemistry and are acknowledged to be limited with respect to treatment of transport and the tropospheric NOx budget.
Sentex Systems,inc. - Specialists for MTBE monitoring, voc monitoring, gas chromatographs, portable and online gas chromatography instruments featuring purge and trap technology, air and water monitoring and volatile organic compound analyzers.
Meta Description: [ INFICON Chemical Identification Systems detect chemical agents and toxic materials in air, soil and water. ]
Singh, Hanwant B. - Information about atmospheric chemistry research and the journal Atmospheric Environment.
Meta Description: [ Dr. Hanwant Singh, an AGU fellow, leads a group of atmospheric scientists at NASA Ames Research Center and is the Executive Editor of the international journal Atmospheric Environment. ]
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry - Laser spectroscopy and computational chemistry for investigations of atmospheric chemistry - site by Ted Dibble.
Meta Description: [ Dr. Dibble conducts research into fundamental atmospheric photochemical processes using electronic spectroscopy and quantum chemistry, and teaches courses in Physical Chemistry and Atmospheric Chemistry ]
The Aerosol Society - Events, awards, background information and history of aerosols in the United Kingdom.
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University of Miami, Division of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry - Carries out broadly based research on the chemistry of marine waters and the marine atmosphere, and maintains a high-quality well-rounded graduate program leading to the MS and Ph.D. degrees.
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University of New Hampshire, Global Atmospheric Chemistry Group - A multidisciplinary group of researchers concerned with understanding the fundamental factors (both natural and anthropogenic) which determine the chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere. Major research interests include quantifying and modeling emissions of atmospheric trace gases from global energy production and use, large-scale agroecosystems, tundra and boreal forest ecosystems, and tropical areas subject to deforestation.
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University of Regina, Faculty of Engineering - Research in high efficiency separation process technologies for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal from industrial sources at the Process Systems Laboratory, University of Regina.
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Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences - A collaboration among academic, government and private sector atmospheric scientists involved in regional atmospheric modelling, remote sensing and atmospheric aerosol studies.
Meta Description: [ The University of Waterloo's Faculty of Science. ]
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