Aerodyne scientist joins the POLAR-CHANGE campaign headed to Antarctica
Dr. Leah Williams is joining scientists from Spain, France, South Africa, South Korea, and the UK for the POLAR-CHANGE Campaign. The study, led by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (Institute for Marine Science) in Barcelona, Spain, will be aboard the Spanish vessel Hesperides. The team heads for the waters of Antarctica, embarking on February 15th from Punta Arenas, Chile.
The ship will tour the waters above Marambio Station, Antarctica during February and March. Principal Investigators Manuel dall’Osto and Rafael Simo, both of whom hail from Spain, will lead the expedition.
The international team will be studying new particle formation over the sea near Antarctica. The key scientific questions involve investigating the sources of gas-phase chemicals that react in the atmosphere to form new particles. These new particles can grow and cause cloud formation which then impact the radiative properties of the planet. The ship has approximately a dozen mass spectrometers on board to characterize a broad range of gas and particle phase species. There will also be groups measuring the properties of seawater, marine organisms, and sea spray aerosol particles.
Dr. Williams plans to fly back from Antarctica on March 17th (weather permitting).
Dr. Williams’ research interests center on the atmospheric chemistry of aerosol particles. She is involved in the development of the Aerodyne AMS to allow for the improved detection and quantification of particle-phase organic compounds. She has extensive experience in the laboratory measurement of heterogeneous reaction rates on surfaces representative of atmospheric particulate matter.
BIO Hespérides (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel, built by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena, Spain in 1990. Hespérides performs research voyages and services research bases in Antarctica, including the Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base.
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Dr. Leah Williams
Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology