Seminar

Abstract

The NASA Aerosol Cloud meTeorology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE) produced a unique dataset for research into aerosol-cloud-meteorology interactions with applications extending from process-based studies to multi-scale model intercomparison and improvement, and remote sensing algorithm assessments and advancements. ACTIVATE used two NASA Langley Research Center aircraft, a HU-25 Falcon and King Air, to conduct systematic and spatially coordinated flights over the northwest Atlantic Ocean amounting to 162 joint flights and 17 other single-aircraft flights between 2020 and 2022 across all seasons. Data cover 574 and 592 cumulative flights hours for the Falcon and King Air, respectively. Collectively, simultaneous data collected from both aircraft help characterize the same vertical column of the atmosphere. This talk will discuss the design, planning, and complex execution of the mission, along with a survey of early results.

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Dr. Armin Sorooshian received his BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona and his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from Caltech. He then conducted a 1 year postdoctoral fellowship at NOAA in Boulder, Colorado through the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA). Subsequently, he began his faculty career in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Arizona in 2009, where he is now a University Distinguished Scholar. He specializes in field measurements relevant to aerosol-cloud interactions and has been involved with 15 airborne field projects since 2004, including 7 as the Principal Investigator. Armin is active in education and outreach, with several initiatives underway to empower underrepresented students in science and engineering. He has graduated 19 PhD students and been a recipient of numerous teaching recognitions at the university and national level.