AOSC Seminar by Dr. Roisin Commane, 10/15/2020

AOSC Seminar

Dr. Roisin Commane

Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University

Title: Changing atmospheric composition in New York City during the COVID-19 shutdown

Abstract:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York ordered state-wide closures of all non-
essential businesses in March 2020. On-road transportation and economic activity were
dramatically reduced in the New York City metro area. Fortuitously, we began measuring CO2,
CH4 and CO at an observatory in Manhattan in January 2020 and have continued through the
lockdown. I will present a preliminary analysis of the changes we have seen in the atmospheric
composition of New York City and discuss the possible causes of these changes. 

Bio:
Róisín is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont-
Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, where her group examines multidisciplinary
questions drawing together observations and modeling of atmospheric chemistry and transport
with terrestrial ecology. Her recent research has focussed on the remote atmosphere (as part of
NASA ATom), Arctic ecosystems (through NASA ABoVE), carbonyl sulfide in mid latitude
forests and New York's emissions of carbon and other pollutants. She obtained her PhD from
University of Leeds, UK in atmospheric chemistry and was a postdoc and Research Associate
at Harvard University 2009-2018.

Contact: Ross Salawitch

AOSC Seminar

Pre-seminar refreshment: N/A
Seminar: 3:30-4:30pm, Zoom
Meet-the-Speaker: 4:30-5:00pm, Zoom [For AOSC Students only]

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