Kenneth L. Demerjian

Atmospheric Chemistry

 

Ray Falconer Endowed Chair
Professor and Director Atmospheric Sciences Research Center
Office: Earth Science 216 & CESTM L119
Phone: (518) 442-4557 / 437-8705

kld@asrc.cestm.albany.edu

B.A. (Chemistry), 1968, Northeastern University
M.S. (Physical Chemistry), 1970, The Ohio State University
Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry), 1973, The Ohio State University

Research Interests
The study of gas phase and aerosol chemistry of the troposphere and related field and laboratory measurements to elucidate the chemical kinetic and mechanistic studies of atmospheric oxidation processes effecting air quality.

The major theme of my research involves the study of chemical and physical processes affecting the fate of anthropogenic and biogenic emissions and their impact on air quality and global cycles of trace atmospheric constituents. These processes are critical to our understanding of the "chemical climate" and the development of air quality forecast modeling systems in support of effective air quality mitigation strategies on local, regional and global scales.

Current research programs relate to laboratory and field studies of the chemical composition and associated reaction processes contributing to the oxidizing capacity and primary and secondary particle formation in the atmosphere (http://www.asrc.cestm.albany.edu/pmtacsny/) and the implementation and evaluation of an air quality forecast modeling system utilizing this evolving knowledge (http://aqfms.asrc.cestm.albany.edu/aqfms.html) . These studies have direct implications on the formation of photochemical oxidants/ozone, aerosols and other chemical species capable of modifying the radiative transfer (light absorbing and scattering) properties of the atmosphere and environmental air quality.

Research activities include: 1) the development and evaluation of instrumentation and analytical methods for the measurement of trace atmospheric constituents and the physical and chemical characteristics of particulate matter; 2) field measurements of photochemical oxidants, particulate matter and associated precursor species at Whiteface Mountain and Pinnacle State Park, NY and select sites in New York city to study and elucidate atmospheric chemical transformation mechanisms; 3) diagnostic analysis and evaluation of air quality forecast models and associated processes using laboratory and field measurement data; and 4) the study of the chemical kinetic and mechanistic pathways of elementary atmospheric reactions, gas to particle transformation, and the development of reaction mechanisms of polluted and clean atmospheres.

Selected Publications

Weimer, S., F. Drewnick, O. Hogrefe, J. J. Schwab, K. Rhoads, D. Orsini, M. Canagaratna, D. R. Worsnop, K. L. Demerjian, Size-Selective Non Refractory Ambient Aerosol Measurements during the PMTACS-NY 2004 Winter Intensive in New York City, J. Geophys. Res. 2006 (accepted).

 

Li, Y., J. J. Schwab, and K. L. Demerjian, Measurements of ambient ammonia using a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer: Characteristics of ambient ammonia emissions in an urban area of New York City, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D10S02, doi:10.1029/2005JD006275, 2006.

 

Schwab, J.J., H.D. Felton, O.V. Rattigan, and K.L. Demerjian, New York State Urban and Rural Measurements of Continuous PM2.5 Mass by FDMS TEOM and BAM J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 56:372-383, 2006.

 

Ren, X. W.H. Brune, A. Oliger, A.R. Metcalf, J. B. Simpas, T. Shirley, J. J. Schwab, C. Bai, U. Roychowdhury, Y. Li, C. Cai, K. L. Demerjian, Y. He, X. Zhou, H. Gao, and J. Hou, OH, HO2 and OH Reactivity during the PMTACS–NY Whiteface Mountain 2002 Campaign: Observations and Model Comparison, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D10S03, doi:10.1029/2005JD006126, 2006.

 

Shorter, J.J, S.C. Herndon, M. S. Zahniser, D. D. Nelson, J. Wormhoudt, K.L. Demerjian, C. E. Kolb,  Real-time Measurements of Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from In-use New York City Transit Buses using a Chase Vehicle, Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 7991-8000, 2005.

 

Herndon, S.C., J.H. Shorter, M. S. Zahniser, J. Wormhoudt, D. D. Nelson, K. L. Demerjian and C. E. Kolb, Real-time Measurements of SO2, H2CO and CH4 Emissions from in-use Curbside Passenger Buses in New York City using a Chase Vehicle, Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 7984-7990, 2005.

 

Canagaratna, M. J., J. T. Jayne, D. Ghertner, S. Herndon, Q. Shi, J. L. Jimenez , P.J. Silva, P. Williams, T. Lanni, F. Drewnick, K. L. Demerjian, C. Kolb, D. Worsnop, Chase Studies of Particulate Emissions from in-use New York City Vehicles, Aerosol Science & Technology, 38, 555-573, 2004.

 

Drewnick, F., J.J. Schwab, J.T. Jayne, M. Canagaratna, D.R. Worsnop and K.L. Demerjian, Measurement of ambient aerosol composition during the PMTACS-NY 2001 using an aerosol mass spectrometer. Part I: Mass concentrations, Aerosol Science and Technology, 38(SI):92-103, 2004.

 

Drewnick, F., J.T. Jayne, M. Canagaratna, D.R. Worsnop and K.L. Demerjian, Measurement of ambient aerosol composition during the PMTACS-NY 2001 using an aerosol mass spectrometer.  Part II: Chemically speciated mass distributions, Aerosol Science and Technology, 38(SI):104-117, 2004.

 

Hogrefe, O., F. Drewnick, G.G. Lala, J.J. Schwab and K.L. Demerjian, Development, operation and applications of an aerosol generation, calibration and research facility, New instruments and data inversion methods, Aerosol Science and Technology, 38(S1):196-214, 2004.

 

Drewnick, F., J.J. Schwab, O. Hogrefe, S. Peters, L. Husain, D. Diamond, R. Weber and K.L. Demerjian,  Intercomparison and evaluation of four semi-continuous PM2.5 sulfate instruments, Atmos. Env. 37, 3335-3350, 2003.

 

Ren X., H. Harder, M. Martinez, R.L. Lesher, A. Oliger, J.B. Simpas, W.H. Brune, J.J. Schwab, K.L. Demerjian, Y. He, X. Zhou and H.Gao, OH and HO2 chemistry in the urban atmosphere of New York City, Atmospheric Environment, 37, 3639-3651, 2003.      

 

Kroll, J.H., N.M. Donahue, V.J. Cee, K.L. Demerjian and J.G. Anderson, Gas-Phase Ozonolysis of Alkenes: Formation of OH from Anti Carbonyl Oxides, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, 29, 8518-8519, 2002.

 

Sprengnether, M., K.L. Demerjian, N.M. Donahue, and J.G. Anderson, Product analysis of the OH oxidation of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene in the presence of NO, J. Geophys. Res., 107, D15, ACH8-1-ACH8-13, 2002.

 

Kroll, J.H., T.F. Hanisco, N.M. Donahue, K.L. Demerjian and J.G. Anderson, Accurate direct measurement of OH yields from gas-phase ozone-alkene reactions using an in situ LIF instrument, Geophys. Res. Ltrs., 28, 20, 3863-3866, 2001.

 

Kroll, J.H., S.R. Sahay, J.G. Anderson, N.M. Donahue and K.L. Demerjian, Mechanism of HOx formation in the gas-phase ozone-alkene reaction. 2. Prompt versus thermal dissociation of carbonyl oxides to form OH, J. Phys. Chem. A, 105, No. 18, , 4446-4457, 2001.

 

Kroll, J.H., J.S. Clarke, N.M. Donahue, J.G. Anderson and K.L. Demerjian, Mechanism of HOx formation in the gas-phase ozone-alkene reaction. 1. Direct, pressure-dependent measurements of prompt OH yields, J. Phys. Chem. A, 105, No. 9, 1554-1560, 2001.

 

Demerjian, K.L., A review of national monitoring networks in North America, Atmospheric Environment, 34, 1861-1884, 2000.

 

Dransfield, T.J., K.K. Perkins, N.M. Donahue, J.G. Anderson, M.M. Sprengnether and K.L. Demerjian, Temperature and pressure dependent kinetics of the gas-phase reaction of the hydroxyl radical with nitrogen dioxide, Geophys. Res. Ltrs, 26, No. 6, 687-690, 1999.

 

Donahue, N.M., J.G. Anderson and K.L. Demerjian, New rate constants for ten OH alkane reactions from 300 to 400 K: An assessment of accuracy, J. Phys. Chem. A, 102, 3121-3126, 1998.

 

Donahue, N.M., J.H. Kroll, J.G. Anderson and K.L. Demerjian, Direct observations of OH production from the ozonolysis of olefins, Geophys. Res. Ltrs., 25, 1, 59-62, 1998.

 

Donahue, N.M., M.K. Dubey, R. Mohrschladt, K.L. Demerjian, and J.G. Anderson, High pressure flow study of the reactions OH + NOx –>HONOx : Errors in the falloff region, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 6153, 1997.

 

Gong, Q., and K.L. Demerjian, Measurement and analysis of C2-C10 hydrocarbons at Whiteface Mountain, New York, J. Geophys. Res., 102, No. D23, 28,059-28,069, 1997.

 

Donahue, N.M., J.S. Clarke, K.L. Demerjian, and J.G. Anderson, Free-radical kinetics at high pressure: A mathematical analysis of the flow reactor, J. Phys. Chem., 100, No. 14, 5821-5838, 1996.

 

Donahue, N.M., K.L. Demerjian, and J.G. Anderson, Reaction Modulation Spectroscopy: A new approach to quantifying reaction mechanisms, J. Phys. Chem, 100, 17,855-17,861, 1996.

 

Gong, Q., and K.L. Demerjian, Hydrocarbon losses on a regenerated Nafion dryer, J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc., 45, 490-493, 1995.

 

Roychowdhury, U.K., R.A. Lamica, and K.L. Demerjian, An inexpensive simple driver for an array of instrumentation systems, J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc., 44 , 707-709, 1994.

 

Jin, S., and K.L. Demerjian, A photochemical box model for urban air quality study, Atmos. Environ., Atmos. Environ., 27B, No. 4, 371-387, 1993.

 

Parrish, D.D., M.P. Buhr, M. Trainer, R.B. Norton, J.P. Shimshock, F.C. Fehsenfeld, K.G. Anlauf, J.W. Bottenheim, Y.Z. Tang, H.A. Wiebe, J.M. Roberts, R.L. Tanner, L. Newman, V.C. Bowersox, K.J. Olszyna, E.M. Bailey, M.O. Rodgers, T. Wang, H. Berresheim, U.K. Roychowdhury, and K.L. Demerjian, The total reactive oxidized nitrogen levels and the partitioning between the individual species at six rural sites in eastern North America, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 2927-2939, 1993.

Trainer, M., D.D. Parrish, M.P. Buhr, R.B. Norton, F.C. Fehsenfeld, K. G. Anlauf, J.W. Bottenheim, Y.Z. Tang, H.A. Wiebe, J.M. Roberts, R.L. Tanner, L. Newman, V.C. Bowersox, J.F. Meagher, K.J. Olszyna, M.O. Rodgers, T. Wang, H. Berresheim, K.L. Demerjian, and U.K. Roychowdhury, Correlation of ozone with NOy in photochemically aged air, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 2917-2925, 1993.