Research Projects

The atmosphere is composed of more than just the air we breathe; it is a dynamic mixture of billions of tiny particles known as aerosols. These minute particles that are floating freely in the air, ranging from dust and pollen to pollutants and sea salts, originate from a wide array of natural sources as well as anthropogenic activities. Though often invisible to naked eye, aerosols are omnipresent and have profound impact on climate, air quality, and public health. These particles can influence climate by altering cloud formation to limiting rainfall and disrupting earth’s energy balance. Their role in the climate is complex and dual-faceted and further they can have both cooling and warming effects by reflecting and absorbing the radiations that have rigorous impact on global warming and significantly impacting weather patterns. Moreover, aerosols can degrade air quality and represent a major threat to human health. They can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to a range of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, leading to millions of premature deaths each year. Despite the significant health risk associated with aerosols, the full extent of their impact remains insufficiently explored, further highlighting the urgency for research in this field. This research proposal aims to investigate the behavior of aerosols from varied primary sources including combustion, vehicle emission, trace gases and even engineered aerosols in the controlled environment chamber. This chamber-based studies will replicate the real-world conditions within the chamber to investigate their dynamic properties and formation of secondary aerosols, creates through reaction between primary aerosols and gases like, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxide, sulfate oxides and other toxic substances. The proposed project will be helpful to know the the effects of meteorological parameters on the hygroscopic properties and growth behavior of engineered aerosols, that depends on their size, composition, distribution and properties. This study aims to fill the gaps in current aerosol research and will provide actionable data that will refine climate models, and help to develop strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of aerosol pollution. The outcomes of proposed project will advance our understanding of climate forecasting models, offering better predictions of aerosol impacts on climate and weather patterns. Furthermore, the knowledge gained from this project will also guide the development of effective public health policies, offering critical information on limiting harmful exposure to vulnerable population. Ultimately, this research will bridge the gap between theoretical models and real-world impacts, offering tangible solutions to both the climate crisis and the growing health threats posed by aerosol pollution, ensuring cleaner air, improved public health outcome, and more effective climate change mitigation efforts.