Forecast Total Ozone

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Maintained by The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science

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Direct Questions and Comments to: helper@atmos.umd.edu

Created By Daniel Silversmith

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Atmospheric chemistry research at the University of Maryland is focused on quantification of the effect of human activity on atmospheric ozone and aerosols.  Interestingly, pollution leads to higher levels of tropospheric ozone (so-called “bad ozone”, because ozone in the lower atmosphere is harmful to human health and agriculture) and, at the same time, pollution also leads to reduced levels of stratospheric ozone (so-called “good ozone”, because ozone in the upper atmosphere protects life from harmful solar ultra-violet radiation).  Aerosols, particularly small size particles produced by combustion, pose a significant health risk, especially for children and the elderly.  Atmospheric aerosols are also important for the radiative forcing of climate: aerosols caused by pollution can either warm or cool the surface, depending on the composition and optical properties of the particles.


Below we provide real time information on surface ozone, aerosols composed of particles smaller than 2.5 micron diameter (PM2.5), and total column ozone (reflecting mainly the amount of ozone in the stratosphere) at College Park, Maryland.   The Air Quality Index and UV Index, which reflect the cleanliness of the air we breathe and the time it takes to sunburn, are given below.  These indices are derived from the geophysical parameters that are the focal point of our research.


Links are provided to animations of these parameters, as well as more information on the underlying science and contemporary regulatory issues.


Lists of resident and nonresident faculty, graduate students, and research topics for prospective graduate students are given at the bottom of this page.

UV Index

Current Surface Pressure Analysis

Resident Teaching and Research Faculty:


  1. Allen, Dale - Tropospheric chemistry

  2. Canty, Timothy - Stratospheric chemistry, air quality, and climate

  3. Carminati, Fabien - Satellite retrievals of atmospheric composition

  4. Dickerson, Russell - Chemistry of the atmosphere and its impacts on air quality, climate, and biogeochemical cycles

  5. He, Hao - Air quality

  6. Hudson, Robert - Atmospheric ozone and climate change

  7. Li, Zhanqing - Clouds, aerosols, and radiation

  8. Ren, Xinrong - Aircraft observations of tropospheric composition, numerical modeling of air quality

  9. Salawitch, Ross - Stratospheric chemsitry, air quality, climate, and global carbon cycle

  10. Stehr, Jeffrey -  Aircraft observations of tropospheric composition

  11. Warner, Juying -  Satellite retrievals of atmospheric composition

  12. Wei, Zigang - Satellite retrievals of atmospheric composition



  1. Adjunct Faculty:


  1. Burrows, John, University of Bremen - Remote sensing of atmospheric composition and climate

  2. Doddridge, Bruce, NASA Langley Research Center - Tropospheric photochemistry and climate change

  3. Thompson, Anne, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Tropospheric ozone and atmospheric transport

  4. DeCola, Philip, Sigma Space Corporation - Remote sensing of atmospheric, hydrospheric, and biospheric composition and climate

  5. Pickering, Kenneth, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Deep convection, lightning, and their effect on tropospheric chemistry



Faculty Colleagues in other departments at UMd who conduct research in atmospheric chemistry


  1. Ondov, John, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Urban aerosols: composition, distribution, source receptor relation, and risk assessment.

  2. Zachariah, Michael, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Aerosol and nanoparticle science, combustion, and impact of aerosols on climate change

  3. Sapkota, Amir, School of Public Health - Effects of air pollution on human health



Present Atmospheric Chemistry Graduate Students Supervised by AOSC Faculty:

  1. Student, Advisor(s)

  2. Anderson, Daniel, Dickerson

  3. Arkinson, Heather, Dickerson/Hanisco

  4. Carpenter, Samantha, Dickerson

  5. Brent, Lacey (Chem Dept), Dickerson

  6. Cummings, Kristin, Pickering/Allen

  7. Ding, Yanni, Li, Z.

  8. Flynn, Clare, Pickering

  9. Goldberg, Daniel, Dickerson

  10. Graham, Neal, Li, Z.

  11. Hembeck, Linda, Salawitch/Canty

  12. Hope, Austin, Salawitch/Canty

  13. Jongeward, Andrew, Li, Z.

  14. Kablick, Pat, Li, Z.

  15. Liaskos, Christina, Allen

  16. Mok, Jungbin, Li, Z.

  17. Nicely, Julie (Chem Dept), Salawitch/Canty

  18. Sawyer, Virginia, Li, Z.

  19. Ring, Allison, Pickering

  20. Wang, Jing, Allen

  21. Yorks, John, Dickerson

  22. Zheng, Yaoyao, Li, Z.

  23. Zheng, Youtong, Li, Z.



Potential Research Topics/Projects for Prospective Graduate Students:


  1. Air Quality Modeling

  2. CONTRAST: CONvective TRansport of Active Species in the Tropics

  3. East-AIRE (East Asian Study of Tropospheric Aerosols: an International Regional Experiment

  4. Field Measurements and Modeling of Local Air Quality: RAMMPP

  5. (Regional Atmospheric Measurement Modeling and Prediction Program)

  6. Global Carbon Cycle

  7. Nitrogen Oxide Production in Lightning

  8. Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Halogens and Ozone

  9. Remote Sensing of Stratosperic and Tropospheric Ozone

  10. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion and Recovery

  11. Thunderstorms and Air Pollution



Past Dissertations


  1. Atmospheric Chemistry Research Supervised by Professor Dickerson

  2. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, All Disciplines, Ph.D Degree

  3. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, All Disciplines, M.S. Degree



Courses Relevant to Atmospheric Chemistry:


  1. AOSC 433, Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate

  2. AOSC 620, Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere I (AOSC Core)

  3. AOSC 621, Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere II (AOSC Core)

  4. AOSC 637, Atmospheric Chemistry (Advanced)

  5. AOSC 652, Analysis Methods in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science

  6. CHEM 474, Environmental Chemistry

  7. Link to Official UMd Schedule of Classes

Maryland Air Quality Data

Further information:

Current Air Quality, MDE: http://www.mde.state.md.us/PROGRAMS/AIR/Pages/index.aspx

    Current Air Quality, Clean Air Partners: http://www.cleanairpartners.net/historical.cfm?pageView=Summary

    Current and Forecast Air Quality, Air Now: http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&cityid=76

Index