Welcome to the Pratt Lab blog! Dr. Kerri Pratt is an assistant professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Earth & Environmental Sciences and faculty associate of the Program in the Environment at the University of Michigan. We study the chemical interactions of atmospheric trace gases, particles, clouds, and snow, with a focus on the Polar Regions and wintertime environments. Our interdisciplinary research has relevance to climate change, air quality, and human health. As an analytical chemistry lab, we primarily apply novel mass spectrometry techniques to our field research. We invite you to follow our adventures in (and outside!) the lab!

Friday, July 15, 2016

A view from above (aircraft sampling in northern Michigan!!!)

After some hard work and a lot of help from our collaborators at Purdue (thank you Brian!), the aircraft installation was completed, and our instruments were ready for flights this week. I've been enjoying scenic northern Michigan from the ground and the sky above UMBS while conducting some exciting experiments to study the chemistry over the Great Lakes, the forest canopy, and even within clouds!

Dr. Paul Shepson (our pilot for the campaign - Thank you!!) and I on our first flight!
From this vantage point, we have the best view of the PROPHET and AmeriFlux towers that are part of the AMOS study at UMBS
Flying low over Lake Michigan also provided some nice views, at the price of a very bumpy flight!

When Sarah, a student from Purdue, was flying, I got some great photos of ALAR passing right over the field site
Collecting cloud water is a challenging task that involves sticking a plastic tube out the top of the plane, so I had lots of practice on the ground beforehand!
Right here, we're flying under the clouds we're about to sample. It can take over an hour to collect several milliliters of cloud water, so patience and a steady stomach are a must for the long, bumpy flight!
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