Atmospheric Scientists at the University of Wyoming will soon have access to a mobile laboratory that will help them conduct advanced research into ozone pollution and other air quality issues.
Rob Field is a researcher in the Atmospheric Science Department. He says only a handful of universities have equipment this sophisticated.
“This facility will put us on a par with other top tier institutions like Carnegie Mellon, Cal Tech, UT Austin,” Field said. “And it will really bring a new dimension to what we can actually do, compared to what we’ve been able to do in the past.”
Ozone, or smog, has been a problem around the Pinedale Anticline gas fields for several years, and the new lab could help scientists determine exactly how ozone is formed, and which facilities are causing the worst emissions.
The facility can also be used to study air quality associated with forest fires, roadways and other issues.
The lab is the brainchild of Shane Murphy, an associate professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science. It should be up and running in October.