How is climate change impacting extreme air quality events in the Western United States? 

Over recent decades, wildfire activity across western North America has increased in concert with summertime air quality degradation.  At the same time climate change and land use are altering the landscape of the U.S. Great Plains, producing increases in windblown dust.  Our research uses satellite data combined with surface networks, coupled with modeling techniques, to demonstrate sources and trends in extreme air quality events.  The goal is to elucidate air quality impacts resulting from climate change, and help improve future predictions.