Volatile terpenes emitted from the world’s forests play a significant role in the formation of atmospheric aerosol particles, which in turn influence climate, air quality, and human health through a variety of direct and indirect mechanisms. Despite the importance of these aerosol particles, they remain poorly understood and continue to contribute the largest uncertainty to estimates of total radiative forcing. This lecture will describe efforts within my lab towards the synthesis of putative biogenic terpene-derived constituents of atmospheric aerosol particles in order to confirm their identities and explore their climate relevant physical properties. Recent advances in the synthesis of isotopically-labeled pinene derivatives that are driving collaborative investigations into the complex oxidation pathways of terpenes in the atmosphere will also be presented.


Regan Thomson (Northwestern)