Modeling aerosols in the atmosphere — understanding the complex chemistry of the vital contributors to climate change

During his PhD studies, Georg Baadsgaard Trolle researched tiny particles in the air known as aerosols. These particles play a crucial role in shaping our climate, but they can also pose risks to human health. To better understand them, Georg Baadsgaard Trolle investigated how stable aerosols are once they form in the atmosphere. As aerosols are incredibly complex, he focused on simpler building blocks called molecular clusters—small groups made up of organic acids, water, and ions. By studying these clusters, he was able to examine how organic acids may actively drive the formation and growth of aerosols.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of how aerosols develop in the atmosphere, starting from just a few molecules and growing into larger particles. This improved understanding brings us a step closer to predicting how aerosols influence both climate and air quality.

The PhD study was completed at Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: 26 June 2026 at 13:00.
Place: Building 1514, room 213, Auditorium I, Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C.
Title of PhD thesis: Modeling Aerosol Particles with Quantum Chemistry.
Contact information: Georg Baadsgaard Trolle, e-mail: georgbt@chem.au.dk, tel.: +45 29 44 89 02.
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Céline Toubin, Laboratory of Physics of Lasers, Atoms, and Molecules, University of Lille, France.
Professor Kurt V. Mikkelsen, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Professor Marianne Glasius (chair), Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Main supervisor: Associate Professor Jonas Elm, Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English.

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.