During her PhD studies, Jane Tygesen Skønager researched the properties of fresh and aged coastal aerosols. Aerosols are tiny particles in the air, for example emitted directly from the oceans or formed through gas-to-particle conversion reactions in the atmosphere from volatile organic precursors. The project combined laboratory experiments and field campaigns at coastal sites in Denmark and Sweden. Laboratory experiments in an atmospheric simulation chamber investigated how interactions with organic compounds alter the properties of salt particles. Additional experiments focused on the aerosolization of marine microorganisms including bacteria and microalgae. Field campaigns provided real-world data on coastal aerosols and their sources.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of sources, transformation, and variability of marine aerosols. This knowledge is essential for reducing uncertainties in their role in climate models and for assessing their impact on air quality in coastal regions.

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

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, November 14, 2025 at 13:15
Place: Building 1514 room 213 (Auditorium I), Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Properties of Fresh and Aged Marine Aerosols: Insights from Laboratory and Field Measurements
Contact information: Jane Tygesen Skønager, e-mail: jane@chem.au.dk, tel.: +45 21328019
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Hugh Coe, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Associate Professor Gloria Titos, University of Granada, Spain
Associate Professor Tobias Weidner (chair), Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Professor Merete Bilde, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor: Assistent Professor Bernadette Rosati, BOKU University, Austria
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