Dr. Robin Lewis Modini

Modini_Robin.jpg

Scientist

Paul Scherrer Institute
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
Telephone
+41 56 310 57 31


  • Health effects of black carbon, metal, and organic aerosols (SNF project)
  • Measurement and modeling of aerosol optical properties, with a particular focus on absorbing aerosols (ACTRIS, EUROCHAMP, EMPIR Black Carbon)
  • Characterization of black carbon particles with the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) (ACTRIS, EUROCHAMP, EMPIR Black Carbon)
  • Field measurements of aerosols and clouds (e.g. AC/BC project: Black carbon measurements in the air and clouds at Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard)
  • Measurement of aerosol-cloud interactions
  • Sea spray and other marine aerosols
  • Corbin JC, Modini RL, Gysel-Beer M
    Mechanisms of soot-aggregate restructuring and compaction
    Aerosol Science and Technology. 2023; 57(2): 89-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2022.2137385
    DORA PSI
  • Bianchi F, Sinclair VA, Aliaga D, Zha Q, Scholz W, Wu C, et al.
    The SALTENA experiment. Comprehensive observations of aerosol sources, formation, and processes in the South American Andes
    Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 2022; 103(2): E212-E229. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0187.1
    DORA PSI
  • Boiger R, Modini RL, Moallemi A, Degen D, Adelmann A, Gysel-Beer M
    Retrieval of aerosol properties from in situ, multi-angle light scattering measurements using invertible neural networks
    Journal of Aerosol Science. 2022; 163: 105977 (20 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2022.105977
    DORA PSI
  • Moallemi A, Modini RL, Lapyonok T, Lopatin A, Fuertes D, Dubovik O, et al.
    Information content and aerosol property retrieval potential for different types of in situ polar nephelometer data
    Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 2022; 15(19): 5619-5642. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5619-2022
    DORA PSI
  • Pasquier JT, David RO, Freitas G, Gierens R, Gramlich Y, Haslett S, et al.
    The Ny-Ålesund aerosol cloud experiment (NASCENT): overview and first results
    Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 2022; 103(11): E2533-E2558. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0034.1
    DORA PSI
  • Tatzelt C, Henning S, Welti A, Baccarini A, Hartmann M, Gysel-Beer M, et al.
    Circum-Antarctic abundance and properties of CCN and INPs
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2022; 22(14): 9721-9745. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9721-2022
    DORA PSI
  • Baccarini A, Dommen J, Lehtipalo K, Henning S, Modini RL, Gysel‐Beer M, et al.
    Low‐volatility vapors and new particle formation over the Southern Ocean during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition
    Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres. 2021; 126(22): e2021JD035126 (25 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035126
    DORA PSI
  • Ess MN, Bertò M, Irwin M, Modini RL, Gysel-Beer M, Vasilatou K
    Optical and morphological properties of soot particles generated by the miniCAST 5201 BC generator
    Aerosol Science and Technology. 2021; 55(7): 828-847. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2021.1901847
    DORA PSI
  • Landwehr S, Volpi M, Haumann FA, Robinson CM, Thurnherr I, Ferracci V, et al.
    Exploring the coupled ocean and atmosphere system with a data science approach applied to observations from the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition
    Earth System Dynamics. 2021; 12(4): 1295-1369. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1295-2021
    DORA PSI
  • Moallemi A, Landwehr S, Robinson C, Simó R, Zamanillo M, Chen G, et al.
    Sources, occurrence and characteristics of fluorescent biological aerosol particles measured over the pristine Southern Ocean
    Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres. 2021; 126(11): e2021JD034811 (24 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD034811
    DORA PSI
  • Modini RL, Corbin JC, Brem BT, Irwin M, Bertò M, Pileci RE, et al.
    Detailed characterization of the CAPS single-scattering albedo monitor (CAPS PMssa) as a field-deployable instrument for measuring aerosol light absorption with the extinction-minus-scattering method
    Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 2021; 14(2): 819-851. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-819-2021
    DORA PSI
  • Moschos V, Gysel-Beer M, Modini RL, Corbin JC, Massabò D, Costa C, et al.
    Source-specific light absorption by carbonaceous components in the complex aerosol matrix from yearly filter-based measurements
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2021; 21(17): 12809-12833. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12809-2021
    DORA PSI
  • Pileci RE, Modini RL, Bertò M, Yuan J, Corbin JC, Marinoni A, et al.
    Comparison of co-located refractory black carbon (rBC) and elemental carbon (EC) mass concentration measurements during field campaigns at several European sites
    Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 2021; 14(2): 1379-1403. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1379-2021
    DORA PSI
  • Wang H, He C, Modini RL, Wang W, Lu H, Morawska L
    Mixing state of printer generated ultrafine particles: implications for the complexity of indoor aerosols
    Atmospheric Environment. 2021; 259: 118550 (9 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2021.118550
    DORA PSI
  • Yuan J, Modini RL, Zanatta M, Herber AB, Müller T, Wehner B, et al.
    Variability in the mass absorption cross section of black carbon (BC) aerosols is driven by BC internal mixing state at a central European background site (Melpitz, Germany) in winter
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2021; 21(2): 635-655. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-635-2021
    DORA PSI
  • Cravigan LT, Mallet MD, Vaattovaara P, Harvey MJ, Law CS, Modini RL, et al.
    Sea spray aerosol organic enrichment, water uptake and surface tension effects
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2020; 20(13): 7955-7977. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7955-2020
    DORA PSI
  • Motos G, Corbin JC, Schmale J, Modini RL, Bertò M, Kupiszewski P, et al.
    Black carbon aerosols in the lower free troposphere are heavily coated in summer but largely uncoated in winter at Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps
    Geophysical Research Letters. 2020; 47(14): e2020GL088011 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088011
    DORA PSI
  • Osmont D, Brugger S, Gilgen A, Weber H, Sigl M, Modini RL, et al.
    Tracing devastating fires in Portugal to a snow archive in the Swiss Alps: a case study
    Cryosphere. 2020; 14(11): 3731-3745. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3731-2020
    DORA PSI
  • Motos G, Schmale J, Corbin JC, Modini RL, Karlen N, Bertò M, et al.
    Cloud droplet activation properties and scavenged fraction of black carbon in liquid-phase clouds at the high-alpine research station Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.)
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2019; 19(6): 3833-3855. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3833-2019
    DORA PSI
  • Schmale J, Baccarini A, Thurnherr I, Henning S, Efraim A, Regayre L, et al.
    Overview of the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition: study of preindustrial-like aerosols and their climate effects (ACE-SPACE)
    Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 2019; 100: 2260-2283. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0187.1
    DORA PSI

Modini, R. L. and Takahama, S. Sampling strategies and post-processing methods for increasing the time resolution of organic aerosol measurements requiring long sample-collection times Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 2016; 9(7), 3337–3354, doi:10.5194/amt-9-3337-2016

Sanchez, K. J., Russell, L. M., Modini, R. L., Frossard, A. A., Ahlm, L., et al. Meteorological and Aerosol Effects on Marine Cloud Microphysical Properties Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 2016; 2015JD024595, doi:10.1002/2015JD024595.

Modini, R. L., Frossard, A. A., Ahlm, L, Russell, L. M., Corrigan, C.E., et al. Primary-marine-aerosol-cloud interactions off the coast of California Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 2015; 10.1002/2014JD022963.

Allen, H. M., Draper, D. C., Ayres, B. R., Ault, A., Bondy, A., Takahama, S., et al. Influence of crustal dust and sea spray supermicron particle concentrations and acidity on inorganic NO3-aerosol during the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2015; 15(18), 10669–10685.

Schroder, J. C., Hanna, S. J., Modini, R. L., Corrigan, A. L., et al. Size-resolved observations of refractory black carbon particles in cloud droplets at a marine boundary layer site Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2015; 15(3), 1367–1383.

Cravigan, L. T., Ristovski, Z., Modini, R. L., Keywood, M. D. and Gras, J. L. Observation of sea-salt fraction in sub-100 nm diameter particles at Cape Grim Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 2015; 2014JD022601.

Zhao, R., Lee, A. K. Y., Wentzell, J. J. B., Mcdonald, A. M., et al. Cloud partitioning of isocyanic acid (HNCO) and evidence of secondary source of HNCO in ambient air Geophysical Research Letters. 2014; 41(19), 6962–6969.

Collins, D. B., Zhao, D. F., Ruppel, M. J., Laskina, O., et al. Direct aerosol chemical composition measurements to evaluate the physicochemical differences between controlled sea spray aerosol generation schemes Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 2014; 7(11), 3667–3683.

Meskhidze, N., Petters, M. D., Tsigaridis, K., Bates, T., O’Dowd, C., et al.  Production mechanisms, number concentration, size distribution, chemical composition, and optical properties of sea spray aerosols Atmospheric Science Letters, 2013.

Modini, R. L., Russell, L. M., Deane, G. B., and Stokes, M. D. Effect of soluble surfactant on bubble persistence and bubble-produced aerosol particles Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.  2013; 1-13.

Prather, K. A., Bertram, T. H., Grassian, V. H., Deane, G. B., et al. Bringing the ocean into the laboratory to probe the chemical complexity of sea spray aerosol Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2013; 110(19). 7550-7555.

Wonaschütz, A., Coggon, M., Sorooshian, A., Modini, R. L., et al. Hygroscopic properties of organic aerosol particles emitted in the marine atmosphere Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2013; 13, 9819-9835.

Russell, L. M., Sorooshian, A., Seinfeld, J. H., Albrecht, B. A., Nenes, A., et al. Eastern Pacific Emitted Aerosol Cloud Experiment (E-PEACE) Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 2013; 94, 709-729.

Dunlop, M., Ristovski, Z. D., Gallagher, E., Parcsi, G., Modini, R. L., et al. Odour, dust and non-methane volatile organic-compound emissions from tunnel-ventilated layer-chicken sheds: a case study of two farms Animal Production Science. 2013.

Modini, R. L., Harris, B., and Ristovski, Z. D. The organic fraction of bubble generated, accumulation mode Sea Spray Aerosol (SSA) Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2010; 10, 2867-2877.

Modini, R. L., Johnson, G. R., He, C., and Ristovski, Z. D. Observation of the suppression of water uptake by marine particles Atmospheric Research. 2010; 98(2), 219-228.

Modini, R. L., Agranovski, V., Meyer, N. K., Gallagher, E., Dunlop, M., and Ristovski, Z. D. Dust emissions from a tunnel-ventilated broiler poultry shed with fresh and partially reused litter Animal Production Science. 2010; 50, 552-556.

Surawski, N. C., Miljevic, B., Roberts, B. A., Modini, R. L., Situ, R., et al. Particle Emissions, Volatility, and Toxicity from an Ethanol Fumigated Compression Ignition Engine Environmental Science & Technology. 2010; 44(1), 229-235.

Modini, R. L., Ristovski, Z. D., Johnson, G. R., He, C., Surawski, et al. New particle formation and growth at a remote, sub-tropical coastal location Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2009; 9, 7607-7621.

Ovadnevaite, J.,  Ceburnis, D.,  Plauskaite-Sukiene, K.,  Modini, R., et al. Volcanic sulphate and arctic dust plumes over the North Atlantic Ocean Atmospheric Environment. 2009; 43, 4968-4974.

Morawska, L., He, C.,  Johnson, G.,  Jayaratne, R.,  Salthammer, T.,  et al. An Investigation into the Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms of Particles Originating from the Operation of Laser Printers Environmental Science and Technology. 2009; 43, 1015-1022.

Miljevic, B., Modini, R. L., Bottle, S. E., and Ristovski, Z. D. On the efficiency of impingers with fritted nozzle tip for collection of ultrafine particles Atmospheric Environment. 2009; 43, 1372-1376.

Johnson, G. R., Fletcher, C., Meyer, N., Modini, R., and Ristovski, Z. D. A robust, portable H-TDMA for field use Journal of Aerosol Science. 2008; 39, 850-861.

Professional experience

- 2020 -- current: Tenured staff scientist in the Aerosol Physics Group, Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland

- 2016 -- 2020: Tenure-track scientist in the Aerosol Physics Group, Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland

- 2012 -- 2016: Postdoctoral research scientist in the Atmospheric Particle Research Laboratory (APRL) at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland (adviser: Prof. Satoshi Takahama)

- 2010 -- 2012: Postdoctoral research scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, USA (adviser: Prof. Lynn Russell)

Education

- 2007 -- 2010: PhD Physics at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Thesis title: Investigation of the effect of organics on the water uptake of marine aerosols (supervisor: Prof. Zoran Ristovski)

- 2002 -- 2005: B.App.Sci with Honours in Physics from Queensland University of Technology, Australia

  • Marie Curie COFUND Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (EPFL Fellows), 2014 – 2016
  • Scripps Institution of Oceanography Postdoctoral Fellowship Award funded by Sempra Energy, 2010 – 2012