LAC - Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry
The Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry (LAC), established on 1 January 2000, is a laboratory of the Energy and Environment Research Division (ENE) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
Mission
The mission of the LAC is to create understanding of the processes determining the chemistry and physics of gases and aerosol particles in the atmosphere in order to determine the impact of the energy system on atmospheric composition and the impact of atmospheric composition on air quality, human health, weather and climate change.
The Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry (LAC) investigates the impact anthropogenic activities have on fundamental processes in the atmosphere, and with that on air quality, human health, and the climate. A strong focus lies on the links between energy generation and use and its impact on the environment, which have become ever more important since the adaptation of the net-zero strategy in Switzerland. The LAC consists of six interacting groups that operate cutting-edge facilities and instrumentation in the lab and in the field, and run computer models. We are responsible for the long-term observations of atmospheric aerosol at the research station Jungfraujoch and at the Payerne observatory, and run an atmospheric chamber facility at PSI, all embedded in the Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS). We are highly collaborative within PSI, nationally, and internationally.
News & Highlights
Successful Ambizione Grant applicant
Patrik Winiger, Research Grant Advisor and Project Manager at ETH Zurich, successfully applied for the Ambizione Grant 2020 with the project “Macromolecular Aerosols in the Cryosphere from the Arctic to the Alps – MACrAA”. The idea was developed together with the Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry (LAC) at PSI. The LAC is a global leader in aerosol analytics and source identification. They own and operate a unique laboratory infrastructure with various instruments and multiple aerosol simulation chambers available for researchers.
Aerosol formation in clouds
How chemical reactions in clouds can influence the global climate.
2020 Highly Cited Researchers
Once more in 2020: Three LAC researchers were highly cited.
Which particulate air pollution poses the greatest health risk?
The composition of particulate matter can influence its harmfulness to human health just as much as the amount, PSI researchers show in a newly published study. Experiments and computational modelling showed that in Europe high concentrations of particulate matter harmful to human health occur mainly in metropolitan areas.
