Mikinori KUWATA
My research is focused on atmospheric chemistry and my research goal is to understand chemical processes in the atmosphere because these processes are relatively important for both global and regional environments.
My current research interests include:
Haze originated from forest burning
Including Singapore, many countries in Southeast Asia are experiencing haze originated from forest burning. Those haze plumes have significant adverse effects on regional environments such as human health and visibility. He is trying to understand emission, aging, and potential impacts on environments of haze plume by conducting atmospheric observation and laboratory experiments.
Atmospheric chemistry in the tropical region
Tropical rain forest is a globally important source of atmospheric trace gas species. Chemical reactions of those species form some key materials for the global climate such as nuclei of cloud droplets. Human activities in tropical areas, including Southeast Asia, are changing those naturally occurring chemistry. For instance, emission of trace gas species from plantation is significantly different from original tropical rainforests, altering chemistry in the atmosphere. Enhanced human activity in the tropical region provides a higher chance for anthropogenic species to react with biogenic origin compounds, perturbing original chemistry in the atmosphere. He is interested in quantifying how interaction between human activities and tropical environment changes chemistry in the atmosphere, and how the perturbation affects the global climate.
- 2009 Ph.D. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- 2004 B.Sc. Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- 2013-Current Nanyang Assistant Professor. Division of Earth Sciences, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- 2013-Current Principal Investigator, Earth Observatory of Singapore
- 2009-2013 Postdoctoral Fellow. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, MA, USA
- 2013-Current National Research Foundation (NRF) fellowship, Singapore
- 2011-2013 The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Postdoctoral fellowship for research abroad.
- 2006-2008 The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Research fellowship for young scientists.
Publications:
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An inversion method for polarity distribution of atmospheric water-soluble organic matter. Aerosol Science and Technology. (2020).
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Polarity-Dependent Chemical Characteristics of Water-Soluble Organic Matter from Laboratory-Generated Biomass-Burning Revealed by 1-Octanol-Water Partitioning. Environmental Science and Technology. 53(14), (2019).
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Estimation of Metal Emissions From Tropical Peatland Burning in Indonesia by Controlled Laboratory Experiments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. (2019).
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A Significant Portion of Water-Soluble Organic Matter in Fresh Biomass Burning Particles Does Not Contribute to Hygroscopic Growth: An Application of Polarity Segregation by 1-Octanol-Water Partitioning Method. Environmental Science and Technology. 53(17), 10034-10042. (2019).
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New estimate of particulate emissions from Indonesian peat fires in 2015. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 19, 11105-11121. (2019).
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Secondary aerosol formation promotes water uptake by organic-rich wildfire haze particles in equatorial Asia. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 18(11), 7781-7798. (2018).
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Dominant contribution of oxygenated organic aerosol to haze particles from real-time observation in Singapore during an Indonesian wildfire event in 2015. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 18(22), 16481-16498. (2018).
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Constraining the Emission of Particulate Matter From Indonesian Peatland Burning Using Continuous Observation Data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 123(17), 9828-9842. (2018).
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Light-Absorbing Brown Carbon Aerosol Constituents from Combustion of Indonesian Peat and Biomass. Environmental Science and Technology. 51(8), 4415-4423. (2017).
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Temperature and burning history affect emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosol particles from tropical peatland fire. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 122, 1218-1292. (2017).
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1-octanol-water partitioning as a classifier of water soluble organic matters: Implication for solubility distribution. Aerosol Science and Technology. 51(5), 602-613. (2017).
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Water uptake by fresh Indonesian peat burning particles is limited by water-soluble organic matter. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 17(18), 11591-11604. (2017).
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Uptake and release of gaseous species accompanying the reactions of isoprene photo-oxidation products with sulfate particles. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 18(3), 1595-1600. (2016).
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Population exposure to hazardous air quality due to the 2015 fires in Equatorial Asia. Scientific Reports. 6, (2016).
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Phase state and deliquescence hysteresis of ammonium sulfate seeded secondary organic aerosol. Aerosol Science and Technology. 49(7), (2015).
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Uptake of epoxydiol isomers accounts for half of the particle-phase material produced from isoprene photooxidation via the HO2 pathway. Environmental Science and Technology. 49(1), 250–258. (2015).
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Phase and acidity regulate the production of secondary organic material from isoprene photooxidation. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 17(8), 5670-5678. (2015).
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Particle classification by the tandem differential mobility analyzer- particle mass analyzer system. Aerosol Science and Technology. 49(7), 508-520. (2015).
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Elemental composition of organic aerosol: the gap between ambient and laboratory measurements. Geophysical Research Letters. 42(10), 4182–4189. (2015).
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Submicron particle mass concentrations and sources in the Amazonian wet season (AMAZE-08). Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 15, 3687–3701. (2015).
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Changing shapes and implied viscosities of suspended submicron particles. Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. 15(14), 7819-7829. (2015).
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An analytic equation for the volume fraction of condensationally grown mixed particles and applications to secondary organic material produced in continuously mixed flow reactors. Aerosol Science and Technology. 48(8), 803-812. (2014).
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Phase Transitions and Phase Miscibility of Mixed Particles of Ammonium Sulfate, Toluene-Derived Secondary Organic Material, and Water. Journal of Physical Chemistry. 117, 8895–8906. (2013).
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Viscosity of α-pinene secondary organic material and implications for particle growth and reactivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.. (2013).
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Classifying organic materials by oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratio to predict the activation regime of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN).. Atmos. Chem. Phys.. 13, 5309–5324. (2013).
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The phase of atmospheric organic particles affects their reactivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.. 109, 17354–17359. (2012).
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Particle mass yield from b-caryophyllene ozonolysis. Atmos. Chem. Phys.. 12, 3165-3179. (2012).
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Using elemental ratios to predict the density of organic material composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Environ. Sci. Technol. 46, 787-794. (2012).
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Secondary organic material produced by the dark ozonolysis of alpha-pinene minimally affects the deliquescence and efflorescence of ammonium sulfate. Aerosol. Sci. Technol.. 45, 244-261. (2011).
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Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity and oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratios following thermodenuder treatment of organic particles grown by a-pinene ozonolysis. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 14571–14583. (2011).
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Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) from fresh and aged air pollution in the megacity region of Beijing. Atmos. Chem. Phys.. 11, 11023-11039. (2011).
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The dynamic shape factor of sodium chloride nanoparticles as regulated by drying rate. Aerosol. Sci. Technol. 44, 939-953. (2010).
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Formation and transport of aerosols in Tokyo in relation to their physical and chemical properties: a review. J. Meteoro. Soc. Japan. 88, 597-624. (2010).
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Variability of submicron aerosol observed at a rural site in Beijing in the summer of 2006. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.. 114, (2009).
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Anthropogenic aerosols observed in Asian continental outflow at Jeju Island, Korea, in spring 2005. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.. 114, (2009).
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Critical condensed mass for activation of black carbon as cloud condensation nuclei in Tokyo. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.. 114, 5921-5932. (2009).
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Stabilization of the mass absorption cross section of black carbon for filter-based absorption photometry by the use of a heated inlet. Aerosol. Sci. Technol.. 43, 741-756. (2009).
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Cloud condensation nuclei activity at Jeju Island, Korea in spring 2005. Atmos. Chem. Phys.. 8, 2933-2948. (2008).
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Dependence of size-resolved CCN spectra on the mixing state of nonvolatile cores observed in Tokyo. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres. 113, (2008).
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Intense laser-induced decomposition of mass-selected 2-, 3-, and 4-methylaniline cations.. Chem. Phys. Lett.. 462, 27-30. (2008).
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Dependence of CCN activity of less volatile particles on the amount of coating observed in Tokyo.. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.. 112, (2007).
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Relationship between hygroscopicity and cloud condensation nuclei activity for urban aerosols in Tokyo. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.. 111, (2006).