Invited Speaker: Perry Davy
Title: A forensic approach to deciphering the impact of air pollution on environmental quality in New Zealand
Perry Davy is the lead scientist in the Air Particulates Laboratories (inc XRF Lab) at GNS Science, New Zealand. He completed his PhD in Atmospheric Chemistry in 2007. He is a member of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand. His research interests are; Air Pollution, Air particulates, IBA analysis of PIXE, RBS, NRA; Ion Beam Analysis, Materials Science, Trace element analysis using PIXE, and Trace elements.
ABSTRACT
New Zealand is a mountainous country in an isolated oceanic location.
However, air pollution events do occur due to local emission sources and
the occasional incursion of long-range transboundary advection of airborne
particulate matter. We present research investigating the composition and
the concentration of both the local and transboundary sources of air pollution
and their impact on our urban valleys and mountainous environments.
Specifically, we show that long-range transport of dust-storm and wild-fire
events from Australia can impact across the country including mountainous
regions while our urban valleys are subject to the pressures of
anthropogenic combustion sources associated with residential space heating
and motor vehicle emissions. Natural oceanic sources provide a ubiquitous
background to airborne particulate matter concentrations.
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