Browsing by Autor "Laura Gallardo"

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Fostering a Collaborative Atmospheric Chemistry Research Community in the Latin America and Caribbean Region
(American Meteorological Society, 2016) Marcos Andrade; Néstor Y. Rojas; Megan L. Melamed; O. L. Mayol‐Bracero; Michel Grutter; Laura Dawidowski; Juan Carlos Antuña; Carlos Rudamas; Laura Gallardo; R. Mamani-Paco
Abstract In 2013, the international Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (iCACGP) and the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Project Americas Working Group (iCACGP/IGAC AWG) was formed to build a cohesive network and foster the next generation of atmospheric scientists with the goal of contributing to a scientific community focused on building collective knowledge for the Americas. The Latin America–Caribbean (LAC) region shares common history, culture, and socioeconomic issues but, at the same time, it is highly diverse in its physical and human geography. The LAC region is unique because approximately 80% of its population lives in urban areas, resulting in high-density hotspots of urbanization and vast unpopulated rural areas. In recent years, most countries of the region have experienced rapid growth in population and industrialization as their economies emerge. The rapid urbanization, the associated increases in mobile and industrial sources, and the growth of the agricultural activities related to biomass burning have degraded air quality in certain areas of the LAC region. Air pollution has negative implications for human health, ecosystems, and climate. In addition, air pollution and the warming caused by greenhouse gases could impact the melting of Andean glaciers, an important source of freshwater. To better understand the links between air pollution and climate, it is necessary to increase the number of atmospheric scientists and improve our observational, analytical, and modeling capacities. This requires sustained and prioritized funding as well as stronger collaboration within the LAC region.
Pollution and its Impacts on the South American Cryosphere
(American Geophysical Union, 2015) L. T. Molina; Laura Gallardo; Marcos Andrade; Darrel Baumgardner; Mercy J. Borbor‐Cordova; Roxana Bórquez; Gino Casassa; Francisco Cereceda‐Balic; Laura Dawidowski; René Garreaud
Abstract This article is a review of the science goals and activities initiated within the framework of the P ollution and its I mpacts on the S outh A merican C ryosphere ( PISAC ) initiative. Air pollution associated with biomass burning and urban emissions affects extensive areas of South America. We focus on black carbon ( BC ) aerosol and its impacts on air quality, water availability, and climate, with an emphasis on the Andean cryosphere. BC is one of the key short‐lived climate pollutants that is a topic of growing interest for near‐term mitigation of these issues. Limited scientific evidence indicates that the Andean cryosphere has already responded to climate change with receding glaciers and snow cover, which directly affect water resources, agriculture, and energy production in the Andean region of South America. Despite the paucity of systematic observations along the Andes, a few studies have detected BC on snow and glaciers in the Andes. These, in addition to existing and projected emissions and weather patterns, suggest a possible contribution of BC to the observed retreat of the Andean cryosphere. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of these issues from scientific and policy perspectives, and propose strategic expansions to the relevant measurement infrastructure in the region.