William P. L. Carter

Research Interests

Dr. Carter's research concerns the gas-phase atmospheric reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the assessment of differences among VOCs in their contributions to ozone formation in the atmosphere (their reactivities). This includes development of chemical mechanisms for airshed models (the portions of the models which predict transformation of pollutants in the atmosphere), evaluating these mechanisms using environmental chamber data, utilizing airshed models to develop ozone reactivity ranking scales for VOCs, and conducting environmental chamber experiments to test the mechanisms and evaluate VOC reactivities. Chemical mechanisms and VOC reactivity scales he developed are used by a number of research groups and control agencies. Dr. Carter is now initiating an approximately $3 million project to develop an improved environmental chamber facility for chemical mechanism evaluation at low pollutant concentrations. Dr. Carter is author or co-author of approximately 75 journal articles and almost 70 technical reports in the areas of atmospheric chemistry, chemical mechanism development, and VOC reactivity assessment.

Position Available

An immediate opening exists for a qualified person to assist me in the ongoing development, updates and evaluation of the SAPRC gas-phase chemical mechanisms that are used in various urban and regional airshed model applications. Candidate must be interested in working towards a permanent position at CE-CERT/UCR. Click here for more information.

Selected Publications (see also Downloadable Documents for technical reports)

• W. P. L. Carter. Development of the SAPRC-07 Chemical Mechanism and Updated Ozone Reactivity Scales," Final report to the California Air Resources Board Contract No. 03-318. August. Available at www.cert.ucr.edu/~carter/SAPRC.
• W. P. L. Carter, D. R. Cocker III, D. R. Fitz, I. L. Malkina, K. Bumiller, C. G. Sauer, J. T. Pisano, C. Bufalino, and Chen Song. "A New Environmental Chamber for Evaluation of Gas-Phase Chemical Mechanisms and Secondary Aerosol Formation," Atmos. Environ, 39 7768–7788 (2005).
• W. P. L. Carter. Documentation of the SAPRC-99 Chemical Mechanism for VOC Reactivity Assessment. Final Report to California Air Resources Board Contract No. 92-329, and 95-308. May (2000).
• L. J. Wang, B. Milford, and W. P. L. Carter. "Reactivity Estimates for Aromatic Compounds 1. Uncertainty in Chamber-Derived Parameters," Atmos. Environ., 34, 4337-4348, (2000)
• W. P. L. Carter, and R. Atkinson, "Development and Evaluation of a Detailed Mechanism for the Atmospheric Reactions of Isoprene and NOx," International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, 28, 497-530 (1996)
• W. P. L. Carter, "Computer Modeling of Environmental Chamber Studies of Maximum Incremental Reactivities of Volatile Organic Compounds," Atmospheric Environment, 29, 2513-2527, (1995)
• W.P.L. Carter, J.A. Pierce, D. Luo, and I.L. Malkina, "Environmental Chamber Studies of Maximum Incremental Reactivities of Volatile Organic Compounds," Atmospheric Environment, 29, 2499-2511, (1995)
• W.P.L. Carter, "Development of Ozone Reactivity Scales for Volatile Organic Compounds," Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 44, 881-899, (1994)
• W.P.L. Carter and F.W. Lurmann, "Evaluation of a Detailed Gas Phase Atmospheric Reaction Mechanism Using Environmental Chamber Data," Atmos. Environ., 25A, 2771-2806 (1991)
• W.P.L. Carter, "A Detailed Mechanism for the Gas-Phase Atmospheric Reactions of Organic Compounds," Atmos. Environ., 24A, 481-518 (1990)
• Other Publications

• Latest VOC Reactivity tabulations for the SAPRC Mechanism (NEW: Now updated to SAPRC-07)
• International Conference on Atmospheric Chemical Mechansims, Davis, California, December 6-8, 2006. (Added 11/06)
• Current Information on California Air Resources Architectural Coatings Reactivity Research Projects
• Current Information on the EPA Project "Development of a Next-Generation Environmental Chamber Facility for Chemical Mechanism and VOC Reactivity Evaluation"
• Files implementing SAPRC-99 Chemical Mechanism and Associated Software
• Current Information on Emissions Speciation Database Work

 
• Information on the College of Engineering, Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT)
• Information on the Air Pollution Research Center (APRC)

 
• Atmospheric Chemistry International Research Site for Information and and Technology Exchange (AIRSITE)
• Tropospheric Chemistry Modelling and the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) v2.0
• Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Wuppertal, GermanyInstitute for Atmospheric Chemistry, Juelich

 
• Proceedings from the Combined US/German Ozone/Fine Particle Science and Environmental Chamber Workshop in Riverside, California on October 4-5, 1999

 
• Current Information for Reactivity Research Working Group Projects

 
• FTP Site where more information, publications, reports, mechanisms, software, and data from Dr. Carter's Research can be downloaded.