The Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, located at 110 Marble Mountain Lane in Wilmington, has announced it’s 2019 Ray Falconer Science/Natural History Lecture Series. Lectures have been set for July 9th, July 23rd, August 6th, and August 20th at 7 pm. All lectures are free and open to the public.

A Summary of Ongoing Research and Environmental Monitoring at Whiteface Mountain, a presentation by Paul Casson and Richard Brandt, SUNY Albany, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center is set for July 9th.

Against the beauty afforded by this iconic Adirondack peak, a globally significant record of the physical and chemical composition of the atmosphere is being recorded. The long-term stability of land use afforded by the Adirondack Park allows for the operation of a ground — based probe of the atmosphere unparalleled in the northeastern United States.

Climate change in the Adirondacks: Observed Change and Emissions Monitoring, a presentation by Dr. Eric Leibensperger, Associate Professor at SUNY Plattsburgh, Center for Earth and Environmental Science is set for July 23rd.

Climate is warming due to the continued use of fossil fuels and resulting emission of greenhouse gases. Scientists are actively working to better understand current and filture climate risks, while ensuring accountability of climate mitigation plans. This presentation will explore research being conducted to better understand the recent climate of the Adirondack and Champlain Valley regions, as well as a discussion of the application of observations at Whiteface Mountain to better understand sources of greenhouse gases in New York State.

Road Salt and the Contamination of Adirondack Groundwater, a presentation by Dan Kelting, Director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute, Paul Smith’s College is set for August 6th.

The Executive Director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smiths College will discuss findings fiom the Institute’s recent research. The Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College collected data showing that two-thirds of the wells it tested downslope from state roads were polluted by sodium beyond the federally recommended health limit of 20 parts per million.

Monitoring Cloud Water Chemistry at Whiteface Mountain: Are We Entering a New Chemical Regime?, a presentation by Chris Lawrence, SUNY Albany, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center is set for August 20th.

Whiteface Mountain has a long historical record of both meteorological and chemical monitoring that spans many decades. Cloud water chemistry monitoring began in 1994, largely in response to the growing ‘acid-rain’ problem both in the Adirondacks and throughout the country. Over time, largely due to the Clean Air Act, the environmental harm from acid rain has been decreasing. However, a new problem involving ammonia and organic carbon might be forming. The history of cloud water monitoring at Whiteface will be discussed, along with the new chemical species being measure — organic acids.

For more information on the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, click here.

Photo of View from Whiteface provided by ASRC Whiteface Mountain.