Alberto ayala, Professor

Abatement of diesel emissions is important for both air quality and climate protection. Diesel exhaust is a major source of fine particle pollution and numerous studies have linked elevated ambient particle levels to human mortality and morbidity. In addition, the fraction of diesel PM that is emitted as black carbon is relevant for global warming. In response to new and more stringent limits, engine manufacturers are deploying new aftertreatment technology for emission reduction. But as these control systems evolve and become more sophisticated, new studies are needed to keep pace with the changing nature of the resulting emission profiles. Under the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) vehicle and engine emissions research program, some of these investigations are being conducted with the ultimate goal of guiding CARB’s policies. Recent investigations, to be discussed in this talk, have an emphasis on (1) understanding the impact of diesel particle filtration and selective catalytic reduction and (2) characterizing the aerosol in clean diesel exhaust.

BIO SKETCH

Alberto Ayala is Chief of Climate Change Mitigation and Emissions Research at CARB, a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. In this capacity, he leads CARB’s emissions research program as well as some efforts under California’s new global warming solutions law. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Mechanical Engineering at West Virginia University and frequently advices national and international efforts on clean transportation.