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Adam Durant MSci MS PhD

Research Associate

College Research Associate, Clare College, Cambridge, 2009-2010

Earth system science, Volcanology, palaeoclimatology, atmospheric science

Biography

I am participating in a carbon cycle project that aims to evaluate our understanding of surface fluxes of CO2 and CH4 and outline the architecture of an integrated system for atmospheric monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions.

My research has evolved from improving understanding heterogeneous ice nucleation in atmospheric clouds, volcanic particle sedimentation, the atmospheric and climatic impacts of volcanic emissions and desert dust, and the human health impacts of airborne particulates. Between 2007-2009 I was Principal Investigator of a US National Science Foundation project that adapted state-of-the-art meteorological balloons to characterise the composition and evolution of gases in tropospheric volcanic emissions. These balloons were successfully deployed at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, in 2008. I have on-going collaborative research interests in the UK, S.E. Asia, USA, E.U. and Switzerland.

Career

  • 2009-present: Research Associate, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
  • 2007-present: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University
  • 2007-2008: Marie Curie Experienced Researcher, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol

Qualifications

  • PhD (Michigan Tech, USA)
  • MS (Michigan Tech, USA)
  • MSci (University of Bristol, UK)

Research

  1. Climatic, palaeoenvironmental and human impacts of super-volcanic eruptions
  2. Physico-chemical properties of tropospheric volcanic emissions
  3. Climate and dust
  4. Hazards from airborne silicate microparticles
  5. Heterogeneous ice nucleation in atmospheric clouds
  6. Linking cloud microphysics and volcanic sedimentation

Publications

Submitted

  • Durant, A. J., C. Le Quere, C. Hope and A. Friend (sub judice), Constraints on annual emissions and sinks of carbon dioxide, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
  • Durant, A., C. Bonadonna and C. Horwell (sub judice), Atmospheric and Environmental Impacts of Volcanic Ash Particle Emissions, Elements.
  • Folch, A., A. Costa, A. Durant and G. Macedonio (sub judice), An Aggregation Model for Ash Particles in Volcanic Plumes and Clouds: II. Model Application, J. Geophys. Res.

2009

  • Durant, A. J., and W. I. Rose (2009), Sedimentological constraints on hydrometeor-enhanced particle deposition: 1992 Eruptions of Crater Peak, Alaska, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 186(1-2), 40-59,doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.02.004.

  • Durant, A. J., S. P. Harrison, I. M. Watson and Y. Balkanski (2009), Sensitivity of direct radiative forcing by mineral dust to particle characteristics, Prog. Phys. Geog., 33, 80-102, doi:10.1177/0309133309105034" target="_blank">doi:10.1177/0309133309105034.

  • Durant, A. J., W. I. Rose, A. Sarna-Wojcicki, S. Carey and A. Volentik (2009), The role of hydrometeor formation in distal ash fallout from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, J. Geophys. Res., 114, B03204, doi:10.1029/2008JB005756" target="_blank">doi:10.1029/2008JB005756.
  • Rose, W. I., and A. J. Durant (2009), Total grain size distribution of explosive volcanic eruptions, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 186(1-2), 32-39, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.01.010.
  • Carter, A. J., A. J. Durant, M. S. Ramsey, I. P. Skilling, and A. Wolfe (2009), Micron-scale roughness of volcanic surfaces from thermal infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, J. Geophys. Res., 114, B02213, doi:10.1029/2008JB005632" target="_blank">doi:10.1029/2008JB005632.
  • L.G. Mastin, M. Guffanti, R. Servranckx, P. Webley, S. Barsotti, K. Dean, A. Durant, J.W. Ewert, A. Neri, W.I. Rose, D. Schneider, L. Siebert, B. Stunder, G. Swanson, A. Tupper, A. Volentik, C.F. Waythomas (2009), A multidisciplinary effort to assign realistic source parameters to models of volcanic ash-cloud transport and dispersion during eruptions, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 186(1-2), 10-21, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.01.008.

2008

  • Rose, W. I., and A. J. Durant (2008), El Chichón volcano, 4 April 1982: Volcanic cloud history and fine ash fallout, Nat. Haz., doi:10.1007/s11069-008-9283-x" target="_blank">doi:10.1007/s11069-008-9283-x.
  • Durant, A. J., R. Shaw, W. I. Rose, Y. Mi, and G. G.J. Ernst (2008), Ice nucleation and overseeding of ice in volcanic clouds, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D09206, doi:10.1029/2007JD009064" target="_blank">doi:10.1029/2007JD009064.
  • Schultz, D. M., A. J. Durant, J. M. Straka, T. J. Garrett (2008), Reply, J. Atmos. Sci., 65(3), 1095–1097.

2007

  • Rose, W. I., S. Self, P. J. Murrow, C. Bonadonna, A. J. Durant, and G. G. J. Ernst (2007), Nature and significance of small volume fall deposits at composite volcanoes: Insights from the October 14, 1974 Fuego eruption, Guatemala, Bull. Volcanol., doi:10.1007/s00445-007-0187-5.

2006

  • Schultz, D. M., K. M. Kanak, J. M. Straka, R. J. Trapp, B. A. Gordon, D. S. Zrnić, G. H. Bryan, A. J. Durant, T. J. Garrett, P. M. Klein and D. K. Lilly (2006), The Mysteries of mammatus clouds: Observations and formation mechanisms, J. Atmos. Sci., 63(10), 2409–2435.

2005

  • Durant, A. J., and R. A. Shaw (2005), Evaporation freezing by contact nucleation inside-out, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L20814, doi:10.1029/2005GL024175. *
  • Shaw, R. A., A. J. Durant and Y. Mi (2005), Heterogeneous surface crystallization observed in undercooled water, J. Phys. Chem. B, 109, 9865-9868. *

* Related article reporting ice nucleation research carried out by A. Durant, R. Shaw and Y. Mi: Sastry (2005), Water: Ins and outs of ice nucleation, Nature, 438(7069), 746.

News articles

  • Durant, A. J., S. P. Harrison, B. Maher, and Y. Balkanski (2008), The QUEST Working Group on Dust and the future of dust-cycle research, CLIVAR Exchanges, April 2008.
  • Durant, A. J., C. P. Mann, J. Stix and W. I. Rose (2007), Multi-university internet video conferencing course provides novel approach to student-directed learning, The Leading Edge, 26 (10) 1320-1321.
  • Durant, A. J., C. P. Mann, J. Stix and W. I. Rose (2007), Virtual course promotes student-directed learning, Geological Society of America Geoscience Education Division Newsletter, Summer 2007.

International conference presentations

  • Durant, A. J., P. B. Voss, I. M. Watson, T. J. Roberts (2008), Real-time in situ balloon-based measurements of volcanic plume physico-chemical properties, 2008 IAVCEI General Assembly, Reykjavík, Iceland, 24 August 2008.
  • Durant, A. J., W. I. Rose and R. A. Shaw (2008), Distal volcanic sedimentation through mammatus formation: Constraints from the 1992 Crater Peak and 1980 Mount St. Helens eruptions, 2008 IAVCEI General Assembly, Reykjavík, Iceland, 24 August 2008.
  • Servranckx, R., A. J. Durant, A. Malo, R. D'Amours, S. Trudel and J. Gauthier (2006), Trajectory analysis of volcanic clouds produced by the 1992 eruptions of Mount Spurr, Alaska, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V22B-04.

Departmental and research group presentations

  • Durant, A. J. (2009), Part 1: Hydrometeor-enhanced ash aggregation and distal sedimentation, Mount St. Helens 1980; Part 2: Real-time in situ balloon-borne measurements of volcanic plume physico-chemical properties, Kilauea 2008, Earth Sciences Volcano Lunch Seminar Series, University of Oxford, 18 November 2009.
  • Durant, A. J. (2009), Distal volcanic sedimentation through mammatus formation: Insights from the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, department seminar, Anna University, Chennai, India, 13 February 2009.
  • Durant, A. J. (2008), Dust radiative forcing, QUEST-DESIRE / QUATERNARY-QUEST Meeting, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, 27-29 October 2008.
  • Durant, A. J. (2008), Characterisation of dust properties: key issues, 2nd meeting of the QUEST Working Group on Dust, Laboratoire d'Océanographie, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, 19-21 October 2008.
  • Durant, A. J. (2008), Controlled Meteorological (CMET) balloon flights in the tropospheric volcanic plume from Halemaumau Crater (Kilauea volcano), Hawaii, Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA, 1 August 2008.
  • Durant, A. J. (2008), Towards realistic treatment of climate forcing by mineral aerosol, GREENCYCLES Network Meeting D, Cannes, France, 27-28 March 2007.
  • Durant, A. J. (2008), Realistic treatment of radiative forcing by mineral aerosols, QUEST Annual Science Meeting, Winchester, UK, 17-19 March 2008.
  • Durant, A. J. (2007), Dust radiative forcing, QUEST Theme 2 Meeting, Bristol, UK, 5-6 December 2007.
  • Durant, A. J. (2007), Dust radiative forcing, First Meeting of the QUEST Working Group on Dust, Exeter, UK, 15-17 November 2007.
  • Durant, A. J. (2003), Ash aggregation in volcanic plumes during dispersal and fall-out, 1st Meeting of the IAVCEI Working Group on Modeling Tephra-Fall Hazards, Cities on Volcanoes 3, Hawaii, USA, 14-18 July 2003.

Media

  • Research featured in National Geographic Television documentary, "Earth Report: State of the Planet 2009" (Hawaii field campaign), 05/2009
  • BBC Points West TV interview (Hawaii field campaign), 14/8/2008
  • Live BBC Radio Bristol interview from Reykjavik (Hawaii field campaign), 14/8/2008
  • News articles in numerous outlets including Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star, and Science Daily (Hawaii field campaign), 08/2008

Outreach

  • Featured article in University of Bristol research magazine (by Hilary Brown), "Something in the air", Autumn 2008
  • Featured article in MTU Tech Today magazine (by D. Walikainen), "Up, Up and Away Over Paradise: Researching Plumes with Balloons", 11/8/2008
  • Invited speaker at public discussion forum ("Volcanoes, dust, and climate", Science Café, Bristol, a subset of the National Café Scientifique organisation, Bristol, 28/4/2008
  • Invited speaker and Michigan Technological University representative at the Fulbright Commission Grad School Day ("Postgraduate study in the U.S.", London, 26/4/2008
  • Museum exhibition volunteer (Volcanoes and the legacy of George Walker, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol, 16/3/2008)

Teaching

  • Lecturer, Volcanology, Part II, Geography Tripos, University of Cambridge, Michaelmas Term 2009.
  • Supervisor, Environmnetal Processes, Part 1A, Geography Tripos, University of Cambridge, Michaelmas Term 2009.
  • Assistant Instructor, Geology of Utah's National Parks (GE 5130), Michigan Technological University, USA, 6/2007-7/2007
  • Course Coordinator (GTA), EHaz Experimental Course on Volcano Instability (GE5185), Michigan Technological University, USA, 1/2007-4/2007
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Understanding the Earth (GE 2000), Michigan Technological University, USA, 8/2003-12/2003
  • Instructor, Engineering Applications in the Earth Sciences (ENG 5300), Michigan Technological University, USA, 8/2003
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Environmental Geology (GE 2100), Michigan Technological University, USA, 1/2003-5/2003

External

Professional Affiliations

  • American Geophysical Union, 2001-present
  • National Geographic Society, 2002-present