Earth Scientist
Earth Scientist

Biography

Fan Mei's current research focuses on atmospheric science and technology. Her strengths include a wide-ranging knowledge of aerosols' physical and chemical properties, instrumentation, and characterization of aerosol and cloud properties, as well as extensive experience with instruments studying aerosol and cloud interaction. 

Mei is the science lead for the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Aerial Facility, which operates piloted and uncrewed aircraft to meet scientific needs raised by the atmospheric research community. She has been involved as a payload scientist and participant in numerous field campaigns since joining Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2013. Over the past five years, she has played an instrumental role in developing ARM’s tethered balloon system and uncrewed aerial system capabilities and supporting their yearly deployments.

Research Interest

  • Atmospheric research, such as Aerosol-cloud interaction
  • Airborne measurements, operation, and planning
  • Environmental science, such as atmosphere and ecosystem interaction

Education

  • PhD in Energy, Environmental, & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
  • MS in Chemical Engineering Washington University in St. Louis
  • ME in Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University
  • BS in Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), served as the primary convener and session chair from 2017-2022
  • Member of the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), served as the AAAR delegate to International Aerosol Research Assembly
  • Served as the primary convener for the ARM Aerial Instrumentation Workshop, 2020

Awards and Recognitions

  • Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate Bring Excellence to Science and Technology Award – EMSD Paper of the Year, 2022
  • Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate Bring Excellence to Science and Technology Award – Operational Excellence Award – ArcticShark Team, 2022
  • Featured as a Women Engineer at PNNL for International Women in Engineering Day, 2021
  • Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate Bring Excellence to Science and Technology Award – ASGC Paper of the Year, 2018

Publications

2022

  • Cheng Z., A.V. Liyu, D. Dexheimer, N. Lata, G.R. Kulkarni, C. Longbottom, and F. Mei, et al. 2022. "An Automated Size and Time-resolved Aerosol Collector Platform Integrated with Environmental Sensors to Study the Vertical Profile of Aerosols." Environmental Science: Atmospheres 2, no. 6:1263-1276. PNNL-SA-175927. doi:10.1039/D2EA00097K
  • Fast J.D., D.M. Bell, G.R. Kulkarni, J. Liu, F. Mei, G. Saliba, and J.E. Shilling, et al. 2022. "Using Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Subgrid-Scale Variability of Aerosol Properties Near the Atmospheric Radiation MeasurementSouthern Great Plains Site." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 22, no. 17. PNNL-SA-173155. doi:10.5194/acp-22-11217-2022
  • Mei F., M.S. Pekour, D. Dexheimer, G. de Boer, R. Cook, J.M. Tomlinson, and B. Schmid, et al. 2022. "Observational data from uncrewed systems over Southern Great Plains." Earth System Science Data 14, no. 7:3423-3438. PNNL-SA-170566. doi:10.5194/essd-14-3423-2022
  • Tang S., J.D. Fast, K. Zhang, J.C. Hardin, A.C. Varble, J.E. Shilling, and F. Mei, et al. 2022. "Earth System Model Aerosol-Cloud Diagnostics (ESMAC Diags) package, Version 1: Assessing E3SM Aerosol Predictions Using Aircraft, Ship, and Surface Measurements." Geoscientific Model Development 15, no. 10:4055-4076. PNNL-SA-167636. doi:10.5194/gmd-15-4055-2022
  • Vandergrift G.W., A. Shawon, D. Dexheimer, M.A. Zawadowicz, F. Mei, and S. China. 2022. "Molecular Characterization of Organosulfate-Dominated Aerosols over Agricultural Fields from the Southern Great Plains by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry." ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 6, no. 7:1733-1741. PNNL-SA-170176. doi:10.1021/acsearthspacechem.2c00043
  • Zaveri R.A., J. Wang, J. Fan, Y. Zhang, J.E. Shilling, A. Zelenyuk-Imre, and F. Mei, et al. 2022. "Rapid growth of anthropogenic organic nanoparticles greatly alters cloud life cycle in the Amazon rainforest." Science Advances 8, no. 2:Art. No. eabj0329. PNNL-SA-155974. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abj0329

2021

  • Chiu C., C. Yang, P.J. van Leeuwen, G. Feingold, R. Wood, Y. Blanchard, and F. Mei, et al. 2021. "Observational Constraints on Warm Cloud Microphysical Processes Using Machine Learning and Optimization Techniques." Geophysical Research Letters 48, no. 2:Article No. e2020GL091236. PNNL-SA-159444. doi:10.1029/2020GL091236
  • Creamean J., G. de Boer, H. Telg, F. Mei, D.N. Dexheimer, M.D. Shupe, and A.C. Mccomiskey. 2021. "Assessing the vertical structure of Arctic aerosols using balloon-borne measurements." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21, no. 3:1737-1757. PNNL-SA-156656. doi:10.5194/acp-21-1737-2021
  • Kassianov E.I., M.S. Pekour, J.C. Barnard, C.J. Flynn, F. Mei, and L.K. Berg. 2021. "Estimation of Aerosol Columnar Size Distribution from Spectral Extinction Data in Coastal and Maritime Environment." Atmosphere 12, no. 11:Art. No. 1412. PNNL-SA-168284. doi:10.3390/atmos12111412
  • Mei F., S. Spielman, S.V. Hering, J. Wang, M.S. Pekour, G. Lewis, and B. Schmid, et al. 2021. "Simulation-aided characterization of a versatile water-based Condensation Particle Counter for atmospheric airborne research." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 14, no. 11:7329-7340. PNNL-SA-166205. doi:10.5194/amt-14-7329-2021
  • Mei F., J. Wang, S. Zhou, Q. Zhang, S. Collier, and J. Xu. 2021. “Measurement report: Cloud condensation nuclei activity and its variation with organic oxidation level and volatility observed during an aerosol life cycle intensive operational period (ALC-IOP).” Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13019–13029, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13019-2021
  • Varble A.C., S.W. Nesbitt, P. Salio, J.C. Hardin, N. Bharadwaj, P.C. Borque, and P.J. DeMott, et al. 2021. "Utilizing a Storm-Generating Hotspot to Study Convective Cloud Transitions: The CACTI Experiment." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 102, no. 8:E1597-E1620. PNNL-SA-157358. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0030.1
  • Wang Y., G. Zheng, M. Jensen, D. Knopf, A. Laskin, A.A. Matthews, and D.B. Mechem, et al. 2021. "Vertical profiles of trace gas and aerosol properties over the Eastern North Atlantic: Variations with season and synoptic condition." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21, no. 14:11079-11098. PNNL-SA-161330. doi:10.5194/acp-21-11079-2021
  • Yeom J., S. Yum, R.A. Shaw, I. La, J. Wang, C. Lu, and Y. Liu, et al. 2021. "Vertical variations of cloud microphysical relationships in marine stratocumulus clouds observed during the ACE-ENA campaign." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 126, no. 24:Art. No. e2021JD034700. PNNL-SA-159750. doi:10.1029/2021JD034700
  • Zawadowicz M.A., K.J. Suski, J. Liu, M.S. Pekour, J.D. Fast, F. Mei, and A.J. Sedlacek, et al. 2021. "Aircraft measurements of aerosol and trace gas chemistry in the eastern North Atlantic." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21, no. 10:7983-8002. PNNL-SA-155854. doi:10.5194/acp-21-7983-2021
  • Zheng G., Y. Wang, R. Wood, M. Jensen, C. Kuang, I.L. McCoy, and A.A. Matthews, et al. 2021. "New particle formation in the remote marine boundary layer." Nature Communications 12, no. 1:Article No. 527. PNNL-SA-156551. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-20773-1

2020

  • Mei F., G. McMeeking, M. Pekour, R.-S. Gao, G. Kulkarni, S. China, H. Telg, D. Dexheimer, J. Tomlinson, B. Schmid. 2020. “Performance Assessment of Portable Optical Particle Spectrometer (POPS).” Sensors 20, 6294, https://doi.org/10.3390/s20216294
  • Berg L.K., C.N. Long, E.I. Kassianov, D. Chand, S. Tai, Z. Yang, and L.D. Riihimaki, et al. 2020. "Fine-Scale Variability of Observed and Simulated Surface Albedo Over the Southern Great Plains." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 125, no. 7:Article No. e2019JD030559. PNNL-SA-141429. doi:10.1029/2019JD030559
  • Gallo F., J. Uin, S. Springston, J. Wang, G. Zheng, C. Kuang, and R. Wood, et al. 2020. "Identifying a regional aerosol baseline in the Eastern North Atlantic using collocated measurements and a mathematical algorithm to mask high-submicron-number-concentration aerosol events." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 20, no. 12:7553-7573. PNNL-SA-151046.
  • Gao S., C. Lu, Y. Liu, F. Mei, J. Wang, L. Zhu, and S. Yan. 2020. "Contrasting Scale Dependence of Entrainment-Mixing Mechanisms in Stratocumulus Clouds." Geophysical Research Letters 47, no. 9:Article No. e2020GL086970. PNNL-SA-153067. doi:10.1029/2020GL086970
  • Mei F., J. Wang, J.M. Comstock, R. Weigel, M. Kramer, C. Mahnke, and J.E. Shilling, et al. 2020. "Comparison of aircraft measurements during GoAmazon2014/5 and ACRIDICON-CHUVA." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 13, no. 2:661-684. PNNL-SA-151169. doi:10.5194/amt-13-661-2020

2019

  • de Boer G., D.N. Dexheimer, F. Mei, J.M. Hubbe, C. Longbottom, P.J. Carroll, and M.L. Apple, et al. 2019. "Atmospheric observations made at Oliktok Point, Alaska as part of the Profiling at Oliktok Point to Enhance YOPP Experiments (POPEYE) campaign." Earth System Science Data 11, no. 3:1349-1362. PNNL-SA-145040. doi:10.5194/essd-11-1349-2019
  • Dexheimer D.N., M.W. Airey, E.L. Roesler, C. Longbottom, K.A. Nicoll, S. Kneifel, and F. Mei, et al. 2019. "Evaluation of ARM Tethered-Balloon System instrumentation for supercooled liquid water and distributed temperature sensing in mixed-phase Arctic clouds." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 12, no. 12:6845-6864. PNNL-SA-147557. doi:10.5194/amt-12-6845-2019
  • Fast J.D., L.K. Berg, L. Alexander, D.M. Bell, E. D'Ambro, J.M. Hubbe, and C. Kuang, et al. 2019. "Overview of the HI-SCALE Field Campaign: A New Perspective on Shallow Convective Clouds." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 100, no. 5:821-840. PNNL-SA-133582. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0030.1
  • Fast J.D., L.K. Berg, Z. Feng, F. Mei, R.K. Newsom, K. Sakaguchi, and H. Xiao. 2019. "The Impact of Variable Land-Atmosphere Coupling on Convective Cloud Populations Observed During the 2016 HI-SCALE Field Campaign." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 11, no. 8:2629-2654. PNNL-SA-143151. doi:10.1029/2019MS001727
  • Levin E., P. Demott, K.J. Suski, Y. Boose, T.C. Hill, C.S. Mccluskey, and G. Schill, et al. 2019. "Characteristics of ice nucleating particles in and around California winter storms." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 124, no. 21:11530-11551. PNNL-SA-147575. doi:10.1029/2019JD030831
  • Levin E., P.J. DeMott, K.J. Suski, Y. Boose, T.C. Hill, C.S. Mccluskey, and G. Schill, et al. 2019. "Characteristics of Ice Nucleating Particles in and Around California Winter Storms." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 124, no. 21:11530-11551. PNNL-SA-149366. doi:10.1029/2019JD030831
  • Wang J., J.E. Shilling, J. Liu, A. Zelenyuk-Imre, D.M. Bell, M.D. Petters, and R.M. Thalman, et al. 2019. "Cloud droplet activation of secondary organic aerosol is mainly controlled by molecular weight, not by solubility." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 19, no. 2:941-954. PNNL-SA-140927. doi:10.5194/acp-19-941-2019
  • Wang J., J.E. Shilling, J. Liu, A. Zelenyuk-Imre, D.M. Bell, M.D. Petters, and R.M. Thalman, et al. 2019. "Cloud droplet activation of secondary organic aerosol is mainly controlled by molecular weight, not water solubility." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 19, no. 2:941-954. PNNL-SA-134664. doi:10.5194/acp-19-941-2019
  • Yeom J., S. Yum, F. Mei, B. Schmid, J.M. Comstock, L.T. Machado, and M.A. Cecchini. 2019. "Impact of secondary droplet activation on the contrasting cloud microphysical relationships during the wet and dry seasons in the Amazon." Atmospheric Research 230. PNNL-SA-141857. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2019.104648

2018

  • de Boer G., M.D. Ivey, B. Schmid, D.A. Lawrence, D. Dexheimer, F. Mei, and J.M. Hubbe, et al. 2018. "A Bird's Eye View: Development of an Operational ARM Unmanned Aerial Capability for Atmospheric Research in Arctic Alaska." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 99, no. 6:1197-1212. PNNL-SA-131162. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0156.1
  • Fan J., D. Rosenfeld, Y. Zhang, S. Giangrande, Z. Li, L. Machado, and S.T. Martin, et al. 2018. "Substantial Convection and Precipitation Enhancements by Ultrafine Aerosol Particles." Science 359, no. 6374:411-418. PNNL-SA-126490. doi:10.1126/science.aan8461

2017

  • de Sa S., B.B. Palm, P. Campuzano-Jost, D. Day, M.K. Newburn, W. Hu, and G. Isaacman-VanWertz, et al. 2017. "Influence of urban pollution on the production of organic particulate matter from isoprene epoxydiols in central Amazonia." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17, no. 11:6611-6629. PNNL-SA-125341. doi:10.5194/acp-17-6611-2017
  • Giangrande S., Z. Feng, M. Jensen, J.M. Comstock, K. Johnson, T. Toto, and M. Wang, et al. 2017. "Cloud Characteristics, Thermodynamic Controls and Radiative Impacts During the Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) Experiment." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17, no. 23:14519-14541. PNNL-SA-129543. doi:10.5194/acp-17-14519-2017
  • Jefferson A., D. Hageman, H. Morrow, F. Mei, and T. Watson. 2017. "Seven years of aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth measurements from SGP: factors influencing water uptake." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 122, no. 17:9451-9466. PNNL-SA-124902. doi:10.1002/2017JD026804
  • Maahn M., G. de Boer, J. Creamean, G. Feingold, G. McFarquhar, W. Wu, and F. Mei. 2017. "The observed influence of local anthropogenic pollution on northern Alaskan cloud properties." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17, no. 23:14709-14726. PNNL-SA-125510. doi:10.5194/acp-17-14709-2017
  • Martin S.T., S.T. Martin, P. Artaxo, L. Machado, A. Manzi, R. Augusto Ferreira de Souza, and C. Schumacher, et al. 2017. "The Green Ocean Amazon Experiement (GoAmazon2014/5) Observes Pollution Affecting Gases, Aerosols, Clouds and Rainfall over the Rain Forest." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 98, no. 5:981-980. PNNL-SA-121695. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00221.1

2016

  • Berg L.K., J.D. Fast, J.C. Barnard, S. Burton, B. Cairns, D. Chand, and J.M. Comstock, et al. 2016. "The Two-Column Aerosol Project: Phase I - Overview and Impact of Elevated Aerosol Layers on Aerosol Optical Depth." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 121, no. 1:336-361. PNNL-SA-102905. doi:10.1002/2015JD023848
  • Cecchini M.A., L.T. Machado, J.M. Comstock, F. Mei, J. Wang, J. Fan, and J.M. Tomlinson, et al. 2016. "Impacts of the Manaus pollution plume on the microphysical properties of Amazonian warm-phase clouds in the wet season." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16, no. 11:7029-7041. PNNL-SA-119093. doi:10.5194/acp-16-7029-2016
  • Thompson D.R., I. McCubbin, B.C. Gao, R.O. Green, A.A. Matthews, F. Mei, and K.G. Meyer, et al. 2016. "Measuring cloud thermodynamic phase with shortwave infrared imaging spectroscopy." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 121, no. 15:9174-9190. PNNL-SA-121275. doi:10.1002/2016JD024999
  • Wang J., R. Krejci, S. Giangrande, C. Kuang, H. Barbosa, J. Brito, and S. Carbone, et al. 2016. "Amazon boundary layer aerosol concentration sustained by vertical transport during rainfall." Nature 539, no. 7629:416-419. PNNL-SA-117828. doi:10.1038/nature19819
  • Zhou S., S. Collier, J. Xu, F. Mei, J. Wang, Y. Lee, and A. Sedlacek, et al. 2016. "Influences of Upwind Emission Sources and Atmospheric Processing on Aerosol Chemistry and Properties at a Rural Location in the Northeastern U.S." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 121, no. 10:6049-6065. PNNL-SA-118020. doi:10.1002/2015JD024568

2015

  • Parworth C., J.D. Fast, F. Mei, T.R. Shippert, C. Sivaraman, A. Tilp, and T. Watson, et al. 2015. "Long-term Measurements of Submicrometer Aerosol Chemistry at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM)." Atmospheric Environment 106. PNNL-SA-106218. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.01.060

2014

  • Kassianov E.I., J.C. Barnard, M.S. Pekour, L.K. Berg, J.E. Shilling, C.J. Flynn, and F. Mei, et al. 2014. "Simultaneous Retrieval of Effective Refractive Index and Density from Size Distribution and Light Scattering Data: Weakly-Absorbing Aerosol." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 7. PNNL-SA-101838. doi:10.5194/amt-7-3247-2014
  • Schmid B., J.M. Tomlinson, J.M. Hubbe, J.M. Comstock, F. Mei, D. Chand, and M.S. Pekour, et al. 2014. "The DOE ARM Aerial Facility." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 95, no. 5:723-742. PNNL-SA-94604. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00040.1

2013

  • Mei F., A. Setyan, Q. Zhang, and J.X. Wang. 2013. "CCN Activity of Organic Aerosols Observed Downwind of Urban Emissions during CARES." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 13, no. 24:12155-12169. PNNL-SA-94932. doi:10.5194/acp-13-12155-2013
  • Mei F., P.L. Hayes, A. Ortega, J.W. Taylor, J.D. Allan, J. Gilman, and W.C. Kuster, et al. 2013. "Droplet Activation Properties of Organic Aerosols Observed at an Urban Site during CalNex-LA." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 118, no. 7:2903-2917. PNNL-SA-93766. doi:10.1002/jgrd.50285