Prof. Vehkamäki Pioneers New Era in Aerosol Modeling

Decreasing inorganic particles in the atmosphere present new challenges for climate models

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:55pm

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As methods improve for capturing inorganic air pollutants like soot, and electric vehicles replace internal combustion engines, the share of inorganic particles in urban air is falling. This shift means organic particles now make up a larger portion of airborne particles, presenting new challenges for researchers modeling atmospheric aerosols. Professor Hanna Vehkamäki is pioneering new approaches, including using AI to simulate the trillions of possible reactions between organic compounds.

Why it matters

The changing composition of urban air, with fewer inorganic particles and more organic compounds, has significant implications for climate modeling and air quality research. As inorganic pollutants decrease, organic aerosols become more dominant, requiring new methods and tools to understand their formation and behavior.

The details

Professor Vehkamäki notes that on Manhattan, more airborne hydrocarbons now come from cleaning products and cosmetics than from traffic. This signals a wider trend, as electric vehicles and pollution controls reduce inorganic particles. However, the rise in organic compounds presents new challenges, as there are over 10,000 such compounds in urban air that can combine in trillions of ways. Vehkamäki is using AI to simulate these complex reactions, along with high-precision lab experiments to deepen the understanding of organic aerosol formation.

  • Vehkamäki began her five-year term as Academy Professor in 2026.

The players

Hanna Vehkamäki

An Academy Professor pioneering new approaches to modeling atmospheric aerosols, including the use of AI and high-precision lab experiments.

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What they’re saying

“As the number of inorganic particles in the air falls, the number of organic particles rises in both relative and absolute terms.”

— Hanna Vehkamäki, Academy Professor (Mirage News)

“For much of my career, I've looked at sulphuric acid and how it forms atmospheric aerosols, starting small and growing bigger. Even in this field, there's still plenty we don't know. When it comes to organic compounds, we're just getting started.”

— Hanna Vehkamäki, Academy Professor (Mirage News)

The takeaway

As urban air quality improves through the reduction of inorganic pollutants, the growing prominence of organic aerosols presents new challenges for climate modeling and air quality research. Professor Vehkamäki's pioneering work using AI and high-precision experiments aims to unlock the complexities of organic compound interactions and their role in atmospheric processes.