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Ravi Ravishankara

ForMemRS FAAAS FRSC
Born
Akkihebbal Ramaiah Ravishankara

(1949-11-16) November 16, 1949 (age 75)
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Mysore (BSc, MSc)
University of Florida (PhD)
Awards Polanyi Medal (1998)
Scientific career
Fields Atmospheric chemistry
Air quality
Climate change
Ozone layer
Science policy
Institutions National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Colorado State University
University of Maryland
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Colorado
Thesis The Photolysis, Radiolysis and Mass Spectrometry of 1122-tetrafluorocyclobutane (1975)

Akkihebbal Ramaiah (Ravi) Ravishankara is a famous scientist. He studies chemistry and the Earth's atmosphere. He is a professor at Colorado State University.

Dr. Ravishankara is known for his important work on the air we breathe. He has studied how the ozone layer gets thinner. He also researches climate change and air quality. His work helped us understand how certain chemicals affect our planet. These include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). He helped lead international groups that study the ozone layer.

Becoming a Scientist: Ravi Ravishankara's Education

Ravi Ravishankara was born in Shimoga, India in 1949. He went to the University of Mysore for his first degrees. Later, he moved to the University of Florida in Gainesville. There, he earned his PhD in 1975.

Exploring Earth's Air: Ravi Ravishankara's Research

Dr. Ravishankara's work focuses on chemical processes in the air. This helps us understand the atmosphere of Earth. His research has improved our knowledge of ozone depletion, climate change, and air pollutants.

After getting his PhD, he began studying the atmosphere. He researched the Ozone Layer Depletion at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He even did research in Antarctica.

Protecting the Ozone Layer

After the Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987, Dr. Ravishankara helped find safer chemicals. This agreement aimed to stop using CFCs. His work on greenhouse gases also helped with the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. This agreement aimed to reduce carbon dioxide.

More recently, his research on HFCs was very important. This work led to the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. This amendment aims to reduce the use of HFCs.

Understanding Air Chemistry

In 2004, Dr. Ravishankara led a team at NOAA. They published important new information about chemical reactions in the air. Their findings showed that some earlier measurements were not quite right.

They used special tools to study how oxygen atoms react with other gases. These gases include oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and greenhouse gases. Their results showed that these reactions happen faster than previously thought.

In 2009, Dr. Ravishankara's team also warned about nitrous oxide. They published their findings in Science magazine. Their research showed that nitrous oxide can harm the ozone layer. Human activities, like farming and burning fossil fuels, cause more nitrous oxide to be released.

Dr. Ravishankara was a senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He later became the director of its Chemical Sciences Division in Boulder, Colorado.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Ravishankara has received many awards for his important work. Some of these include:

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