Gas transport in materials, biology, lungs and the atmosphere
- Author: Konrad Mostert
Prof. Christoph Düber (Medicine)
Prof. Laura Schreiber (Medicine)
Prof. Werner Heil (FB 08 Physics)
Prof. Jos Lelieveld (MPI Chemistry)
Prof. Hans W. Spiess (MPI Polymer Research)
Prof. Meinrat O. Andreae (MPI Chemistry)
Prof. Peter Hoor (FB 08 Meteorology)
Gas transport and system dynamics represent a theme that is of great interest to all fields participating in the MPGC. It typically occurs in heterogeneous environments, and its control is crucial for the function of artificial and natural systems alike.
This includes packaging, polymeric membranes, but also ventilation in the lung, where a large range of length scales is involved and last, but not least, the atmosphere. Gas transport in biology often involves carriers, thus it is strongly related to questions of specific binding that also are relevant in drug carriers or sensorics. Due to the low density of gases, specialized analytical tools are needed. Researchers in Mainz are world leaders in sensing transport tracers at the earth/atmosphere interface using micrometeorological techniques, in the atmosphere with specialized research aircraft (HALO), satellites, as well as MRI of the lung with hyperpolarized gases (3He).