Paola Formenti

Paola Formenti is a senior researcher (Directrice de Recherche) at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), based at the Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), affiliated with Université Paris-Est Créteil. Her work focuses on the physico-chemical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols, particularly mineral dust from desert regions and biomass burning particles, and their impact on climate and air quality.

Her research spans a broad range of interests, including mineral dust aerosols, aerosol optical and radiative properties, atmospheric chemistry, multiphase reactions, air pollution, and remote sensing. She investigates the life cycle of desert dust, its long-range transport, chemical aging, iron solubility, and interactions with clouds and radiation. Her work often integrates complex field campaigns, laboratory simulations, and data analysis from satellite and ground-based observations.

The 15 most recent articles highlight a strong focus on field measurements (e.g., ACROSS, AEROCLO-sA), aerosol optical properties, mineral dust characterization, multiphase chemistry (e.g., glyoxal reactions), and the climate impacts of aerosols (e.g., semi-direct effects). Her research is highly collaborative, with frequent co-authorship with leading scientists in atmospheric physics and chemistry, and is centered on regions like the Mediterranean, West Africa, the South Atlantic, and urban Paris.

Paola Formenti has been instrumental in numerous major international field campaigns such as AMMA, DABEX, DODO, and AEROCLO-sA. Her work involves the development and application of advanced instrumentation for aerosol measurement and has significantly advanced the understanding of African dust and its global impact.