A. R. MacKenzie

About

Dr. A. R. MacKenzie is a leading atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on the intersection of atmospheric chemistry, aerosol dynamics, and innovative measurement techniques. A key contribution is the use of novel aerial platforms—from octocopters to avian species—to probe otherwise inaccessible atmospheric layers. In a landmark 2016 study (27 citations), MacKenzie deployed octocopters at Ascension Island to collect air samples above and below the trade wind inversion, providing critical data on tropical methane (CH₄) mole fractions and stable carbon isotopes. This work directly informs our understanding of global greenhouse gas budgets. MacKenzie also pioneered the use of AERONET data to detect gas flaring signatures in West African aerosols (25 citations), linking industrial activity to regional aerosol optical properties. Demonstrating remarkable methodological creativity, MacKenzie led the "Avian Sensor Packages" project (2017), equipping white-tailed and Spanish imperial eagles with meteorological sensors—a humane, lightweight approach that expanded the toolkit for boundary-layer meteorology. With a career defined by technical ingenuity and a commitment to solving pressing climate questions, MacKenzie’s work has shaped how we monitor trace gases and aerosols in complex tropical environments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Methane mole fraction and δ¹³C above and below the trade wind inversion at Ascension Island in air sampled by aerial robotics

   27 citations · 2016
2. 2
   Detection of a gas flaring signature in the AERONET optical properties of aerosols at a tropical station in West Africa

   25 citations · 2016
3. 3
   Avian Sensor Packages for Meteorological Measurements

   6 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links