Airborne particles

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—David Hahn, a University of Florida professor of mechanical engineering, observes an infrared laser as it heats air to 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit and vaporizes airborne molecules and particles. The device is part of a technique Hahn recently developed with the assistance of Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, Calif., to detect and identify extremely low levels of air pollution. The development comes as concerns mount over the health impacts of breathing in small particles.

(UF photo by Ray Carson)
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