A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity
This paper presents an approach to study droplet activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity by the Continuous Flow Streamwise Thermal Gradient CCN Chamber (CFSTGC) and a comprehensive model of the instrument and droplet growth. The model, which can be downloaded from <a href="...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2012-05-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/4227/2012/acp-12-4227-2012.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811233530762493952 |
|---|---|
| author | T. Raatikainen R. H. Moore T. L. Lathem A. Nenes |
| author_facet | T. Raatikainen R. H. Moore T. L. Lathem A. Nenes |
| author_sort | T. Raatikainen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents an approach to study droplet activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity by the Continuous Flow Streamwise Thermal Gradient CCN Chamber (CFSTGC) and a comprehensive model of the instrument and droplet growth. The model, which can be downloaded from <a href="http://nenes.eas.gatech.edu/Experiments/CFSTGC.html "target="_blank">http://nenes.eas.gatech.edu/Experiments/CFSTGC.html </a>, is evaluated against a series of experiments with ammonium sulfate calibration aerosol. Observed and modeled droplet sizes are in excellent agreement for a water vapor uptake coefficient ~0.2, which is consistent with theoretical expectations. The model calculations can be considerably accelerated without significant loss of accuracy by assuming simplified instrument geometry and constant parabolic flow velocity profiles. With these assumptions, the model can be applied to large experimental data sets to infer kinetic growth parameters while fully accounting for water vapor depletion effects and changes in instrument operation parameters such as the column temperature, flow rates, sheath and sample flow relative humidities, and pressure. When the effects of instrument operation parameters, water vapor depletion and equilibrium dry particle properties on droplet size are accounted for, the remaining variations in droplet size are most likely due to non-equilibrium processes such as those caused by organic surface films, slow solute dissociation and glassy or highly viscous particle states. As an example of model application, data collected during a research flight in the ARCTAS 2008 campaign are analyzed. The model shows that water vapor depletion effects can explain changes in the observed average droplet size. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:21:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d914068eb344477092fd0d92eab6d237 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:21:30Z |
| publishDate | 2012-05-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-d914068eb344477092fd0d92eab6d2372022-12-22T03:35:21ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242012-05-011294227424310.5194/acp-12-4227-2012A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activityT. RaatikainenR. H. MooreT. L. LathemA. NenesThis paper presents an approach to study droplet activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity by the Continuous Flow Streamwise Thermal Gradient CCN Chamber (CFSTGC) and a comprehensive model of the instrument and droplet growth. The model, which can be downloaded from <a href="http://nenes.eas.gatech.edu/Experiments/CFSTGC.html "target="_blank">http://nenes.eas.gatech.edu/Experiments/CFSTGC.html </a>, is evaluated against a series of experiments with ammonium sulfate calibration aerosol. Observed and modeled droplet sizes are in excellent agreement for a water vapor uptake coefficient ~0.2, which is consistent with theoretical expectations. The model calculations can be considerably accelerated without significant loss of accuracy by assuming simplified instrument geometry and constant parabolic flow velocity profiles. With these assumptions, the model can be applied to large experimental data sets to infer kinetic growth parameters while fully accounting for water vapor depletion effects and changes in instrument operation parameters such as the column temperature, flow rates, sheath and sample flow relative humidities, and pressure. When the effects of instrument operation parameters, water vapor depletion and equilibrium dry particle properties on droplet size are accounted for, the remaining variations in droplet size are most likely due to non-equilibrium processes such as those caused by organic surface films, slow solute dissociation and glassy or highly viscous particle states. As an example of model application, data collected during a research flight in the ARCTAS 2008 campaign are analyzed. The model shows that water vapor depletion effects can explain changes in the observed average droplet size.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/4227/2012/acp-12-4227-2012.pdf |
| spellingShingle | T. Raatikainen R. H. Moore T. L. Lathem A. Nenes A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity |
| title_full | A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity |
| title_fullStr | A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity |
| title_short | A coupled observation – modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of CCN activity |
| title_sort | coupled observation modeling approach for studying activation kinetics from measurements of ccn activity |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/4227/2012/acp-12-4227-2012.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT traatikainen acoupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT rhmoore acoupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT tllathem acoupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT anenes acoupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT traatikainen coupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT rhmoore coupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT tllathem coupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity AT anenes coupledobservationmodelingapproachforstudyingactivationkineticsfrommeasurementsofccnactivity |