Definitive Study of Homogeneous Nucleation and Ion-Induced Nucleation

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This research will measure rates of homogeneous nucleation for a variety of vapors at various temperatures and supersaturations using a thermal diffusion cloud chamber. The influence of photo-induced ions of controlled sign and concentration on the nucleation rate also will be measured. The theory for thermal diffusion cloud chambers will be extended to account for vapor depletion and latent heat release associated with droplet formation and growth in order to allow data interpretation at significantly higher nucleation rates than obtained heretofore by this technique. Acquisition of an extensive and consistent data base should enable a critical test of theories for homogeneous nucleation rates which sometimes differ from experimental rates by many orders of magnitude and will guide modifications where necessary to these theories. Nucleation is an important phenomenon in a wide variety of engineering and environmental applications.