RUI: Bulk Water Adsorption and Aerosol Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) Activation of Insoluble Aerosol: Toward Experimental Closure and Accurate Model Parameters

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project will investigate the role of mineral dust particles on the formation of cloud droplets in the atmosphere. Current theories of droplet formation have not included the influence of particle surface structure and porosity. State-of-the-art laboratory techniques will be used to quantify the effects of particle surface microstructure on the uptake of water and the formation of cloud droplets in the atmosphere. This research will contribute significantly to the current understanding of how mineral particles of atmospheric relevance interact with water vapor in the atmosphere and lead to improved models of dust-cloud interactions and the influence of these interactions on weather and climate.The specific goals of the studies are: (1) to quantify water adsorption on model insoluble aerosol components as a function of relative humidity (RH); (2) to measure size-resolved cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation of the same model aerosol components; (3) to apply new water adsorption analysis methods to correct for surface microstructure and porosity to obtain more accurate Frenkel Halsey Hill Adsorption Activation Theory (FHH-AT) fit parameters; (4) to compare surface microstructure and porosity-corrected bulk water adsorption-based CCN activation to aerosol CCN activation measurements to establish experimental closure between the two methods; and (5) to mentor and educate a diverse cohort of undergraduate students in atmospheric chemistry.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.