Impact of Viscosity on Ice Nucleation in Organic Aerosols
Author Information
Author(s): Li Xiaohan, Wolf Martin, Shen Xiaoli, Steinke Isabelle, Lai Zhenli, Niu Sining, China Swarup, Shrivastava Manish, Zhang Zhenfa, Gold Avram, Surratt Jason D., Bourg Ian C., Cziczo Daniel J., Burrows Susannah M., Zhang Yue
Primary Institution: Princeton University
Hypothesis
The phase state of organic aerosols significantly affects their ice nucleation abilities.
Conclusion
The study shows that the viscosity of organic aerosols greatly influences their ability to nucleate ice, with higher viscosities leading to increased nucleation rates.
Supporting Evidence
- The ice nucleation rate increased by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude when the phase state changed from liquid to semisolid.
- The model developed can be implemented into climate models due to its simple, equation-based form.
- Data from the ACRIDICON-CHUVA field campaign supports the model's predictions of INP concentrations.
Takeaway
This study found that how thick or runny a particle is can change how well it helps make ice in clouds.
Methodology
The study used experimental measurements of ice nucleation rates of 2-methyltetrol aerosols at different viscosities and developed a parametric model based on classical nucleation theory.
Limitations
The study is limited to the specific conditions of the experiments and may not fully capture the complexities of ice nucleation in natural environments.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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