A study of the attachment of radon daughter atoms to aerosol particles

Previous studies of the attachment of radon daughter atoms to aerosol particles in the atmospheric air have given varying results, a few of which did not conform to the diffusion theory developed byLassen andRau (1960). Our studies suggest that the radiolytic aerosols formed by gas-phase reactions in the presence of ionizing radiations interfere in the studies carried out with known aerosols. Radiolytic aerosols are formed spontaneously in the system, depending on the concentrations of aerosol-forming gases in the atmospheric air. It is shown that, under experimental conditions which suppressed the formation of radiolytic aerosols, the attachment rates of Ra-A atoms to aerosol particles in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 m in diameter agree with the diffusion theory developed byLassen andRau (1960). Such investigations of the interactions between atoms, molecules, ions, and aerosol particles are highly useful in atmospheric tracer studies.     

On some measurements of the condensation of different vapors upon Aitken condensation nuclei

No final theory on the activity of Aitken nuclei has been established yet. In particular the supersaturation is not known for the Aitken nuclei to grow into droplets, f.e. according toF. Volz only nuclei of radius >0.1 can cause condensation under atmospheric conditions. On the other hand according toH. G. Müller condensation over the continents has to occur at the Aitken nuclei since precipitation washes out the other nuclei.This uncertainty becomes obvious in the interpretation of the experimental results.Chr. Junge found that the necessary activation supersaturation of a continental Aitken aerosol and of artificial aerosols of the same size of nuclei lies between 2 and 20%, 10% being sufficient for the main fraction of nuclei to grow.In contrastW. Wieland was able to activate in a mixing cloud chamber a big portion, if not all, of the nuclei of a continental aerosol at supersaturations below 1.5%. Some of our own results, obtained with the same technic, agree with this. At supersaturations below 0.8% at least half of the Aitken nuclei present are activated. To obtain the same result with benzene and acetone we found, that benzene required a slightly smaller, and acetone a somewhat bigger supersaturation.However later experiments revealed a considerable effect of the geometry of the mixing cloud chamber upon the results. Since the physics of the chamber has not been fully explored the method was abandoned. Instead the principle of cooling by adiabatic expansion was used. An expansion apparatus based on the principle of a fotoelectric nucleus counter was developed allowing us to measure with two cathode ray oscillographs the pressure and simultaneously the change of intensity of a lightbeam due to the scattering on the forming cloud as a function of time. The length of the lightbeam could be chosen between 60 and 200 cm. The overpressure before the expansion was always 180 mm of mercury. The ratio of expansion rates was 12.53060 at the beginning of the expansion. The slowest rate was about 6 seconds, corresponding to a rate of ascent of 210 m/s at the beginning of the expansion. Smaller rates could not be obtained because of heat transfer at the chamber walls.The present work has been performed for the Eidgenössische Kommission zum Studium der Hagelbildung und der Hagelabwehr (Switzerland) at the research station Osservatorio Ticinese Locarno-Monti della Centrale Meteorologica Svizzera     

An investigation of the size frequency resolution of an aerosol by the static method of diffusion

Summary Theoretical considerations are put forward for identifying the Dynamic and Static Methods of Diffusion measurements of aerosol particles. On the basic of this equality the Exhaustion Method of Diffusion developed byPollak andMetnieks for the size-frequency resolution of a heterogeneous aerosol by Dynamic Diffusion Methods should be applicable to Static Methods. This hypothesis is tested using a Pollak-Nolan nucleus counter as decay vessel. It is shown that turbulence in the counter is the most serious obstacle against this type of approach to finding the size components of an aerosol. The time involved, the high humidity in the counter and a hypothetical nucleus-free zone are other major difficulties for relatively large Aitken nuclei. It is established, however, that for particles whose diffusion coefficient is of the order of 10^–3 cm² sec^–1, the proposed method should be quite workable.     

On the efficiency with which aerosol particles of radius larger than 0.1 μm are collected by simple ice crystal plates

A theoretical model is presented which allows computing the efficiency with which aerosol particles of radius 0.1r10 m are collected by simple ice crystal plates of radius 50a _c 640 m in air of various relative humidities, temperatures and pressures. Particle capture due to thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis and inertial impaction are considered. It is shown that the capture efficiency of an ice crystal in considerably affected by phoretic effects in the range 0.1r1 m. For aerosol particles ofr>1 m the efficiency is strongly controlled by the flow field around the crystal and the density of the aerosol material. Trajectory analysis also predicts that aerosol particles are preferentially captured by the ice crystal rim. Our theoretica results are found to agree satisfactorily with the laboratory studies presently available. Comparison shows that for the same pressure, temperature and relative humidity of the ambient air ice crystal plates are better aerosol particle scavengers than water drops.     

Spontane Bildung negativer Raumladungen in einem maritimpolaren Luftkörper mit hoher Aerosolkonzentration

Zusammenfassung In einem maritim-tropischen Luftkörper wurde während mehrerer Tage beobachtet, dass sich in 50–200 m über dem Boden spontan negative Raumladungen ausbilden, wenn kalte Hangabwinde in die bodennahe Luftschicht eindringen und sich mit der vorher vorhanden gewesenen erwärmten Luft turbulent vermischen. Der «luftelektrisch aktivierbare» Luftkörper zeichnete sich durch extrem hohe Aerosolkonzentration aus. Das Partikelspektrum war in Richtung auf grobe Aerosolkomponenten verschoben.

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Summary Spontaneous formation of negative space charges 50–200 m above the ground has been observed for several consecutive days in a warm maritime (mT) air mass penetrated by cold mountain-slope winds; the cold air underwent turbulent mixing with the pre-existing warm air. The electrifiable airspace was characterized by an extremely high aerosol concentration, with the size distribution spectrum shifted from the normal toward a significantly increased incidence of coarse particles.

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Physikalisch-Bioklimatische ForschungsstelleGarmisch-Partenkirchen der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung.     

A comparative study on the growth of cloud drops by condensation using an air parcel model with and without entrainment

During a study of the growth of cloud drops by condensation the evolution of cloud drop size spectra with height above cloud base was determined for maritime aerosols, and for continental aerosols containing aerosol particles of mixed composition. Air parcel models were used in which the parcel was either completely closed to mass and heat transfer (strictly adiabatic models), or open to heat transfer and to partial or complete mass transfer (entrainment models). It was found that adiabatic models and models which consider the entraining of air devoid of aerosol particles predict drop size distributions which are considerably narrower than those observed in non-precipitating cumulus clouds, and have only a single maximum. On the other hand, relative broad drop size distributions and distributions with a double maximum — as they are observed in atmospheric clouds — are predicted if the entrainment of both air and aerosol particles are considered in the condensation model. Our results support the findings ofWarner (1973) which were obtained for a purely maritime aerosol.     

The role of organic material in atmospheric aerosols

An estimated budget of organic substances in the atmosphere is compiled to whow the importance of organics in the aerosol. The distribution of organic compounds in background aerosols is estimated and it will be shown that the Aitken particles probably consist of roughly one quarter of organic substances. This is important for the dynamics of the aerosol and calculations are presented to estimate the aerosol production distribution for gas-to-particle conversion processes.     

Airborne microorganisms: Their occurrence,distribution and dependence on environmental factors — Especially on organic compounds of air-pollution

For a period of approximately six months the concentrations of airborne microorganisms were determined by the uptake of their day-characteristic at local places differing by the extent of air pollution. By simultaneously recording the meteorological parameters as temperature, relative humidity, direction and velocity of wind and intensity of solar radiation, it was intended to find out the relationship between these factors and the viability of airborne microorganisms. The present data show an oscillation of the concentration counts over a wide range and seem not yet to depend on the local situation of air pollution.In a further series of experiments the atmospheric aerosol <10 m was collected on air-filters. The decreased substances were extracted from the filter material by aqueous and organic solutants and tested for their antimicrobial activities. In this context the seasonal dependence of the microbicidal activity of organic compounds of aerosol is discussed.     

Stratospheric aerosol inferred from electrical conductivity during a volcanically quiescent period

Profiles of electrical conductivity in the troposphere and stratosphere were measured by balloon-borne conductivity sondes at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany, from January to May, 1980, when volcanic activity was low. The aerosol concentration has been deduced from the relative decrease of conductivity from surrounding values by assuming the effective attachment coefficient of ions to aerosols. A prominent decrease of the conductivity near the tropopause is usually observed indicating high concentrations of Aitken particles (500–1000 cm^–3). A decrease of conductivity, well above the tropopause, is sometimes observed, probably due to the transport of tropospheric Aitken particles with high concentration (200–400 cm^–3) into the stratosphere.     

PM10 Source Apportionment in Ahvaz,Iran, Using Positive Matrix Factorization

Source apportionment of particulate matter <10 µm in diameter (PM₁₀), having considerable impacts on human health and the environment, is of high priority in air quality management. The present study, therefore, aimed at identifying the potential sources of PM₁₀ in an arid area of Ahvaz located in southwest of Iran. For this purpose, we collected 24‐h PM₁₀ samples by a high volume air sampler. The samples were then analyzed for their elemental (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Li, Ti, V, Zn, Mo, and Sb) and ionic (NH, Cl^?, NO, and SO) components using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and ion chromatography instruments, respectively. Eight factors were identified by positive matrix factorization: crustal dust (41.5%), road dust (5.5%), motor vehicles (11.5%), marine aerosol (8.0%), secondary aerosol (9.5%), metallurgical plants (6.0%), petrochemical industries and fossil fuel combustion (13.0%), and vegetative burning (5.0%). Result of this study suggested that the natural sources contribute most to PM₁₀ particles in the area, followed closely by the anthropogenic sources.     

A note on the Aitken nuclei and ion flow measurements in the lower stratosphere

In the light of new measurements of small aerosol particles in the lower stratosphere, some of the old investigations—which were only published in part in scientific journals—are reviewed and compared. The discussion focuses on whether the Aitken nuclei (AN) size distribution up to 20 km can be described by Junge’s or log-normal density functions and under what circumstances one can find a bimodal distribution of these particles. The ion flow in correlated to the stratospheric pollution (intercept with the jet aircraft, volcanic activity) and is, in mean, directly proportional to the aircraft altitude in the undisturbed lower stratosphere. Note: The GCCPR, Univ. Missouri at Rolla, reports quoted in the article can be obtained from the author.     

Die Erforschung der Natürlichen Radioaktivität von Wolkenelementen und einige damit verbundene Probleme

Summary During a number of years at Vilnius the sounding of clouds has been carried out from airplanes in order to study the contents of radioactive materials accumulated in cumuli. Two methods for taking samples have been used: 1) the collection on cooled surfaces and 2) using the method of filter paper covered with erythrosin and kept in a special collector within the Venturi tube. In the first case radioactivity has been measured with the help of Geiger-Müller counter and in the second by means of nuclear photo emulsion (sensitive to -particles) which was brought into contact with the filter paper moistened in the cloud. This method has made it possible: 1) to measure radioactivity in local zones of a cloud, 2) to measure radioactivity of separate big drops and 3) to study the composition of -radioactivity contained in cloud particles.The magnitude of specific radioactivity of cloud elements appears to be of the same order with the rain drops and at times even greater than that of the rain samples.There exist two types of the distribution of radioactivity in a cumulus according to the height: 1) an increase of radioactivity from the bottom to maximum at the height of 0.6 part of the cloud's thickness and 2) two maxima of radioactivity at the bottom and in the centre. The latter phenomenon is characteristic of thick cumuli where big radioactive drops apparently fall out from the centre. The distribution of radioactivity at different heights correlates well with cloud's liquid-water.In a cumulus there takes a place a process of accumulation of radioactive aerosol with the accumulation coefficient of 1000. This circumstance points to a very important part played by clouds as accumulators of radioactive materials from the air which continuously filters itself through them. And just by this is expressed one of the properties of clouds as purifiers of the atmosphere from radioactive aerosol, for, as theoretical calculations indicate, the ability of drops to absorbe radioactive aerosol diminishes with the process of cloud droplets growing to the size of rain drops.The composition of radioactive materials in cloud elements is very complex. In drogs there appear nearly all the natural radioactive elements (emitting -particles) which exist in the earth's crust.     

Actinometric determination of turbidity parameters in India

Summary A study of the wavelength exponent of aerosol scattering in the Ångström relation for extinction by aerosol has been made from the ground-based measurments of direct solar radiation using Ångström pyrheliometer with and without Schott filters. It has been observed that in India, mainly for the middle part of the year this exponent is zero or even negative which means that the aerosol scattering is nearly neutral which is in marked contrast with the condition prevailing in middle latitudes. It is evident from the -values that the aerosol size distribution in India is far different from that prevailing in middle latitudes. At four representative stations in India, the values of the wavelength exponent and the atmospheric turbidity coefficient have been determined using the method introduced byÅngström [1,2]) and are discussed here.     

On the stationary charge distribution on aerosol particles in a bipolar ionic atmosphere

Summary By the «limiting sphere» method the combination coefficients for gaseous ions and aerosol particles were calculated, allowing for the jump in ion concentration at the surface of the particles. Hence the stationary charge distribution on aerosol particles in a symmetrical bipolar ionic atmosphere was determined. The use of the Boltzmann equation for this purpose proposed by some authors is theoretically wrong asthis equation applies to equilibrium rather than to stationary states. In practice, the Boltzmann equation can be used for particles with radius 3·10^–5 cm (under atmospheric pressure). Within this range the image forces and the jump in ion concentration may be neglected. The conditions of the applicability of the steady diffusion equations to the theory of the stationary charge distribution in aerosols are discussed.     

On the efficiency with which aerosol particles of radius less than 1 μm are collected by columnar ice crystals

A theoretical model is presented which allows computing the efficiency with which aerosol particles of 0.001 r1 m are collected by columnar ice crystals in air of various relative humidities, temperatures, and pressures. Particle capture due to Brownian diffusion, thermo- and diffusiophoresis is considered. It is shown that phoretic effects importantly determine the particle capture process of 0.01r1 m. The various pressure-temperature levels studied are found to affect the collection efficiency only ifr>0.1 m. Comparison shows that water drops generally are better aerosol particle scavengers than columnar ice crystals.     

Remote sensing of the middle atmospheric aerosol

Summary This article analyzes the nature of the aerosol information that current or planned spacecraft measurements could contribute toward the required input data for studies of natural anthropogenic influences on the middle atmosphere, and their consequent effects on our weather and climate. The analysis is conducted with particular reference to the solar occultation sounding technique as applied by the SAGE I experiment on the Atmospheric Explorer Mission B spacecraft. Its conclusions should prove to be of use in both the interpretation of the SAGE I data, and in the design of the follow-on mission on the Earth Radiation Budget satellite.Our analysis shows, in particular, that further studies are required in: the choice and number of sounding channels; the data taking sequence in relation to the atmospheric regions probed; the accuracy and vertical resolution of the atmospheric profiling, and their dependence on both the instrument/spacecraft parameters and the data inversion techniques; and the data reduction procedures. Neither of the selected channels is in a one-to-one relationship with an atmospheric constituent; hence, unless further assumptions are introduced, inversion techniques based on such a property are not applicable. The aerosol wavelengths are not satisfactory as they are only sensitive to the large size tail of the aerosol size distribution rather than to the predominant sizes; for these, UV wavelengths would be required. Owing to the change of the Sun's shape due to atmospheric refraction as the Sun either sets or rises, the higher altitudes will be scanned fewer times than the lower altitudes. Also, because transmission approaches rapidly unity above 40 km, the same high altitudes are more sensitive to measurement errors-errors that will propagate to lower altitude determinations when inverted profiles are reconstructed from the top of the atmosphere. These two factors, combined with the small air mass values at the high altitudes, are the cause of the mathematical ill-conditioning of the inversion problem. They point toward the need for a data-taking sequence strategy that would trade off between data storage and transmission constraints, larger accuracy at the high altitudes, and proper division of the atmosphere in order to overcome the ill-conditioning. Likewise, and as a result of the above considerations, there is a need for a detailed trade off study between data accuracy and vertical resolution of the reconstructed profiles. This should take into account the seasonal and geographical variations in the distribution of atmospheric constituents, as well as a representative statistical set at any given location and time, appropriate error measures and their vertical profiles, and several inversions utilizing as initial guesses profiles that depart from the true ones.It is also shown that the aerosol and ozone number densities cannot be recovered simultaneously without introducing some formula for the aerosol extincition or assumptions on the form of the aerosol size distribution. This problem is not resolved by the addition of sounding channels because each such channel introduces an additional unknown aerosol extinction. Thus, one is led to a separate rather than a simultaneous determination of the various constituents by resorting to complementary measurements. For a future experiment, it is suggested to determine the ozone separately from measurements at a close pair of appropriate wavelengths between which the aerosol extinction varies slowly whereas that of ozone exhibits a rapid variation. A similar technique could also be used for the separate determination of NO₂. The relaxation-type of inversion suggest byChu andMcCormick (1979) does not seem to be appropriate because each channel is not sensitive selectively to an individual constituent, the aerosol channels are not sensitive to the important sizes in the distribution, and the sensitivity of the channels to the constituents of interest varies greatly with altitude.In the retrieval of the vertical profiles, the cause of the ill-conditioning of the inversion is identified. Two approaches are suggested for overconing this problem: (i) build the profile starting from the top of the atmosphere (forward procedure) but with an initial layer of sufficient air mass, or preferably (ii) reconstruct the profile from the lowest altitude reached (backward procedure) with a renormalization at the top of the atmosphere. In this process, the minimization search method (Fymat, 1976) would appear to be a better technique than the onion-peeling technique, as demonstrated byMill andDrayson (1978).In order to maximize the scientific return of SAGE I, a data inversion procedure is proposed. It assumes that (i) there are no aerosols above 25 km, and no NO₂ below this altitude (as suggested byChu andMcCormick, 1979), (ii) below 25 km, ozone (and NO₂, if present) could be determined separately, and (iii) the aerosol has a known refractive index at all wavelengths of interest, is assumed to be spherical (or describable in terms of equivalent spheres), and the minimum and maximum radii of its size distribution are known a priori. Under these assumptions, it is possible to retrieve the neutral density, NO₂ and O₃ profiles above 25 km, by either the forward or the backward procedure described above. Taking into consideration the power law variation of the air density with altitude, it is further possible to reconstruct the corresponding profiles at all the lower altitudes from the determinations in the altitude range 30–40 km. Below 25 km, the four SAGE I channels would then all become available for the aerosol inversion. While the profile reconstruction could proceed as for the higher altitudes, the aerosol inversion at each individual altitude presents problems of its own. Results of numerical experiments for aerosol inversion using all four SAGE wavelengths and seven different inversion routines are presented. If good a priori information is available on the sought size distribution solution, reasonably satisfactory inversions can be performed (see line 1 of Table 2, and Fig. 3c and 3d). However, in the absence of such information, there are as many solutions as inversion methods tried, in complete conformity with the well-known ill-conditioning of the problem. Among methods providing physically meaningful solutions, no method could be singled out as preferable to the others. In these inversions, the data were assumed to be exact, and 99% of the distribution were used. Under different conditions, the nonuniqueness of the inversion would be further compounded.Lastly, based on the present study, a strategy is suggested for the design and data interpretation of a follow-on SAGE-type experiment. Considering the important advantages to this problem presented by forward scattering, as demonstrated byFymat andMease (1978), a composite (extinction-forward scattering) experiment is recommended for the future experiments.Invited article for the Special Issue The Middle Atmosphere, Journal of Pure and Applied Geophysics.Supported by NASA Contract NAS 7-100 with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, sponsored by the Offices of Planetary Atmospheres and Earth Applications. JPL Atmospheres Publication No.     

Humidity effects on gravitational settling and Brownian diffusion of atmospheric aerosol particles

The dependency on relative humidity of the settling velocity of aerosol particles in stagnant air and of the diffusion coefficient due to Brownian motion of aerosol particles was computed for six aerosol types and different particles sizes in dry state. The computations are based (1) on mean bulk densities of dry aerosol particles obtained from measurements or from the knowledge of the chemical composition of the particles, (2) on micro-balance measurements of the water uptake per unit mass of dry aerosol substance versus water activity at thermodynamic equilibrium, and (3) on measurements of the equilibrium water activity of aqueous sea salt solutions. The results show a significant dependence of the settling velocity and Brownian diffusion of aerosol particles on relative humidity and on the particle's chemical composition.Nomenclature A surface parameter of a particle - B surface parameter of a particle - c _L velocity of sound in moist air - C 1+Kn[A+Qexp(–B/Kn]=slip correction - D diffusion coefficient of a particle - D ₁ D(=1)=diffusion coefficient of a spherical particle - f P _w /P _we (T,P)=relative humidity (f=0 dry air,f=1 saturated air) - g acceleration due to gravity - g |g| - k 1.3804×10^–16 erg/°K=Boltzmann constant - Kn _L /r=Knudsen number of a particle - Kn _{0 0L} /r ₀=Knudsen number of a dry particle - m 4r ³/3=mass of a particle - m _L 4r ³ _L /3=mass of the moist air displaced by a particle - M mobility of a particle - M ₀ molar mass of dry air - M _w molar mass of water - Ma |u–u _L |/c _L =Mach number of the particles motion relative to the ambient air - n particle number per unit volume of air - P P ₀+P _w =pressure of the moist air - P ₀ partial pressure of the dry air - P _w partial pressure of the water vapour - P _we P _we (T,P)=equilibrium partial water vapour pressure over a plane surface of water saturated with air - Q surface parameter of a particle - r equivalent radius of a particle (radius of a sphere with the particles volume) - r ₀ equivalent radius of a particle in dry state - R 1+0.13Re ^0.85=inertia correction - R ₀ specific gas constant of dry air - R _w specific gas constant of water - Re 2r _L u–u _L / _L =Reynolds number of the particles motion relative to the ambient air - t time - T absolute temperature - u velocity of a particle - u (amount of the) settling velocity of a particle in stagnant air - u ₁ u(=1)=(amount of the) settling velocity of a spherical particle in stagnant air - u _L velocity of the ambient moist air (far enough from the particle where the flow pattern remains undistorted) - W drag coefficient of a particles equivalent sphere - empirical parameter in equation (3.1) - dynamic viscosity of a particles liquid cover - _L dynamic viscosity of moist air - _0L dynamic viscosity of dry air (at the same pressure and temperature like the moist air) - celsius temperature - dynamic shape factor of a particle (=1 for a sphere) - ₀ dynamic shape factor of a dry particle - _L mean free path of the molecules in moist air - _0L mean free path of the molecules in dry air (at the same pressure and temperature like the moist air) - _Po mean free path of the molecules in dry air at the pressureP ₀ of the dry air and the temperature given - factor of solid to liquid change-over (=1 for a solid particle) - mean bulk density of a particle - _L density of the moist air - _0L density of the dry air at the same pressure and temperature like the moist air - ₀ mean bulk density of a dry particle - ₀ mean diameter of the molecules of dry air - _w diameter of water molecules - relaxation time of a particle - gradient operation - 3.141593     

Chemistry of atmospheric aerosols

Summary A survey is given on the present status of knowledge about the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols. Results on the size distribution and the physical structure of the nuclei provide the necessary basis for an under-standing of their chemistry. Very little is known about the chemistry of particles smaller than 0.1. For larger particles micro-analyses show the presence of sulfate, nitrate, chloride, sodium and ammonium which varies in a characteristic way with the size of the particles. The sea spray component can be isolated. Data from rain water analyses are used to obtain information on the large scale distribution of these components and their sources. Some remarks about the fraction of the particles acting as true condensation nuclei and the radioactivity will conclude the paper.The subject has been already developed in detail inAdvances of Geophysics, Vol. 4 (edited byH. E. Landsberg & J. van Miechem), Academic Press Inc., New York, 1958.     

Relation entre le pouvoir glaçogène et la transparence de l'air

Résumé Sauf au voisinage immédiat de quelques sources de noyaux glaçogènes, le rôle de ces noyaux dans l'absorption de la lumière est toujours très faible parce qu'ils sont peu nombreux. Cependant, il peut exister une relation de proportionnalité entre le pouvoir glaçogène et l'opacité de l'air lorsque la concentration des noyaux de congélation présente un rapport constant avec la concentration des particules responsables de l'absorption de la lumière. La théorie deMie nous apprend que, pour un aérosol normal et homogène, celles-ci sont de «grosses» particules (0.1 <r<1 ). En pratique on peut espérer rencontrer une relation constante dans deux cas: 1) loin de sources de noyaux glaçogènes, lorsqu'après de multiples brassages l'atmosphère devient homogène et que chaque particule acquiert une probabilité d'action comme noyau glaçogène proportionnelle à sa surface; 2) sous le vent d'une source de pollution assez importante pour constituer l'élément perturbateur principal de la visibilité et productrice d'un nombre de noyaux glaçogènes proportionnel aux «grosses» particules inactives émises en même temps qu'eux. Dans tous les autres cas, c'est-à-dire dans la majorité, il ne peut pas exister de relation constante entre les valeurs instantanées du pouvoir glaçogène et de la visibilité.De nombreuses mesures du pouvoir glaçogène effectuées par l'auteur dans des points de pollutions différentes permettent de vérifier expérimentalement le second cas de relation et montrent que le premier est peu fréquent. Elles confirment qu'il n'existe pas de relation constante dans les autres cas; cependant,en moyenne, de bas pouvoirs glaçogènes y sont fréquemment associés à de bonnes visibilités et inversement. Les mesures fournissent enfin quelques renseignements sur le rôle respectif de la concentration des poussières et de l'humidité de l'air dans la relation pouvoir glaçogène-visibilité.

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Summary Except in close proximity of some sources of ice nuclei, the part played by these nuclei in the extinction of light is always very small because they are not numerous enough.However a relation of proportionality may occur between the ice forming power and the opacity of the air when the ice nucleus concentration is in a constant ratio with the concentration of the particles responsible for the extinction of light. The theory ofMie instructs us that, for a standard and homogeneous aerosol, these are «large» particles (0.1 <r<1 ). In practice, one may hope to find a constant relation in two cases: 1) very far from sources of ice nuclei when, after many mixings, the atmosphere becomes homogeneous and each particle gets a probability of being effective as ice nucleus in direct ratio to its surface; 2) downwind from a polluting source important enough to be the main disturber of visibility and dispersing a number of ice nuclei in direct ratio to ineffective «large» particles produced with them. In all the other cases, that is to say in the most part, a constant relation between the instantaneous values of the ice forming power and the visibility may not exist.Numerous measurments of the ice forming power carried out by the author in variously polluted places permit to verify the second case of relation experimentally and show the first is unfrequent. They support that a constant relation does not occur in the other cases; however,on an average, low ice forming powers are frequently connected with great visibilities and inversely. At last, the measurements give some information about the part respectively played by the dust concentration and the relative humidity of the air in the relation between ice forming power and visibility.

     

Aerosol properties over an urban site in central East China derived from ground sun-photometer measurements

Sun-photometer measurements at Hefei, an urban site located in central East China, were examined to investigate the variations of aerosol loading and optical properties. It is found that aerosol optical thickness (AOT) keeps higher in winter/spring and gets relatively lower in summer/autumn. The large AOT in winter is caused by anthropogenic sulfate/nitrate aerosols, while in spring dust particles elevate the background aerosol loading and the excessive fine-mode particles eventually lead to severe pollution. There is a dramatic decline of AOT during summer, with monthly averaged AOT reaching the maximum in June and soon the minimum in August. Meanwhile, aerosol size decreases consistently and single scattering albedo (SSA) reaches its minimum in July. During summertime large-sized particles play a key role to change the air from clean to mild-pollution situation, while the presence of massive small-sized particles makes the air being even more polluted. These complicated summer patterns are possibly related to the three key processes that are active in the high temperature/humidity environment concentrating on sulfate/nitrate aerosols, i.e., gas-to-particle transformation, hygroscopic growth, and wet scavenging. Regardless of season, the increase of SSA with increasing AOT occurs across the visible and near-infrared bands, suggesting the dominant negative/cooling effect with the elevated aerosol loading. The SSA spectra under varying AOT monotonically decrease with wavelength. The relatively large slope arises in summer, reinforcing the dominance of sulfate/nitrate aerosols that induce severe pollution in summer season around this city.