Experiments with condensation nucleus size spectrometers

Summary The paper presents the theory of an electrical method for resolving a polydisperse aerosol — brought up to charge equilibrium — usingBoltzmann's law of charge distribution which was suggested byT. A. Rich, and reports on experimental tests of this method and on a comparison of its results with those obtained by theL. W. Pollak & A. L. Metnieks' exhaustion method employing a diffusion battery without end-pieces or connecting tubing.The application of the novel diffusion battery without end-pieces or connecting tubing for determining the diffusion coefficient of nuclei stored in a balloon gasometer showed, as in the case of room air nuclei, that the apparent diffusion coefficient increases with increased flow rates and that the increase becomes bigger with decreasing size of nuclei; thus the dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficient on the air-flow is not caused by impaction and deposition of the nuclei in the end-pieces nor by losses in the tubing.No frictional electrical charges on the diffusion battery were, of course, detected when the battery constructed entirely of metal was earthed, and no influence on the diffusion coefficient as determined by the dynamic method was found when the insulated diffusion battery was charged to 52 volts.The resolution of polydisperse aerosols by determining the mobility spectrum of the charged components of the aerosol, brought up to charge equilibrium, showed that the electrical method is well suited for nucleus populations with large percentage of charged nuclei (rather big nuclei) and is sensitive enough to indicate the ageing, even over a few hours, of a stored aerosol. The equivalent radius as computed from the concentrations of the charged and uncharged nuclei of an aerosol under charge equilibrium conditions agrees very well indeed with the average radius of the size spectrum determined by the electrical method and represents so far the best single size characteristic of a polydiperse aerosol.The results obtained so far by the electricla and dynamic methods are in good agreement both with regard to the spectral distribution of the components and to the average size of the nuclei.

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Zusammenfassung Die Theorie einer elektrischen Methode zur Zerlegung eines heterogenen Aerosols in seine Komponenten, welche vonT. A. Rich vorgeschlagen wurde, wird entwickelt. Die Kerne des Aerosols werden in Ladungsgleichgewicht gebracht undBoltzmann's Gesetz der Ladungsverteilung benützt. Über eine experimentelle Prüfung dieser Methode und die Vergleichung ihrer Resultate mit jenen der Exhaustions-Methode nachL. W. Pollak & A. L. Metnieks, die eine Diffusionsbatterie benützt, wird berichtet.Die Anwendung der neuartigen Diffusionsbatterie ohne Endstücke oder Verbindungsröhren zur Bestimmung des Diffusionskoeffizienten von Kondensationskernen, welche in einem Gasometer gespeichert waren, zeigt — wie im Falle von Kernen in Laboratoriumsluft —, dass der virtuelle Diffusionskoeffizient mit zunehmender Luftstromgeschwindigkeit wächst und dass der Zuwachs mit abnehmender Grösse der Kerne grösser wird; die Abhängigkeit des virtuellen Diffusionskoeffizienten vom Luftstrom ist daher nicht durch das Aufprallen und die Ablagerung der Kerne in den Endstücken oder durch Verluste in den Verbindungsröhren verursacht.Es wurden natürlich keine reibungs-elektrischen Ladungen an der Diffusionsbatterie festgestellt, wenn die ganz aus Metall konstruierte Diffusionsbatterie geerdet war, und es wurde ferner kein Einfluss auf den mittels der dynamischen Methode bestimmten Diffusionskoeffizienten gefunden, wenn die isolierte Diffusionsbatterie auf 52 Volt geladen wurde.Die Bestimmung des Beweglichkeitsspektrums der geladenen Komponenten eines polydispersen Aerosols, welches mittels eines Alphastralers in Ladungsgleichgewicht gebracht wurde, zeigte, dass die elektrische Methode zur Zerlegung von Aerosolen mit hohem Prozentsatz geladenerr Kerne (ziemlich grossen Kernen) wohl geeignet und dass sie hinreichend empfindlich ist, die Alterung eines in einem Gasometer gespeicherten Aerosols während weniger Stunden erkennen zu lassen.Der aequivalente Radius, wie er aus der Konzentration der geladenen und ungeladenen Kerne eines im Ladungsgleichgewicht befindlichen Aerosols berechnet werden kann, stimmt sehr gut mit dem mittleren Radius überein, wie er sich aus dem elektrisch bestimmten Grössenspektrum ergibt. Der aequivalente Radius stellt die bis jetzt beste durch eine einzige Zahl ausgedrückte Grössencharakteristik eines polydispersen Aerosols dar.Die bisher mit der elektrischen und dynamischen Methode erhaltenen Resultate stimmen gut überein, sowohl rücksichtlich der spektralen Verteilung der Komponenten als auch bezüglich der aus ihnen abgeleiteten mittleren Kerngrösse.

     

Estimation of average size of submicron particles from the number of all and uncharged particles

Summary Recently one of the authors introduced for a polydisperse aerosol the useful concept of the equivalent radius which is computed from a monodisperse substitute aerosol with the same fraction of charged nuclei as the actual.In this paper the result of a theoretical and experimental investigation into the agreement between equivalent and average radius of polydisperse aerosols are presented. It is shown that for normal conditions as is to be expected in practice the equivalent radius represents a very good estimate of the average size of submicron particles in polydisperse aerosols.

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Zusammenfassung Einer der Authoren hat jüngst den nützlichen Begriff des äquivalenten Radius für polydisperse Aerosole eingeführt, welcher für ein monodisperses Ersatz-Aerosol mit dem gleichen Bruchteil von geladenen Teilchen als das wirkliche Aerosol berechnet wird.In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden die Resultate einer theoretischen und experimentellen Untersuchung der Uebereinstimmung des äquivalenten und mittleren Radius für polydisperse Aerosole mitgeteilt. Es wird gezeigt, dass unter normalen Bedingungen, wie sie in der Praxis zu erwarten sind, der äquivalente Radius eine sehr gute Abschätzung für den mittleren Radius von sub-mikroskopischen Teilchen in polydispersen Aerosolen vorstellt.

     

Cretaceous and Eocene lignite deposits, Jackson Purchase, Kentucky

Lignites occur in the Cretaceous McNairy Formation and the Eocene Claiborne Formation in the Jackson Purchase region of western Kentucky. The lone Cretaceous lignite sample has over 18 percent inertodetrinite and 32 percent humodetrinite which, along with the abundant mineral matter, suggests a possible allochthonous origin for the deposit. The Claiborne Formation lignites have higher humic maceral contents than the Cretaceous lignites. Palynology suggests that there was considerable variation in the plant communities responsible for the Claiborne deposits. Differences in the preservation of the various plants is also seen in the variations between the humic types, particularly in the ulminite and humodetrinite contents. Potter and Dilcher (1980) suggested that the Claiborne lignites in the Jackson Purchase and west Tennessee developed in the abandoned oxbows of Eocene rivers. Significant short-distance changes in the peat thickness, flora, and other depositional elements should be expected in such an environment and could easily account for the observed variations in composition.     

Oxidation of fugitive methane in ground water linked to bacterial sulfate reduction

When fugitive methane migrates upward along boreholes of oil and gas wells, it may migrate into shallow ground water or pass through overlying soil to the atmosphere. Prior to this study, there was little information on the fate of fugitive methane that migrates into ground water. In a field study near Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, we found hydrogeochemical evidence that fugitive methane from an oil well migrated into a shallow aquifer but has been attenuated by dissimilatory bacterial sulfate reduction at low temperature ( approximately 5 degrees C) under anaerobic conditions. Evidence includes spatial and temporal trends in concentrations of methane and sulfate in ground water and associated trends in concentrations of bicarbonate and sulfide. Within 10 m of the oil well, sulfate concentrations were low, and sulfate was enriched in both 34S and 18O. Sulfate concentrations had a strong positive correlation with delta13C values of bicarbonate, and sulfide was depleted in 34S compared to sulfate. These data indicate that bacterial sulfate reduction occurred near the production well. Near the oil well, elevated concentrations of bicarbonate were observed, and the bicarbonate was depleted in 13C. Modeling indicates that the main source of this excess 13C-depleted bicarbonate is oxidized methane. In concert with the sulfate concentration and isotope data, these results support an interpretation that in situ bacterial oxidation of methane has occurred, linked to bacterial sulfate reduction. Bacterial sulfate reduction may play a major role in bioattenuation of fugitive natural gas in ground water in western Canada.     

Zum Gesellschaftsproblem in der Limnobiocoenologie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Solar wind structure sources and periodicities of auroral electron power over three solar cycles

We assess the contributions of various types of solar wind structures (transients, coronal hole high-speed streams (HSS), and slow-speed wind) to hourly average auroral electron power (P_e). The time variation of the solar wind velocity (V_sw) and P_e are determined by HSS, which contribute ～47% to P_e and V_sw. Transients contribute ～42% of P_e in solar maxima, and ～6% in solar minimum. Cross-correlations of P_e with V_sw|B| for negative B_z are significant. P_e exhibits solar rotational periodicities similar to those for V_sw, with strong 7- and 9-day periodicities in 2005–2008 and equinox semiannual periodicities in 1995–1999.