Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water
Abstract The mass accommodation coefficient for uptake of water vapor to liquid water, αM, has been constrained using photoacoustic measurements of aqueous absorbing aerosol. Measurements performed over a range of relative humidities and pressures were compared to detailed model calculations treatin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069328 |
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| author | Justin M. Langridge Mathews S. Richardson Daniel A. Lack Daniel M. Murphy |
| author_facet | Justin M. Langridge Mathews S. Richardson Daniel A. Lack Daniel M. Murphy |
| author_sort | Justin M. Langridge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The mass accommodation coefficient for uptake of water vapor to liquid water, αM, has been constrained using photoacoustic measurements of aqueous absorbing aerosol. Measurements performed over a range of relative humidities and pressures were compared to detailed model calculations treating coupled heat and mass transfer occurring during photoacoustic laser heating cycles. The strengths and weaknesses of this technique are very different to those for droplet growth/evaporation experiments that have typically been applied to these measurements, making this a useful complement to existing studies. Our measurements provide robust evidence that αM is greater than 0.1 for all humidities tested and greater than 0.3 for data obtained at relative humidities greater than 88% where the aerosol surface was most like pure water. These values of αM are above the threshold at which kinetic limitations are expected to impact the activation and growth of aerosol particles in warm cloud formation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ee0bf522501458fa56c2cdf8bd205b2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ee0bf522501458fa56c2cdf8bd205b22025-08-20T03:49:37ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-06-0143126650665610.1002/2016GL069328Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid waterJustin M. Langridge0Mathews S. Richardson1Daniel A. Lack2Daniel M. Murphy3Observation Based Research Met Office Exeter UKCooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USAChemical Sciences Division NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Boulder Colorado USAAbstract The mass accommodation coefficient for uptake of water vapor to liquid water, αM, has been constrained using photoacoustic measurements of aqueous absorbing aerosol. Measurements performed over a range of relative humidities and pressures were compared to detailed model calculations treating coupled heat and mass transfer occurring during photoacoustic laser heating cycles. The strengths and weaknesses of this technique are very different to those for droplet growth/evaporation experiments that have typically been applied to these measurements, making this a useful complement to existing studies. Our measurements provide robust evidence that αM is greater than 0.1 for all humidities tested and greater than 0.3 for data obtained at relative humidities greater than 88% where the aerosol surface was most like pure water. These values of αM are above the threshold at which kinetic limitations are expected to impact the activation and growth of aerosol particles in warm cloud formation.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069328water uptake kineticsaerosol activation and growthwarm cloud formationmass accommodation coefficient |
| spellingShingle | Justin M. Langridge Mathews S. Richardson Daniel A. Lack Daniel M. Murphy Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water Geophysical Research Letters water uptake kinetics aerosol activation and growth warm cloud formation mass accommodation coefficient |
| title | Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| title_full | Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| title_fullStr | Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| title_short | Experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| title_sort | experimental evidence supporting the insensitivity of cloud droplet formation to the mass accommodation coefficient for condensation of water vapor to liquid water |
| topic | water uptake kinetics aerosol activation and growth warm cloud formation mass accommodation coefficient |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069328 |
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