A model of nucleation bursts

¹Department of Physical Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
²Geophysical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Abstract

[1]  A simple linear (with respect to aerosol particle size distribution) model of nucleation bursts in the atmosphere is proposed. The model includes two sources of nonvolatile species, one of which nucleates producing the aerosol particles and the other one condenses onto the particles giving rise to their growth. The most important consequence of the linearity is that the particle size distribution can be presented as a superposition of different regimes. In particular, if the source-enhanced regime is combined with a free one, the latter produces a runaway mode in the particle size distribution appears. The model serves for estimating the CCN productivity by nucleation bursts.

Received 18 January 2008; accepted 1 February 2008; published 15 February 2008.

Keywords: nucleation burst, atmospheric aerosols, nucleation mode, condensational growth.

Index Terms: 0300 Atmospheric Composition and Structure; 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles; 0317 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties.

Citation: Lushnikov, A. A., Yu. S. Lyubovtseva, and M. Kulmala (2008), A model of nucleation bursts, Russ. J. Earth Sci., 10, ES1005, doi:10.2205/2007ES000275.