Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
www.atmos-chem-phys.net
1680-7316
1680-7324
7
12
2007
10.5194/acp-7-3071-2007
http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3071/2007/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3071/2007/acp-7-3071-2007.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3071/2007/acp-7-3071-2007.pdf
3071
3080
2007-06-15
Technical Note: Characterization of a static thermal-gradient CCN counter
G. P. Frank
gfrank@mpch-mainz.mpg.de
U. Dusek
M. O. Andreae
Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
The static (parallel-plate thermal-gradient) diffusion chamber (SDC) was one
of the first instruments designed to measure cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)
concentrations as a function of supersaturation. It has probably also been
the most widely used type of CCN counter. This paper describes the detailed
experimental characterization of a SDC CCN counter, including calibration
with respect to supersaturation and particle number concentration. In
addition, we investigated the proposed effect of lowered supersaturation
because of water vapor depletion with increasing particle concentration. The
results obtained give a better understanding why and in which way it is
necessary to calibrate the SDC CCN counter. The calibration method is
described in detail and can, in parts, be used for calibrations also for
other types of CCN counters.
<br><br>
We conclude the following: 1) it is important to experimentally calibrate
SDC CCN counters with respect to supersaturation, and not only base the
supersaturation on the theoretical description of the instrument; 2) the
number concentration calibration needs to be performed as a function of
supersaturation, also for SDC CCN counter using the photographic technique;
and 3) we observed no evidence that water vapor depletion lowered the
supersaturation.
Bilde, M. and Svenningsson, B.: CCN activation of slightly soluble organics: the importance of small amounts of inorganic salts and particle phase, Tellus, 56B, 128–134, 2004.
Corrigan, C. E. and Novakov, T.: Cloud condensation nucleus activity of organic compounds: a laboratory study, Atmos. Environ., 33, 2661–2668, 1999.
Cruz, C. N. and Pandis, S. N.: A study of the ability of pure secondary organic aerosol to act as cloud condensation nuclei, Atmos. Environ., 31, 2205–2214, 1997.
Delene, D. J., Deshler, T., Wechsler, P., and Vali, G. A.: A balloon-borne cloud condensation nuclei counter, J. Geophys. Res., 103(D8), 8927–8934, 1998.
Delene, D. J. and Deshler, T.: Calibration of a photometric cloud condensation nucleus counter designed for deployment on a balloon package, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 17, 459–467, 2000.
de Oliveira, J. C. P. and Vali, G.: Calibration of a photoelectric cloud condensation nucelus counter, Atmos. Res., 38, 237–248, 1995.
Dusek, U., Reischl, G., and Hitzenberger, R.: CCN activation of pure and coated black carbon particles, Environ. Sci. Technol., 40(4), 1223–1230, doi:10.1021/es0503478, 2006a.
Dusek, U., Frank, G. P., Hildebrandt, L., Curtius, J., Schneider, J., Walter, S., Chand, D., Drewnick, F., Hings, S., Jung, D., Borrmann, S., and Andreae, M. O.: Size matters more than chemistry for cloud-nucleating ability of aerosol particles, Science, 312, 1375–1378, 2006b.
Frank, G. P., Dusek, U., and Andreae, M. O.: Technical note: A method for measuring size-resolved CCN in the atmosphere, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 6, 4879–4895, 2006.
Giebl, H., Berner, A., Reischl., G., Puxbaum, H., Kasper-Giebl, A., and Hitzenberger, R.: CCN activation of oxalic and malonic acid test aerosols with the University of Vienna cloud condensation nuclei counter, J. Aerosol Sci., 33, 1623–1634, 2002.
Gras, J. L.: CN, CCN and particle size in Southern Ocean air at Cape Grim, Atmos. Res., 35, 233–251, 1995.
Gras, J. L., Jennings, S. G., and Geever, M.: CCN determination, comparing counters with single-drop-counting and photometric detectors, at Mace Head Ireland, Id\~ojárás (Quartarly Journal of the Hungarian Meteorological Service), 100, 171–181, 1996.
Hinds, W. C.: Aerosol Technology – properties, behaviour and measurements of airborne particles, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.
Holländer, W., Dunkhorst, W., Lödding, H., and Windt, H.: Theoretical simulation and experimental characterization of an expansion-type Kelvin spectrometer with intrinsic calibration, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 19, 1811–1825, 2002.
Hudson, J. G.: Cloud Condensation Nuclei, J. Appl. Meteorol., 32, 596–607, 1993.
Jennings, S. G., Geever, M., and O'Connor, T. C.: Coastal CCN measurements at Mace Head with enhanced concentrations in strong winds, Atmos. Res., 46, 243–252, 1998.
Ji, Q., Shaw, G. E., and Cantrell, W.: A new instrument for measuring cloud condensation nuclei: Cloud condensation nucleus "remover", J. Geophys. Res., 103(D21), 28 013–28 019, 1998.
Jokinen, V. and Mäkelä, J. M.: Closed-loop arrangement with critical orifice for DMA sheath/excess flow system, J. Aerosol Sci., 28(4), 643–648, 1997.
Katz, J. L. and Mirabel, P.: Calculation of supersaturation profiles in thermal diffusion cloud chambers, J. Atmos. Sci., 32, 646–652, 1975.
Lala, G. G. and Jiusto, J. E.: An automatic light scattering CCN counter, J. Appl. Meteorol., 16, 413–418, 1977.
Low, D. H.: A theoretical study of nineteen condensation nuclei, Journal de Recherches Atmosphériques, 4, 65–78, 1969.
Mitra, S. K., Brinkmann, J., and Pruppacher, H. R.: A wind tunnel study on the drop-to-particle conversion, J. Aerosol Sci., 23, 245–256, 1992.
McMurry, P. H.: A review of atmospheric aerosol measurements, Atmos. Environ., 34, 1959–1999, 2000.
Nenes, A., Chuang, P. Y., Flagan, R. C., and Seinfeld, J. H.: A theoretical analysis of cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) instruments, J. Geophys. Res., 106(D4), 3449–3474, 2001.
Otto, P., Georgii, H.-W., and Bingemer, H.: A new three-stage continuous flow CCN-counter, Atmos. Res., 61, 299–310, 2002.
Pruppacher, H. R. and Klett, J. D.: Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation, 2.ed., Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1997.
Roberts, G. C., Andreae, M. O., Zhou, J., and Artaxo, P.: Cloud condensation nuclei in the Amazon Basin: "Marine" conditions over a continent?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(14), 2807–2810, 2001a.
Roberts, G. C.: Cloud condensation nuclei in the Amazon Basin: their role in a tropical rainforest, Ph.D. Thesis, 2001b.
Roberts, G. C., Nenes, A., Seinfeld, J. H., and Andreae, M. O.: Impact of biomass burning on cloud properties in the Amazon Basin, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D2), 4062, doi:10.1029/2001JD000985, 2003.
Roberts, G. C. and Nenes, A.: A continuous-flow streamwise thermal-gradient CCN chamber for atmospheric measurements, Aerosol Sci. Technol., 39, 206–221, 2005.
Snider, J. R. and Brenguier, J.-L.: Cloud condensation nuclei and cloud droplet measurements during ACE-2, Tellus, 52B, 828–842, 2000.
Snider, J. R., Guibert, S., Brenguier, J.-L., and Putaud, J.-P.: Aerosol activation in marine stratocumulus clouds: 2. Köhler and parcel theory closure studies, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D15), 8629, doi:10.1029/2002JD002692, 2003.
Snider, J. R., Petters, M. D., Wechsler, P., and Liu, P. S. K.: Supersaturation in the Wyoming CCN Instrument, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 23, 1323–1339, 2006.
Squires, P.: Diffusion chambers for the measurement of cloud nuclei, Journal de Recherches Atmosphériques, 6, 565–572, 1972.
Twomey, S.: The nuclei of natural cloud formation Part I: The chemical diffusion method and its application to atmospheric nuclei, Geofisica pura e applicata, 43, 227–242, 1959.
VanReken, T. M., Nenes, A., Flagan, R. C., and Seinfeld, J. H.: Concept for a new cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) spectrometer, Aerosol Sci. Technol., 38, 639–654, 2004.
Wieland, W.: Die Wasserdampfkondensation an natürlichem Aerosol bei geringen Ubersättigungen, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Physik, 7, 428–460, 1956.
Young, K. C. and Warren, A. J.: A reexamination of the derivation of the equilibrium supersaturation curve for soluble particles, J. Atmos. Sci., 49, 1138–1143, 1992.