Derivation of the size spectrum of aerosol particles from a mobility spectrum

Abstract

Air–ion mobility spectrum is a traditional subject of atmospheric electric research. The electric mobility is well correlated with the particle size in the range of intermediate and large air ions. Correspondingly, a mobility spectrum can be transformed into a size spectrum and the atmospheric electric measurements can be used as a source of information about the atmospheric aerosol particle size-distribution. The mobility spectra of air ions measured in atmospheric electrical research give essential information about atmospheric aerosols. The air–ions and aerosol particles were simultaneously measured during a monthly period at a rural site, and the aerosol particle size-spectrum was derived from the air ion measurements. The comparison of results shows satisfactory agreement between the measured size spectra at the common size subrange and essential supplementary information about nanometer particles extracted from air ion measurements.