High-order characteristic-finite volume methods for aerosol dynamic equations

Abstract

Aerosol particles have an important effect on changing of climate and human health, where aerosols scatter and absorb the incoming solar radiation, and thus decrease the precipitation efficiency of warm clouds and can cause an indirect radiative forcing associated with changes in cloud properties. Meanwhile, it has also been recognized that the particles of aerosols in the sub-micrometer size range can be inhaled and thus pose certain health hazards. In this paper we analyze the finite volume method based on linear interpolation and Hermite interpolation combined with the method of characteristics for the nonlinear aerosol dynamic equations on time and particle size, which involve the advection process, condensation process and the nonlinear coagulation process. Numerical experiments for the multiple log-normal aerosol distributions are further given to confirm the theoretical results.