Abstract
Abstract. To understand the very first steps of atmospheric particle formation and growth processes, information on the size where the atmospheric nucleation and cluster activation occurs, is crucially needed. The current understanding of the concentrations and dynamics of charged and neutral clusters and particles is based on theoretical predictions and experimental observations. This paper gives a standard operation procedure (SOP) for Neutral cluster and Air Ion Spectrometer (NAIS) measurements and data processing. With the NAIS data, we have improved the scientific understanding by (1) direct detection of freshly formed atmospheric clusters and particles, (2) linking experimental observations and theoretical framework to understand the formation and growth mechanisms of aerosol particles, and (3) parameterizing formation and growth mechanisms for atmospheric models. The SOP provides tools to harmonize the world-wide measurements of small clusters and nucleation mode particles and to verify consistent results measured by the NAIS users. The work is based on discussions and interactions between the NAIS users and the NAIS manufacturer.
Highlights
Understanding of the detailed formation mechanisms and the chemical composition of vapours, which participate in the atmospheric particle formation processes, has clearly benefited from direct atmospheric measurements and improvements in measurement techniques (Manninen et al, 2010; Kulmala et al, 2013, 2014; Ehn et al, 2014)
One of the main objective of atmospheric aerosol science is to contribute to the reduction of scientific uncertainties concerning global climate change issues, those related to aerosol–cloud interactions (IPCC, 2013)
This step is typically required before the new particle formation data analysis, which is described in detail in Kulmala et al (2012)
Summary
Understanding of the detailed formation mechanisms and the chemical composition of vapours, which participate in the atmospheric particle formation processes, has clearly benefited from direct atmospheric measurements and improvements in measurement techniques (Manninen et al, 2010; Kulmala et al, 2013, 2014; Ehn et al, 2014). Aerosol particles have global effects on Earth’s climate and regional effects on air quality. In atmospheric particle formation, we study the phase transition from gas phase precursors to aerosol particles. Atmospheric new particle formation can start via molecular clustering, and it is followed by cluster activation for enhanced growth (Kulmala et al, 2013). The freshly formed particles grow by multicomponent condensation. When aerosol particles grow further to sizes where they can act as cloud condensation nuclei, they start to have effect on the climate. One of the main objective of atmospheric aerosol science is to contribute to the reduction of scientific uncertainties concerning global climate change issues, those related to aerosol–cloud interactions (IPCC, 2013)
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