Modeling nucleation and droplet growth for ion-induced nucleation experiments in diffusion cloud chambers

Abstract

A model of ion-induced nucleation, droplet growth and motion processes in a diffusion cloud chamber is presented. The model predicts the arrival time of the droplets with an accuracy greater than 95%. The model also explains the increase in the time corresponding to the maximum of the nucleation pulse with increasing carrier gas pressure. Using this model it is possible to correlate the arrival time of the droplets with the height (temperature and supersaturation) where the nucleation events take place.