Parameterization of ammonia and water content of atmospheric droplets with fixed number of sulfuric acid molecules

Abstract

We present a parameterization for numbers of water and ammonia molecules in an equilibrium droplet with fixed number of sulfuric acid molecules at known relative humidity, ammonia mixing ratio and temperature. The radius of the droplet is also parameterized. The parameterizations are based on macroscopic model of solution droplets and up-to-date thermodynamics. The binary parameterizations are valid for temperatures 190–330 K and relative humidities 1–99%. The ternary parameterization can be used at temperatures 240–300 K, relative humidities 5–95%, and ammonia mixing ratios 10 − 4 –100 ppt. In both cases the parameterizations are valid for droplets containing up to 10 11 sulfuric acid molecules. The droplet composition is always between the limits of pure ammonium bisulfate and pure ammonium sulfate.