Mixed Organic Surfactant Effects on Cloud Condensation Nuclei

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2021

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Abstract

Atmospheric aerosols affect Earth’s radiative budget through direct and indirect effects. The direct effects are well understood but the indirect effects have large uncertainty associated with them. Uncertainty is so great that even the sign of the radiative forcing associated with indirect effects is questioned. This work examines aerosol indirect behavior by assessing surfactant effects on the activation of aerosol particles into cloud droplets. Szyszkowski-Langmuir surface tension models are applied to Köhler theory to capture surfactant effects on aerosol activation behavior. Surfactant aerosols tested are succinic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Results suggest that a small addition of surface active material (like SDS) to organic carboxylic acids (like succinc acid) can significantly change droplet activation behavior.

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