Search results for "Supersaturation"

2009

Abstract. We have investigated the formation of cloud droplets under pyro-convective conditions using a cloud parcel model with detailed spectral microphysics and with the κ-Kohler model approach for efficient and realistic description of the cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) activity of aerosol particles. Assuming a typical biomass burning aerosol size distribution (accumulation mode centred at 120 nm), we have calculated initial cloud droplet number concentrations (NCD) for a wide range of updraft velocities (w=0.25–20 m s−1) and aerosol particle number concentrations (NCN=200–105 cm−3) at the cloud base. Depending on the ratio between updraft velocity and particle number concentration (w/…

Nucleation in physical and nonphysical systems

2003

Abstract The aggregation of particles out of an initially homogeneous situation is well known in physics. Depending on the system under consideration and its control parameters, the cluster formation in a supersaturated (metastable or unstable) situation has been observed in nucleation physics as well as in other branches. We investigate the well-known example of condensation (formation of liquid droplets) in an undercooled vapour to conclude that the formation of bound states as a phase transition is related to transportation science. We present a comparison of nucleation in an isothermal–isochoric container with traffic congestion on a circular one-lane freeway. The analysis is based, in …

The droplet evaporation/condensation transition in a finite volume

2003

A fluid in the NVT ensemble at T less than the critical temperature T_c and rho = N/V somewhat in excess of rho_coex (density of the saturated gas in the gas-liquid transition) is considered. For V->infinity, a macroscopic liquid droplet coexists with surrounding saturated gas according to the lever rule. For finite V, droplets can only exist if they exceed a minimum size. A (rounded) first order transition of the system occurs when the droplet evaporates into the supersaturated gas.Simulation evidence for this transition is given for a Lennard-Jones model and interpreted by a phenomenological theory. At the transition, the chemical potential difference mu_t-mu_coex scales like L^(-d/(d+…

Early homogenous amorphous precursor stages of calcium carbonate and subsequent crystal growth in levitated droplets.

2008

An in situ study of the contact-free crystallization of calcium carbonate in acoustic levitated droplets is reported. The levitated droplet technique allows an in situ monitoring of the crystallization while avoiding any foreign phase boundaries that may influence the precipitation process by heterogeneous nucleation. The diffusion-controlled precipitation of CaCO3 at neutral pH starts in the initial step with the homogeneous formation of a stable, nanosized liquid-like amorphous calcium carbonate phase that undergoes in a subsequent step a solution-assisted transformation to calcite. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy studies indicate that precipitation is not induced at the solution/a…

Experimental investigation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) nucleation

1999

Due to the importance of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) in cement chemistry, its nucleation mode and parameters influencing it were investigated. It has been observed that the C-S-H nucleation follows the general laws governing the nucleation. The degree of supersaturation has been found to be the main parameter controlling homogeneous nucleation rates. The lime concentration in solution, well known to be the most important parameter determining the kinetic, morphological and structural features of C-S-H, also controls the nucleation characteristics of heterogeneous nucleation, i.e. during hydration of cement. The correlation between heterogeneous nucleation of C-S-H and possible final me…

Saturated Solutions of Anhydrous Phases in the System Lime-Silica-Water: Example of beta-C2S

1990

Saturated solutions rerely form when the anhydrous constituents of aluminous and portland cement are stirred in water or in lime solutions of increasing concentrations. Apart from monocalcium aluminate, concentration of ions in solution cannot exceed maximum supersaturation with respect to the hydrate most likely to precipitate. The present work shows such a behavior for β-C2S suspended in water and in lime solutions at low concentration. In more concentrated lime solutions, a short lifetime saturation state with respect to β-C2S seems to be reached.

Detection of reactive nitrogen containing particles in the tropopause region? Evidence for a tropical nitric acid trihydrage (NAT) belt

2008

The detection of nitric acid trihydrate (NAT, HNO<sub>3</sub>×3H<sub>2</sub>O) particles in the tropical transition layer (TTL) harmonizes our understanding of polar stratospheric cloud formation. Large reactive nitrogen (NO<sub>y</sub>) containing particles were observed on 8 August 2006 by instruments onboard the high altitude research aircraft M55-Geophysica near and below the tropical tropopause. The particles, most likely NAT, have diameters less than 6 μm and concentrations below 10<sup>-4</sup> cm<sup>−3</sup>. The NAT particle layer was repeatedly detected at altitudes between 15.1 and 17.5 km ove…

Comparing parameterized versus measured microphysical properties of tropical convective cloud bases during the ACRIDICON–CHUVA campaign

2017

The objective of this study is to validate parameterizations that were recently developed for satellite retrievals of cloud condensation nuclei supersaturation spectra, NCCN(S), at cloud base alongside more traditional parameterizations connecting NCCN(S) with cloud base updrafts and drop concentrations. This was based on the HALO aircraft measurements during the ACRIDICON–CHUVA campaign over the Amazon region, which took place in September 2014. The properties of convective clouds were measured with a cloud combination probe (CCP), a cloud and aerosol spectrometer (CAS-DPOL), and a CCN counter onboard the HALO aircraft. An intercomparison of the cloud drop size distributions (DSDs) and the…

Gas-phase supersaturation effects on morphology properties of ZnO nano and microstructures grown by PVT

2016

A systematic study of the morphology evolution of ZnO nanostructures grown by physical vapour transport was carried out. The evolution of the shape with the growth time is shown to depend on the different gas-phase supersaturation and temperature conditions encountered in the crystallization zone of the tube furnace. The observed morphology transitions are discussed, and a growth model for ZnO nanostructures is given.

Tropical tropopause ice clouds: a dynamic approach to the mystery of low crystal numbers

2012

Abstract. The occurrence of high, persistent ice supersaturation inside and outside cold cirrus in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) remains an enigma that is intensely debated as the "ice supersaturation puzzle". However, it was recently confirmed that observed supersaturations are consistent with very low ice crystal concentrations, which is incompatible with the idea that homogeneous freezing is the major method of ice formation in the TTL. Thus, the tropical tropopause "ice supersaturation puzzle" has become an "ice nucleation puzzle". To explain the low ice crystal concentrations, a number of mainly heterogeneous freezing methods have been proposed. Here, we reproduce in situ measure…