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. The role of surface tension ( σ ) in cloud droplet activation has longbeen ambiguous. Recent studies have reported observations attributed to theeffects of an evolving surface tension in the activation process. However,the adoption of a surface-mediated activation mechanism has been slow andmany studies continue to neglect the composition dependence ofaerosol–droplet surface tension, using instead a value equal to the surfacetension of pure water ( σw ). In this technical note, weclearly describe the fundamental role of surface tension in the activation ofmulticomponent aerosol particles into cloud droplets. It is demonstrated thatthe effects of surface tension in the activation process depend primarily onthe evolution of surface tension with droplet size, typically varying in therange 0.5 σw≲σ≤σw due tothe partitioning of organic species with a high surface affinity. We go on toreport some recent laboratory observations that exhibit behavior that may beassociated with surface tension effects and propose a measurement coordinatethat will allow surface tension effects to be better identified usingstandard atmospheric measurement techniques. Unfortunately, interpretingobservations using theory based on surface film and liquid–liquid phaseseparation models remains a challenge. Our findings highlight the need forexperimental measurements that better reveal the role ofcomposition-dependent surface tensions, critical for advancing predictivetheories and parameterizations of cloud droplet activation.

Technical note: The role of evolving surface tension in the formation of cloud droplets