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How important is nucleation in regional/global modelling?
Author(s) -
Pirjola L.,
Lehtinen K. E. J.,
Hansson H.C.,
Kulmala M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2004gl019525
Subject(s) - nucleation , condensation , aerosol , cloud condensation nuclei , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , meteorology , chemical physics , materials science , physics , thermodynamics
Modelling nucleation and subsequent growth is a difficult task especially in global and regional models. Therefore it is important to know under which conditions the freshly nucleated particles are able to survive the coagulation barrier and grow to the Aitken mode sizes and further to cloud condensation nuclei thus affecting climate. By using a sectional aerosol dynamics model AEROFOR at various conditions, the regions of parameter space in which nucleation plays an important role are identified and the contour plots are presented. Sulphuric acid is assumed to participate in both nucleation and condensation processes, additionally there is present some other condensable vapour. Our simulations show that nucleation is almost always an important process in the atmosphere excluding the cases when condensable vapour concentration is not high enough so that the nucleated particles have time to coagulate away before reaching the Aitken mode sizes. Thus it is well established to include nucleation in regional/global models.