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Atmospheric science in the laboratory: Progress 1991–1994
Author(s) -
Hallett John
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/95rg00445
Subject(s) - ice nucleus , cloud physics , atmospheric sciences , homogeneous , atmosphere (unit) , nucleation , environmental science , meteorology , geology , cloud computing , physics , thermodynamics , computer science , operating system
Laboratory study of atmospheric phenomena provides a controlled, steady environment which is usually difficult to obtain in the turbulent atmosphere. Boundary conditions for cloud formation such as homogeneous ice nucleation of water droplets near −40°C and cloud droplet formation on hygroscopic particles at less than a few percent above water saturation were first appreciated by careful laboratory experiments many years ago. These ideas are foundation‐stones of our understanding of atmospheric clouds. Such ideas came from careful laboratory studies of the behavior of particles under well controlled conditions.