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Ultrafine aerosol particles in aircraft plumes: Analysis of growth mechanisms
Author(s) -
Kärcher B.,
Yu F.,
Schröder F. P.,
Turco R. P.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl02114
Subject(s) - aerosol , plume , ultrafine particle , sulfuric acid , sulfur , environmental science , particle (ecology) , atmospheric sciences , nanoparticle , in situ , particulates , meteorology , materials science , chemistry , nanotechnology , geology , physics , metallurgy , oceanography , organic chemistry
An analysis of in situ measurements of ultrafine volatile aerosols in the plume near field of the DLR aircraft ATTAS using low (0.02 g/kg) and high (2.7g/kg) fuel sulfur contents (FSCs) is presented. The observed growth of nanoparticles (diameter 5–10 nm) is reproduced in detail by a microphysical simulation with chemi‐ion emissions of 2.6×10 17 /kg fuel. Volatile aerosol dynamics is controlled by sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) for high FSC, consistent with a S to H 2 SO 4 conversion of 1.8%. The very high conversion for low FSC (55%) prescribed in the model to match the observations contradicts direct in situ measurements of H 2 SO 4 and suggests that species other than H 2 SO 4 , likely exhaust hydrocarbons, control particle growth in such cases.