Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment
Atmospheric liquid and solid water particles are stabilized if they are coated with either negative or positive electric charge. The surface charge causes an increase of the partial pressure of water vapour close to the surface of each particle, effectively allowing the part...
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2011-03-01
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doaj-4526ef9dc7b5496b878902310b77fed22020-11-24T22:36:10ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242011-03-011152031203710.5194/acp-11-2031-2011Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environmentJ. K. Nielsen0C. Maus1D. Rzesanke2T. Leisner3Danish Meterological Institute, Lyngbyvej 100, 2100 Kbh Ø, DenmarkTechnical University Ilmenau (TUI), Institute for Physics, Postfach 100565, 98684 Ilmenau, GermanyKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, GermanyKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, GermanyAtmospheric liquid and solid water particles are stabilized if they are coated with either negative or positive electric charge. The surface charge causes an increase of the partial pressure of water vapour close to the surface of each particle, effectively allowing the particles to remain in their condensed phase even if the environmental relative humidity drops below unity. The theory, briefly presented in this paper, predicts a zero parameter relation between surface charge density and water vapour pressure. This relation was tested in a series of Electrodynamic Balance experiments. The measurements were performed by stabilizing charged droplets of pure water near an ice-surface. We observed a divergence in radius as the temperature approached the freezing point from below. We find that the measurements confirm the theory within the experimental uncertainty. In some cases this generally overlooked effect may have impact on cloud processes and on results produced by Electrodynamic Balance experiments.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/11/2031/2011/acp-11-2031-2011.pdf |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
J. K. Nielsen C. Maus D. Rzesanke T. Leisner |
spellingShingle |
J. K. Nielsen C. Maus D. Rzesanke T. Leisner Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
author_facet |
J. K. Nielsen C. Maus D. Rzesanke T. Leisner |
author_sort |
J. K. Nielsen |
title |
Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
title_short |
Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
title_full |
Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
title_fullStr |
Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
title_sort |
charge induced stability of water droplets in subsaturated environment |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
series |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
issn |
1680-7316 1680-7324 |
publishDate |
2011-03-01 |
description |
Atmospheric liquid and solid water particles are stabilized if they
are coated with either negative or positive electric charge. The
surface charge causes an increase of the partial pressure of water
vapour close to the surface of each particle, effectively allowing the
particles to remain in their condensed phase even if the environmental
relative humidity drops below unity. The theory, briefly presented in
this paper, predicts a zero parameter relation between surface charge
density and water vapour pressure. This relation was tested in
a series of Electrodynamic Balance experiments. The measurements
were performed by stabilizing charged droplets of pure water near an
ice-surface. We observed a divergence in radius as the temperature
approached the freezing point from below. We find that the
measurements confirm the theory within the experimental uncertainty.
In some cases this generally overlooked effect may have impact on
cloud processes and on results produced by Electrodynamic Balance
experiments. |
url |
http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/11/2031/2011/acp-11-2031-2011.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jknielsen chargeinducedstabilityofwaterdropletsinsubsaturatedenvironment AT cmaus chargeinducedstabilityofwaterdropletsinsubsaturatedenvironment AT drzesanke chargeinducedstabilityofwaterdropletsinsubsaturatedenvironment AT tleisner chargeinducedstabilityofwaterdropletsinsubsaturatedenvironment |
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