Aerosol formation and growth in atmospheric organic/NOχ systems—II. Aerosol dynamics

Abstract

Aerosol dynamics that were observed in the outdoor smog chamber experiments described in Wang et al. (1992, Atmospheric Environment, 26A, 403-420) are simulated by numerical solution of the aerosol general dynamic equation. The vapor source generation rate was estimated directly from the experimental measurements assuming a single surrogate condensing species for each hydrocarbon studied. Sensitivity analysis of the simulated aerosol dynamics to various input parameters revealed that the physical properties of the condensing vapor are important in determining the interplay between nucleation and condensation while the vapor source generation rate is the only factor that determines the eventual total amount of vapor converted to aerosol. The simulations suggest that over 99% of the mass of condensible vapor is converted to aerosol by condensation even when a significant burst of nucleation occurs.

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