Atmospheric condensational properties of ultrafine chain and irregular aerosol particles

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Abstract
The subject of study for this project is ultrafine agglomerate aerosol particles comprised of 0.5 nm to 5.0 nm radius adhering, noncoalescing, primary particles of realistic atmospheric compositions which individually can not be activated to condensational growth under atmospheric conditions. Minimal‐energy surfaces of condensate on agglomerate particles are being calculated from energies of thin liquid films on the particles. To account for the fact that the physical dimensions of the condensational substrate surfaces are too small for macroscopic descriptions to be entirely applicable, calculations are based upon the intermolecular forces among condensate molecules and with the substrate. The results of these calculations are being used in conjunction with the Laplace relation for the pressure difference across an interface to calculate the thermodynamic equilibrium vapor pressure over irregular aerosol particles.