Wet versus Dry Atomization for Sucrose

Aerosols are particles in the atmosphere that are formed through various processes including, volcanic eruptions and biomass burning. Atmospheric aerosols provide a surface for water vapor to condense on. On Earth, there are many different types of climates, which allows for a wide range of humidity levels. Above 100% relative humidity, specific kinds of aerosol may produce clouds. Hygroscopicity is the ability of a substance to absorb the moisture in air, and is measured and represented through a kappa value, k. This value corresponds to the ratio of activated Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) compared to the total number aerosol. Kappa can be modified by the physical and chemical characteristics of the particle. This study seeks to examine the difference in hygroscopicity of wet and dry sucrose aerosols. In this study a Collison atomizer, Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA), Condensation Particle Counter (CPC), and Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter (CCNC) are used to obtain data. Subsequently, Scanning Mobility CCN Analysis (SMCA) software is used to analyze each humidity level and obtain kappa values.