Miguel Cortez, Robert McFee Richard Medina and Rosa Fitzgerald
Light scattering of aerosol particles plays a vital role in air quality, air traffic and climatology studies. In this research work we inter-compare the scattering coefficients of particles coated with water using numerical models against the experimental scattering coefficients obtained with an extinctiometer, located in the city of El Paso. Mie theory is specific to only particles of spherical geometry; however, we use this model to study light scattering from irregularly shaped aerosol particles under the presence of humidity in the atmosphere above 40 percent. When this happens, the water coated particles assume a spherical shape. Below the 40% humidity limit, particles may accumulate a thin water shell while retaining an irregular shape. Consequently, in this work we also use a model for coated irregularly shaped particles further to understand their light scattering properties. In addition, this work increases our understanding of the visibility degradation in a region due to the presence of aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
- Indicates paper has been withdrawn from meeting
- Indicates an Award Winner