Miguel Cortez, Rosa M. Fitzgerald and Vernon Morris
Light scattering from 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 a shell of water using numerical models, against corresponding available experimental data. In addition, the obtained numerical scattering coefficients for the city of El Paso will be inter-compared against experimental scattering coefficients obtained with an extinctiometer located in the city of El Paso. Computational models use Mie theory for particles that exhibit a spherical geometry. Under the presence of atmospheric humidity above 40%, irregularly shaped hygroscopic aerosol particles are assumed to develop a water shell and form a spherical shape. Below the 40% humidity limit, particles may accumulate a thin water shell while retaining their irregular shape. The percentage humidity necessary for a particle to transition from an irregularly shaped particle to a spherical shape, after developing a water shell, will be investigated using numerical models.
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