Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 20, 2025
09:01
An Ultra-clean Multilayer Apparatus for Collecting Size Fractionated Marine Plankton and Suspended Particles
Published on: April 19, 2018
9.1K
New particle formation in the remote marine boundary layer
Guangjie Zheng1,2, Yang Wang1,3, Robert Wood4
1Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Nature Communications
|January 23, 2021
Summary
New particle formation in marine boundary layers is more common than previously thought, especially after cold fronts. These new particles significantly influence cloud condensation nuclei and marine low clouds.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Science
- Climate Science
- Aerosol Science
Background:
- Marine low clouds are critical climate regulators.
- Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations influence cloud properties.
- New particle formation (NPF) is a key global source of CCN.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and drivers of NPF in remote marine boundary layers.
- To understand the impact of NPF on CCN concentrations and marine low clouds.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of atmospheric conditions following cold front passages in remote marine environments.
- Observation of particle size distributions and growth.
- Assessment of meteorological and chemical factors influencing NPF.
Main Results:
- NPF occurs regularly and frequently in the upper marine boundary layer after cold fronts.
- Conditions favoring NPF include precipitation scavenging, low temperatures, gas transport, and high actinic flux.
- Newly formed particles grow and contribute significantly to CCN.
Conclusions:
- Cold front passages create favorable conditions for NPF in remote marine boundary layers.
- NPF in these regions is a substantial source of CCN, impacting marine low cloud properties and climate.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Boundary Layer Characteristics
330
When a fluid encounters a solid surface, a boundary layer forms due to the interaction between the fluid's motion and the stationary surface. This phenomenon is characterized by a thin region adjacent to the surface where viscous forces dominate, influencing the fluid's velocity profile. The development of the boundary layer begins at the leading edge of the surface and evolves as the fluid moves downstream.As the fluid flows over the surface, friction between the fluid and the wall slows down...
330
01:28Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
1.4K
An electric field suffers a discontinuity at a surface charge. Similarly, a magnetic field is discontinuous at a surface current. The perpendicular component of a magnetic field is continuous across the interface of two magnetic mediums. In contrast, its parallel component, perpendicular to the current, is discontinuous by the amount equal to the product of the vacuum permeability and the surface current. Like the scalar potential in electrostatics, the vector potential is also continuous...
1.4K
01:16Electrostatic Boundary Conditions
767
Consider an external electric field propagating through a homogeneous medium. When the electric field crosses the surface boundary of the medium, it undergoes a discontinuity. The electric field can be resolved into normal and tangential components. The amount by which the field changes at any boundary is given by the difference between the field components above and below the surface boundary.
The surface integral of an electric field is given by Gauss's law in integral form and is related to...
The surface integral of an electric field is given by Gauss's law in integral form and is related to...
767
01:16Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control
3.1K
In precipitation gravimetry, the precipitating agent should react specifically or selectively with the analyte. While a specific reagent reacts with the analyte alone, a selective reagent can react with a limited number of chemical species.
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...
3.1K
01:12Precipitation Processes
2.6K
The experimental conditions in a gravimetric analysis should be optimized to maximize the particle size and purity of the obtained precipitate. Ideally, the concentration of the precipitating reagent should be low with effective stirring to maintain low relative supersaturation for the growth of large crystals. In homogeneous precipitation, the precipitant is slowly generated by a chemical reaction in the solution to avoid local reagent excesses. For example, urea decomposes gradually to...
2.6K
01:22Couette Flow
656
Couette flow represents the flow of fluid between two parallel plates, with one plate fixed and the other moving with a constant velocity. This configuration allows for a simplified analysis using the Navier-Stokes equations, which govern fluid motion under conditions of viscosity and incompressibility. For Couette flow, the assumptions include a steady, laminar, incompressible flow with a zero-pressure gradient in the flow direction. This flow type is beneficial for understanding shear-driven...
656