Using depolarization to quantify ice nucleating particle concentrations: a new method Institutional Repository Document uri icon

abstract

  • Abstract. We have developed a new method to determine ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations observed by a Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber (CFDC) under a wide range of operating conditions. In this study, we evaluate differences in particle optical properties detected by the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer with POLarization (CASPOL) to differentiate between ice crystals, droplets, and aerosols. The depolarization signal from the CASPOL instrument is used to determine the occurrence of water droplet breakthrough (WDBT) conditions in the CFDC, under which traditional determination of ice nucleating particle concentrations by size discrimination fails. To overcome the challenge of WDBT, we design a new analysis method using depolarization ratio that can extend the range of operating conditions of the CFDC. The method agrees reasonably well with the traditional method under non-WDBT conditions with a mean percent error of 32.1%. Additionally, a comparison with the Colorado State University (CSU) CFDC shows that the new analysis method can be used reliably during WDBT conditions.

altmetric score

  • 1.25

author list (cited authors)

  • Zenker, J., Collier, K. N., Xu, G., Yang, P., Levin, E., Suski, K. J., DeMott, P. J., & Brooks, S. D.

citation count

  • 1

complete list of authors

  • Zenker, Jake||Collier, Kristen N||Xu, Guanglang||Yang, Ping||Levin, Ezra JT||Suski, Kaitlyn J||DeMott, Paul J||Brooks, Sarah D

Book Title

  • EGUsphere

publication date

  • July 2017