Aerosol particles and their ability to nucleate droplets and ice, thereby forming clouds, remain the largest uncertainty source in our knowledge of global climate change. While research efforts in the past decade have somewhat constrained the direct radiative forcing of aerosols, similarly reducing uncertainty in aerosol-cloud interactions has remained difficult. Single-particle mass spectrometry and electron microscopy have provided chemical and source information on a particle by particle basis for aerosols and the seed particles within cloud droplets and ice crystals from aircraft platforms in the upper troposphere. These in situ data have been used to constrain the particle types of importance to ice cloud formation. This has allowed for targeted laboratory studies using continuous flow diffusion chambers to determine activation conditions  of these particle types and an improved understanding of atmospheric ice nucleation has resulted. Specific results, including the relative roles of different nucleation types and natural versus anthropogenic aerosols will be presented.

Combining field and laboratory studies of aerosol chemical composition to understand ice cloud formation

248th National Meeting (2014)

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