Cluster and Aerosol Characterization Unit

• Fachliche Zuordnung: Atmosphären-, Meeres- und Klimaforschung
• Förderung: Förderung in 2015
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 284175688

We propose to set up a flow reactor system to investigate the formation of molecular clusters and aerosol particles. Cluster and aerosol formation processes that are relevant for the Earth¿s atmosphere are studied under well-controlled conditions. The planned flow reactor system complements and supports our intensive involvement in the CLOUD experiment at CERN. The proposed instrument acquisitions comprise two Parallel- Plate-High Resolution-Differential Mobility Analyzers (PP-HR-DMAs), a Particle Size Magnifier (PSM) and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). Ion clusters of very specific identity are selected and injected into theflow tube with the PP-HR-DMAs. Various processes such as a) cluster growth by condensation and subsequent aerosol formation b) cluster evaporation, and c) ion-ion-recombination processes and the resulting neutral clusters can be studied with the proposed set up and the analyzing instruments. The PSM and SMPS system are used to characterize the cluster and aerosol size distribution in the flow tube, an Atmospheric Pressure Interface-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (already available in our group) is used for chemicalcharacterization. This unique combination of highly innovative instrumentation will allow us to study processes such as unipolar ion-induced nucleation (IIN) of positive as well as negative ions to quantify sign effects of IIN.

• DFG-Verfahren: Forschungsgroßgeräte
• Großgeräte: Cluster and Aerosol Characterization Unit
• Gerätegruppe: 1950 Partikelzählgeräte und -klassiergeräte (optisch, elektronisch, außer 35
• Antragstellende Institution: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• Leiter: Professor Dr. Joachim Curtius