Disposition to form ice crystals is measured and modeled for a new framework
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 10:02
in Astronomy & Space
(Phys.org)—Instead of dust-bunnies under the sofa, this dust helps form ice crystals that are at the heart of clouds. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used dust's loftier disposition to create a new way to calculate how all particles, not just dust, attract and form ice crystals in clouds. Steering multiple data points into one flexible calculation, they efficiently simulated how ice forms on dust particles, a calculation that will help them nail down how ice latches on to atmospheric soot, organic, and biological particles as well. Their research was published in the August issue of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.