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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Using laser light to trap and explore the cloud-forming properties of single aerosol particles

Jim Walker, Jon Wills, Jonathan Reid

The atmospheric radiative forcing of aerosols is one of the greatest sources of uncertainty in our current understanding of global climate change (Solomon et al., 2007). Aerosols perturb the radiation balance by directly scattering and absorbing radiation (a direct effect), and by influencing the albedo and lifetime of clouds (an indirect effect). In order to improve our ability to quantify the impact of aerosols on the climate system, the thermodynamic properties and kinetics of change of aerosol particles need to be fully resolved.

DOI

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