PNNL

Abstract

The formation of cloud droplets from aerosol particles is critical to understanding weather and climate. This process is well modeled by $\kappa$-K\"{o}hler theory under fixed water vapor supersaturation or uniform updrafts, but aerosol activation in a turbulent environment is not well understood. Using Lagrangian parcels driven by a Large Eddy Simulation of a laboratory chamber, we show large enhancements in aerosol activation from turbulent fluctuations in supersaturation.