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Original Articles

On the nature of Aitken condensation nuclei

Pages 549-556 | Received 20 Oct 1965, Published online: 15 Dec 2016
 

Abstract

The number of Aitken condensation nuclei in the air is strongly influenced by human activities which increase the natural number manifold through release of combustion products from fires and combustion engines. The natural condensation nuclei near ground level increase during day and decrease during night; there is a general decrease with increasing altitude in the atmosphere. These natural Aitken nuclei are produced in light from volatile products released by the vegetation (mainly terpenes) and therefore are organic macromolecules. They disappear again mainly by agglomeration, or or near the inversion layers, and are then removed by precipitation.DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1966.tb00268.x