Electron-Microscope Study of Cloud and Fog Nuclei

Abstract

Droplets of clouds on a mountain and of fog in an urban area were captured and the form, nature and size of their nuclei were studied by means of an electron-microscope and by a chamber of constant humidity. These nuclei have similar form and nature to the hygroscopic particles in haze and to the artificially produced combustion particles. No sea-salt nuclei were found in our observations, therefore sea-spray appears to be an insignificant source of condensation nuclei. It was found that both the cloud and the fog nuclei originated in combustion products which were the mixture of hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic substances, and that the greater part of the nuclei did not contain pure sulfuric acid.