Abstract
It could be shown by measurements of the air conductivity and using a mean profile for the ionization rate that experimental and theoretical values of the recombination rate of small ions based on a three body recombination process (Thomson) are in very good agreement up to 20 km altitude. The divergency of the experimental and theoretical curves above 20 km can be interpreted by assuming that there exists in this altitude region a crossover from the three body recombination to a two body recombination process. The value of the recombination coefficient is about 4·10−7 cm3 s−1 in 25 km altitude, compared with 1.4·10−6 cm3 s−1 at ground level. Furtheron it was possible for the first time to get some experimental data of attachment coefficients up to 13 km from simultaneous measurements of the air conductivity and Aitken nuclei concentration. These values are in good agreement with those obtained by theoretical considerations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gringel, W. (1976),Die elektrische Leitfähigkeit in Troposphäre und Stratosphäre. Ihre Messung und ihre Interpretation als Indikator für die Aerosolkonzentration, Beilage zur Berliner Wetterkarte 107/76, SO 30/76.
Hake, R. D., Jr., Pierce, E. T. andViezee, W. (1973),Stratospheric electricity, Final Report SRI Project 1724.
Hofmann, D. J., Rosen, J. M., Pepin, T. J. andPinnick, R. G. (1975),Stratospheric aerosol measurements I: Time variations at northern midlatitudes, J. Atm. Sci.32, 1446–1456.
Hoppel, W. A. (1969),Application of three body recombination and attachment coefficients to tropospheric ions, Pure appl. Geophys.75, 158–166.
Ishikawa, H., Morita, Y. andRosen, J. M. (1974),The 1974 Japan-U.S. cooperative balloon soundings September (1974), Report GM-24 (CIAP).
Käselau, K. H., Fabian, P. andRöhrs, H. (1974),Measurements of aerosol concentration up to a height of 27 km, Pure appl. Geophys.112, 877–885.
Loeb, L. B.,Basic Processes of Gaseous Electronics (University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles 1961), 2nd edition.
Mohnen, V. A. (1971),Discussion of major positive and negative ions up to the 50 km level, Pure appl. Geophys.84, 141–151.
Morita, Y., Kanada, M. andIshikawa, H. (1971),The vertical profiles of the small ion density and the electric conductivity in the atmosphere in 19 kilometers, J. Geophys. Res.76, 3431–3436.
Moseley, J. T., Aberth, W. andPeterson, J. R. (1972),Two body mutual neutralization rates of O +2 +O−, NO++O−, Na++O− obtained with merged beams, J. Geophys. Res.77, 255–259.
Natanson, G. L. (1959),The theory of volume recombination of ions (Engl. translation), Soviet Physics-Techn. Phys.4, 1263–1269.
Natanson, G. L. (1960),On the theory of the charging of amicroscopic aerosol particles as a result of capture of gas ions (Engl. translation), Soviet Physics-Techn. Phys.5, 538–551.
Neher, H. V. (1967),Cosmic ray particles that changed from 1954 to 1958 to 1965, J. Geophys. Res.72, 1527–1539.
Nolan, P. J. (1943),The recombination law for weak ionization, Proc. Roy. Irish Acad.49 A, 67–90.
Regener, E. andAuer, R. (1934),Weitere Messungen der Ultrastrahlung in der oberen Atmosphäre mit offenen Ionisationskammern, Phys. Zeitschrift35/19, 784–788.
Riekert, H. (1971),Untersuchungen zur Beweglichkeit der Kleinionen in der freien Atmosphäre, Dissertation, Universität Tübingen.
Rosen, J. M. (1974),An airborne condensation nuclei counter, Final and Annual Report, Report No. CN-2 (CIAP).
Zikmunda, J. andMohnen, V. A. (1972),Ion annihilation by aerosol particles from ground level to 60 km height, Met. Rundschau25/1, 10–14.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gringel, W., Käselau, K.H. & Mühleisen, R. Recombination rates of small ions and their attachment to aerosol particles. PAGEOPH 116, 1101–1113 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874674
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874674