A method to determine the recombination and attachment coefficients of atmospheric ions and ultrafine particles in different charge levels

Abstract

Electrostatic interactions among atmospheric particles like cluster ions and aerosols are of great interest nowadays in atmospheric studies. There are several models which describe this interaction. Recombination and attachment coefficients are expressed in terms of many environmental and particle properties. In this study are derived further simplified expressions of recombination and attachment coefficients between cluster ions and ultrafine aerosol particles. These expressions require the knowledge of only the ion and aerosol concentrations as well as the ion production rate. Thus the usage of these coefficients facilitates the elaboration of a balance equation, enabling the prediction of the evolution of ion and aerosol concentrations.