Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2838
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2838
18 Sep 2024
 | 18 Sep 2024

The surface tension and CCN activation of sea spray aerosol particles

Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli

Abstract. In marine environments, sea spray aerosol (SSA) particles have been found to contain surface-active substances (surfactants) originating from the sea surface microlayer. These surfactants can lower the surface tension of the SSA particles, facilitating their activation to cloud droplets. This effect is not considered in classical Köhler theory, which assumes droplets to be homogeneous with a surface tension of pure water. In this study the CCN activity of SSA particles calculated with classical Köhler theory is compared to a more complex calculation that considers bulk–surface partitioning, surface tension lowering, and liquid–liquid phase separation. The model approach presented here combines the multi-component Eberhart model for surface tension with the Monolayer model and an activity model (AIOMFAC). This combination allows for the first time to calculate Köhler curves of surfactant-containing particles with a large number of compounds. In a sensitivity study we show that  organic compounds can be categorized into weak, intermediate, and strong surfactants for CCN activation based on their separation factor in water S1i and their pure component surface tension σi. For a quaternary model system of SSA particles, it is shown that a high content of hydrophobic organic material (i.e., strong surfactants) in Aitken mode particles does not necessarily prevent good CCN activation, but rather facilitates effective activation via surface tension lowering. Since common climate models use parametrizations that are based on classical Köhler theory, these results suggest that the CCN activity of small SSA particles might be underestimated in climate models.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Jan 2025
The surface tension and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation of sea spray aerosol particles
Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 881–903, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-881-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-881-2025, 2025
Short summary
Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2838', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Sep 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Judith Kleinheins, 08 Nov 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2838', Anonymous Referee #2, 30 Oct 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Judith Kleinheins, 08 Nov 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2838', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Sep 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Judith Kleinheins, 08 Nov 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2838', Anonymous Referee #2, 30 Oct 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Judith Kleinheins, 08 Nov 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Judith Kleinheins on behalf of the Authors (08 Nov 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (08 Nov 2024) by Ari Laaksonen
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (10 Nov 2024)
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (22 Nov 2024)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (22 Nov 2024) by Ari Laaksonen
AR by Judith Kleinheins on behalf of the Authors (26 Nov 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (27 Nov 2024) by Ari Laaksonen
AR by Judith Kleinheins on behalf of the Authors (27 Nov 2024)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Jan 2025
The surface tension and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation of sea spray aerosol particles
Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 881–903, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-881-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-881-2025, 2025
Short summary
Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli

Data sets

Data for publication "The surface tension and CCN activation of sea spray aerosol particles" Judith Kleinheins https://zenodo.org/records/13589001

Model code and software

Code for publication "The surface tension and CCN activation of sea spray aerosol particles" Judith Kleinheins https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13588318

Judith Kleinheins, Nadia Shardt, Ulrike Lohmann, and Claudia Marcolli

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Short summary
We model the CCN activation of sea spray aerosol particles with classical Köhler theory and with a new model approach that takes surface tension lowering into account. We categorize organic compounds into weak, intermediate, and strong surfactants and we outline for which composition surface tension lowering is important. The results suggest that surface tension lowering allows sea spray aerosol particles in the Aitken mode to be a source of CCN in marine updrafts.