Wet Scavenging of Aerosol Particles: Current Knowledge and Uncertainties

Dear Colleagues,

Aerosol particles are an essential component of the atmosphere, with about 8000 MT of particulate matter produced or suspended in the troposphere each year. These particles contribute to air quality, soil fertilisation and cloud formation. By interacting with clouds, they contribute significantly to the water cycle and Earth’s radiation balance. One of the main sources of uncertainty in climate models is related to interactions between aerosols and clouds.

Wet deposition is one of the main mechanisms that limit the accumulation of aerosols particles in the atmosphere. It has two contributions: below- and in-cloud scavenging. Below-cloud scavenging is induced by the collection of aerosol particles by the hydrometeors (raindrops, hailstones, snowflakes, graupels, etc.). There are still large uncertainties regarding the collection efficiencies parameter, especially for solid hydrometeors. In-cloud scavenging is more complex to both understand and model, since it is the result of two paired processes. Aerosol particles are converted into cloud droplets (droplet activation process) or ice crystals (ice nucleation) depending on parcel temperature and physicochemical properties of the aerosol particles. Cloud might then produces precipitations that deposit the particles on the ground. Aerosol size, concentration, chemical composition, solubility, surface structure and electrical properties strongly affect rain formation, and, as a consequence, inflicts a substantial effect on the in-cloud scavenging.

This Special Issue aims to present works on the understanding of both in- and below-cloud scavenging. We invite authors to submit original articles on laboratory and field measurements, numerical simulations, and theoretical studies on microphysical processes leading to this important mechanism in the aerosol budget of the atmosphere.

Dr. Pascal Lemaitre
Dr. Arnaud Quérel
Dr. Alexis Dépée
Guest Editors

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