Atmospheric Clusters and Aerosols: Molecular Beam Experiments and Theory

Abstract:
The proposed project focuses on exploration of atmospheric aerosols with advanced laboratory experiments in molecular beams and molecular simulations. Although the role of aerosol in the atmosphere is well recognized, they are often not present in the atmospheric models due to lack of relevant laboratory data. Experiments proposed in this project involve photoexcitation of molecules in the particles, imaging of photofragment velocities, mass spectrometry after photon or electron ionization or investigation of particles via Na-doping. The unique combination of all these methods in our experiments complemented by theoretical calculations can provide unprecedented detailed molecular level understanding of the fundamental processes in/on the aerosols. The systems proposed for studies range from small clusters of atmospheric molecules to aerosol particles up to 10 nm in size represented e.g. by ice nanoparticles with adsorbed freons. We will use methodological approaches in which our laboratories are internationally well established, as well as some newly designed unique experiments.