Marine Fog Droplets and Salt Nuclei—Part I

Abstract

Water distribution in marine advection fogs, as a function of droplet size, is estimated from the weights of the salt particles found when fog droplets are evaporated, and from the weights of the salt particles found in fog-free air over the sea. It is assumed that the salt concentration in the droplets is that to be expected after condensational growth of salt particles of about 10?13?10?10 g (0.4?4 µm diameter) for several hours in water-saturated air. The curves representing the water distribution so derived are shown to he similar to curves derived by other workers from measurements of the sizes and numbers of marine fog droplets, thus indicating a major role for salt particles in the initiation of some fogs at or near 100% relative humidity.