ON ICE-CRYSTAL PRODUCTION BY AEROSOL PARTICLES

Abstract

A general theory of the action of small aerosol particles as ice-crystal nuclei is developed and its predictions compared with experiment. It is found possible to decide under what conditions a given particle will act as a sublimation or as a freezing nucleus, and it is concluded that silver iodide generally behaves as a sublimation nucleus. The size effect is used to explain the activity distribution of silver iodide smoke, and this in turn explains the time lag observed in the nucleation of ice crystals by this smoke.