Microphysical Analysis of an Artificial Fog through Laser Scattering

Abstract

Three fog cycles have been produced in an artificial fog chamber and their microphysical parameters determined as functions of time, by means of a laser scattering method. The results (involving the distribution functions of the droplet radius, water content, optical extinction coefficient and the related integral quantities) are in a good agreement with literature and show the capability of the method to perform a microphysical analysis of an aerosol as a function of time, with a lower particle radius limit of 0.1?0.2 ?m. The limits of the method developed so far and the work yet to be done are indicated. Applications of this method are discussed.