The condensation particle counter (CPC) measures sub-micron aerosol particle number concentration by condensing fluid onto particles and causing them to grow to sizes that are easily detectable by optical scattering. The condensing liquid is typically an alcohol (e.g., butanol) or water.
Depending on the CPC type, typical CPC instruments can count particles with sizes that range from 3 to 3000 nanometers (ultrafine CPC) or from 10 to 3000 nanometers (fine CPC).
O’Donnell S, A Akherati, Y He, A Hodshire, J Shilling, C Kuang, J Fast, F Mei, Siegfried Schobesberger7, J Thornton, J Smith, S Jathar, and J Pierce. 2023. "Look Up: Probing the Vertical Profile of New Particle Formation and Growth in the Planetary Boundary Layer with Models and Observations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 128(3), e2022JD037525, 10.1029/2022JD037525.
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Research Highlight
Zheng X, X Dong, D Ward, B Xi, P Wu, and Y Wang. 2022. "Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interactions in a Closed-cell and Non-homogenous MBL Stratocumulus Cloud." Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 39, 10.1007/s00376-022-2013-6.
Myers D, S Kim, S Sjostedt, A Guenther, R Seco, O Vega Bustillos, J Tota, R Souza, and J Smith. 2022. "Sulfuric acid in the Amazon basin: measurements and evaluation of existing sulfuric acid proxies." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 22(15), 10.5194/acp-22-10061-2022.
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