Objective The scientific objectives of this programme are to elucidate the processes and environmental conditions under which homogeneous nucleation of new aerosol particles is promoted in the coastal atmosphere. In particular, the objectives are as following: (l) Determine the conditions and the rates under which homogeneous heteromolecular nucleation occurs in the coastal boundary layer (i.e. pre-existing aerosol surface area; precursor gas concentration; micro- and macro-scale meteorology). (2) Examine whether these nucleation events can be explained by binary or ternary heteromolecular nucleation of the following schemes: H2SO4-H20 or NH3-H2so4-H2o or NH3-H2øMSA/HCl/HNO3, or whether alternative nucleation schemes are likely to explain the observed events i.e. organic embryo formation followed by organic and/or sulphate growth. (3) Examine the influence of anthropogenic/continental air parcel mixing on coastal nucleation. (4) Explore the lifetime of these new particles and their survival yield. (5) Examine the long-term frequency of occurrence of coastal nucleation bursts and their duration. In order to achieve the above objectives, fast response measurements of nucleation rates, the complete aerosol size distribution (and thus, surface area), aerosol precursors and meteorological parameters, using state-of-art instruments and techniques will be conducted. In parallel to the experimental work, new nucleation theories will be applied to numerical models in order to study nucleation processes such as ternary homogeneous heterogeneous nucleation. The combined measurements and modelling studies will serve to put nucleation processes into a more robust theoretical framework. These studies will be conducted at a clean coastal site on the western edge of Europe where homogeneous nucleation is regularly observed in both clean and anthropogenicallyinfluenced conditions. Thus, this site provides the best and most cost effective option available for the study of coastal homogeneous nucleation processes. Long term measurements of nucleation events will be conducted to examine the temporal frequency of occurrence and any seasonal variation. Elucidation of these nucleation processes is required, not only by the scientific community in general, but also by climate modellers in order to reduce the uncertainty in the prediction of climate change by atmospheric aerosol. KEYWORDS: homogeneous nucleation, aerosol, coastal, precursor Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changesmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryology Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 01020102 - Tropospheric physics and chemistry Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator University of Sunderland Address St george's way SR2 7BW Sunderland United Kingdom See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all De Montfort University United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address The gateway LE1 9BH Leicester See on map FINNISH METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE Finland EU contribution € 0,00 Address 20 e,sahaajankatu 20 e 00810 Helsinki See on map NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY Ireland EU contribution € 0,00 Address University road Galway See on map NETHERLANDS ORGANISATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - TNO Netherlands EU contribution € 0,00 Address 63,oude waalsdorperweg 63 2509 JG Den haag ('s-gravenhage) See on map STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITET Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address 16 b,frescati hagvaeg 16 b 106 91 Stockholm See on map UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Finland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Siltavuorenpenger 20 d 00014 Helsinki See on map UNIVERSITY OF LANCASTER United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Bailrigg LA1 4YQ Lancaster /high bantham See on map University of Birmingham United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Edgbaston B15 2TT Birmingham See on map
