A computationally efficient monodisperse particle dynamics–computational fluid dynamics simulation is developed to predict soot particle growth in flames without use of reaction kinetic models. The proposed model is in good agreement with soot volume fraction and mobility size measurements, demonstrating a level of accuracy comparable to that of sectional models. This model can be readily used for design applications of engines and industrial burners.

Clouds in cold regions affect climate and precipitation, but their behavior depends on rare airborne particles that help ice form. We measured these particles over several months in a Finnish forest and compared them with many environmental observations. We found that ice formation in winter was largely unpredictable, while in spring and summer it was more strongly linked to particle amount and composition. This shows that local conditions are needed to better represent clouds in climate models.

This paper presents the very first measurements of droplet and particle sizes and concentrations through the parts of an elastic light scatter detector. Measurements were made using two instruments, phase Doppler particle anemometry and an aerodynamic aerosol classifier, to resolve the size distribution of volatile particles upstream and dried particles downstream. The final measurements are used in a companion paper comparison with simulations.

The paper presents a model for the atomization and evaporation of a stream of solvents containing less volatile analytes through a system, designed to detect the final dried particles using elastic scatter, called elastic light scatter detector. The results of simulations of the total particle concentrations, as well as the final light scattered signals, are compared to experiments for validation. This is the first set of simulations of this detection device.

The dynamics of how tyre wear particles behave prior to their entrainment are still poorly understood. In wind tunnel experiments, the particle detachment from an idealized glass substrate was monitored. For particle sizes above 80 μm, smaller and more rounded particles were mobilized by wind shear first, whereas larger and more angular particles require stronger wind shear, highlighting strong surface adhesion and particle morphology as the major factors influencing microplastic detachment.

Ice formation in many clouds is initiated by airborne particles, which are often measured by collecting them on a filter and washing them into water for analysis. Using controlled laboratory experiments, we show that some of these particles adhere strongly to the filter and are not recovered. As a result, this common method can underestimate how many ice-forming particles are present in the atmosphere.

We investigated the new particle formation (NPF) potential of three atmospherically relevant oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) using high-level computational methods. Cluster thermodynamics and formation rates were evaluated for systems containing sulfuric acid and various nitrogen bases. All three OOMs enhanced cluster formation, with dimethylamine-containing clusters showing the greatest effect. Pinyl diaterpenylic ester formed the most stable clusters due to its molecular flexibility.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, and the air above it plays a role in cloud formation. Using direct measurements taken over several years, this study shows that although the reef has low aerosol concentrations, air that passes directly over coral reefs contains more very small particles, providing the first direct evidence that reefs add particles to the atmosphere. These locally produced particles make a measurable contribution to cloud formation over the reef.

This study improves the accuracy of optical particle counters (OPCs), instruments used to measure airborne particles important for air quality and climate research. Because OPC measurements depend not only on particle size but also on composition and shape, results can be uncertain. The paper provides a standardized database of correction factors for five commercial OPCs, helping researchers produce more reliable and consistent aerosol measurements across a wide range of atmospheric conditions.

This research examined whether legislative measures to reduce heavy metal pollution have been effective in the Czech Republic. We analysed 12 years of data from 16 monitoring stations and used a method that reduces the influence of changing weather. The results showed that this method is suitable for evaluating long-term trends and helps avoid errors in interpreting pollution levels affected by year-to-year weather differences.

New particles form in the atmosphere and can influence the climate. We studied Arctic new particle formation (NPF) from 2022 to 2024 at the Zeppelin Observatory, on Svalbard. NPF occurs from April to November, peaking in late spring as sunlight increases. Some particles measured on-site grow large enough to seed clouds. Sunlight and existing aerosol particles strongly impact the likelihood of NPF, which mainly originates from marine regions, particularly the Greenland Sea.

The iberulite fall was, to our knowledge, the first reported in central Europe. What was special was that the fall was observed in situ and that the meteorological conditions during the fall are well known. The meteorology and the particle size distribution inside the iberulites strongly corroborate below-cloud scavenging as a probable formation mechanism. The discovery of further iberulites Saharan dust event (SDE) samples collected since suggests that iberulites are common but overlooked by other researchers.