VI-ACI (Virtual Institute - Aerosol-Cloud Interactions)

Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer during a FROST experiment at TROPOS. Picture: J. Schneider, MPIC.

Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer during a FROST experiment at TROPOS. Picture: J. Schneider, MPIC.

2008 - 2011

VI-ACI was a Helmholtz Virtual Institute coordinated by T. Leisner and O. Möhler (KIT, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research).

A virtual institute is an association of research groups collaborating on one topic, funded by the Helmholtz society. The Virtual Institute VI-ACI aimed at detailed experimental and modelling investigations of aerosol cloud processes and novel evaluations of the role of clouds in the climate system. To determine the ability of aerosols to act as CCN and IN and to develop aerosol-related parameterisations for the representation of CCN and IN processes in cloud, weather forecast, and climate models, represents major challenge in current atmospheric research. In this context, VI-ACI organized a series of laboratory campaigns at TROPOS ("FROST" = FReezing Of duST) and KIT ("ACI" = Aerosol Cloud Interaction).

Campaigns:

1) FROST, LACIS, TROPOS Leipzig, April 2008

      Instrumentation:
      C-ToF-AMS, Grimm CPC

      People involved:
      P. Reitz, J. Schneider, J. Y. Schmale

2) ACI02, AIDA, KIT, Oktober 2008

      Instrumentation:
      SPLAT, ALABAMA

      People involved:
      P. Reitz, M. Brands, T. Klimach, F. Freutel, J. Schneider, F. Drewnick

3) FROST-2, LACIS, TROPOS Leipzig, March/April 2009

      Instrumentation:
      C-ToF-AMS, TSI SMPS/CPC

      People involved:
      P. Reitz, J. Schneider, S. Keßel

4) ACI03, AIDA, KIT, Oktober 2009

      Instrumentation:
      C-ToF-AMS, ALABAMA, TSI SMPS/CPC

      People involved:
      P. Reitz, M. Brands, A. Roth, J. Schneider

Results:
Sullivan, R. C., Petters, M. D., DeMott, P. J., Kreidenweis, S. M., Wex, H., Niedermeier, D., Hartmann, S., Clauss, T., Stratmann, F., Reitz, P., Schneider, J., and Sierau, B.: Irreversible loss of ice nucleation active sites in mineral dust particles caused by sulphuric acid condensation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 11471–11487, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-11471-2010, 2010.

Niedermeier, D., Hartmann, S., Shaw, R. A., Covert, D., Mentel, T. F., Schneider, J., Poulain, L., Reitz, P., Spindler, C., Clauss, T., Kiselev, A., Hallbauer, E., Wex, H., Mildenberger, K., and Stratmann, F.: Heterogeneous freezing of droplets with immersed mineral dust particles – measurements and parameterization, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 3601–3614, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-3601-2010, 2010.

Reitz, P., Spindler, C., Mentel, T. F., Poulain, L., Wex, H., Mildenberger, K., Niedermeier, D., Hartmann, S., Clauss, T., Stratmann, F., Sullivan, R. C., DeMott, P. J., Petters, M. D., Sierau, B., and Schneider, J.: Surface modification of mineral dust particles by sulphuric acid processing: implications for ice nucleation abilities, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 7839–7858, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-7839-2011, 2011.

Niedermeier, D., Hartmann, S., Clauss, T., Wex, H., Kiselev, A., Sullivan, R. C., DeMott, P. J., Petters, M. D., Reitz, P., Schneider, J., Mikhailov, E., Sierau, B., Stetzer, O., Reimann, B., Bundke, U., Shaw, R. A., Buchholz, A., Mentel, T. F., and Stratmann, F.: Experimental study of the role of physicochemical surface processing on the IN ability of mineral dust particles, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 11131–11144, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-11131-2011, 2011.

Reitz, Paul: Chemical Composition Measurements of Cloud Condensation Nuclei and Ice Nuclei by Aerosol Mass Spectrometry, PhD thesis, Universität Mainz, 2011. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hebis:77-28691