Office of Academic Affairs
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur

Earth and Environmental Sciences

EES 424/425: Aerosol Science (4)

Prerequisites (Desirable): MTH and PHY 100 level courses, CHM  and EES 100 and 200 level courses

Learning Objectives:

This course is a first course in aerosol science for senior undergraduates and graduate students. Upon the completion of this course the students will be able to understand the importance of aerosols in the atmosphere, terminology used in aerosol science, fundamentals of the dynamics and mechanics of aerosols, size distributions, particle deposition and adhesion, and the theoretical basis for aerosol sampling and collection on to filter substrates.

Course Contents:

Introduction and Aerosol Characterization:
Definitions and terminology, parameters for determining particle behavior, particle size, shape and density, aerosol concentrations, number, size, and mass distribution functions (moment distributions), log-probability graphs, Hatch-Choate conversion equations, statistical accuracy.

Uniform Particle Motion:
Newton and Stokes laws, settling velocity, mechanical mobility, slip correction factor, equivalent diameters, settling at high Reynolds numbers, stirred settling, and instruments based on settling velocity.

Straight Line Acceleration and Curvilinear Motion:
Relaxation time, stopping distance, curvilinear motion, impaction, cascade and virtual impactors, time-of-flight instruments.

Diffusion, Thermal and Radiometric Forces:
Diffusion coefficients, Brownian displacement, diffusion/diffusion batteries, thermophoresis, thermophoretic precipitators, radiometric forces.

Coagulation, Condensation, and Evaporation:
Monodisperse coagulation, polydisperse coagulation, kinematic coagulation, homogenous nucleation, Kelvin effect; Condensational growth – growth laws, transported limited growth, aerosol phase, reaction-limited growth, heterogeneous condensation, nucleated condensation evaporation.

Experimental Methods for Aerosol Sampling and Characterization:
Microscopy; Condensation particle counters; Filtration – single fiber efficiency, deposition mechanisms, filter efficiency, pressure drop, membrane filters; Optical measurement instruments-definitions, extinction, scattering, visibility - nephelometers, transmissometers; Electrical properties based instruments – electric fields, mobility, charging mechanisms, corona discharge, charge limits, electrostatic precipitators, differential mobility analyzer.

Atmospheric Aerosols:
Biogenic and anthropogenic aerosols, general features of ambient aerosol size distributions background aerosol, urban aerosol, chemical composition of urban aerosols.

Suggested Readings :

  1. Hinds, W. C., 1999, Aerosol Technology: Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of Airborne Particles, John Wiley and Sons.
  2. Friedlander, S. K., 2000, Smoke, Dust, and Haze: Fundamentals of Aerosol Dynamics, Oxford University Press.
  3. Seinfeld, J. H., and Pandis, S. N., 2006, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change, Wiley-Interscience.

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