In physical chemistry and atmospheric sciences an aerosol is a system of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas; examples include smoke and fog. (The term also has commercial use for both contents and canisters of sprays of deodorant, disinfectant or insecticide). The particles, that may be solid or liquid, have been defined (by Lodge, 1962) as ‘larger than single molecules yet small enough to remain dispersed for a significant length of time.’
In atmospheres, aerosols are important in cloud formation, nucleation of condensation droplets, atmospheric electricity and radiation balance. They thus play a major role in climate control. Sources of aerosols on planet Earth include sea salts (from storm waves), biological products, desert dust, volcanic ash and human pollution. Artificial aerosols (such as silver iodide, acting as freezing nuclei) can be used in artificial rain production in suitable cloud formations. Extraterrestrial aerosols from interplanetary space and meteorites are...
Bibliography
Jaenicke, R. and Davies, C. N. (1976) The mathematical expression of the size distribution of atmospheric aerosols. J. Aerosol Sci., 7, 255–9.
Junge, C. E. (1963) Air Chemistry and Radioactivity. New York: Academic Press.
Lodge, J. P. (1962) Identification of aerosols, Adv. Geophys., 9, 67–130.
Oliver, J. E. and Fairbridge, R. W. (eds) (1987) The Encyclopedia of Climatology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 986pp.
Pasquill, F. (1974). Atmospheric Diffusion, 2nd edn, New York: Wiley.
Stern, A. C. (ed.) (1976). Air Pollution, Vol. 1, 3rd edn, New York: Academic Press.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1997 Chapman & Hall
About this entry
Cite this entry
Fairbridge, R.W. (1997). Aerosol . In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-412-06951-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-4520-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive