Size-Dependent Nascent Sea Spray Aerosol Bounce Fractions and Estimated Viscosity: The Role of Divalent Cation Enrichment, Surface Tension, and the Kelvin Effect

Abstract

Viscosity, or the “thickness,” of aerosols plays a key role in atmospheric processes like ice formation, water absorption, and heterogeneous kinetics. However, the viscosity of sea spray aerosols (SSA) has not been widely studied. This research explored the relationship between particle size and viscosity of authentic SSA particles through particle bounce, atomic force microscopy analysis, and predictive viscosity modeling from molecular composition. The study found that 40 nm SSA particles had estimated viscosities around 10⁴ Pa·s and bounce fractions three times higher than 100 and 200 nm particles with less than 10² Pa·s at a relative humidity (RH) of 60%. Additional studies revealed the Kelvin effect and particle density, influenced by particle size, have a greater impact on size-dependent bounce fractions than changes in RH across impactor stages. While changes in the level of surfactants can impact particle bounce, the increased viscosity in smaller SSA is attributed to the formation of gel-like phase states caused by cation–organic cross-links between divalent calcium ions and organic anions enriched in the smaller particles. This work shows the smallest gel-like SSA particles observed in the field are highly viscous, which has implications for cloud formation, secondary aerosol growth, and pollutant transport in coastal environments.

This study shows that smaller sea spray aerosols are more viscous and denser than larger ones. This has important implications for cloud formation and air pollution.