Deliquescence and hygroscopic growth of succinic acid particles measured with LACIS

Abstract

Succinic acid, a dicarboxylic acid which is only slightly soluble in water, was examined with regard to its deliquescence process and its hygroscopic growth in comparison with simple Köhler theory. Investigations were done at LACIS (Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator), which can measure hygroscopic growth of aerosol particles at relative humidities up to values close to 100%. The deliquescence relative humidity of dry succinic acid particles with diameters of 200 nm was found at 99% (±0.2%). Deliquescence took place on a time scale faster than 0.3 seconds, for some measurements even faster than 0.15 seconds. Comparison of the measured equilibrium sizes of the succinic acid particles with modeled hygroscopic growth revealed evaporation of succinic acid from the deliquesced particles, an effect, which has been described in literature previously. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.