Factors influencing aerosol solubility during cloud processes

The water-soluble fraction of an aerosol determines its chemical and physical properties and also its behaviour. The origin of the aerosol and its atmospheric transport influence its solubility. Cloud process simulations have been conducted on both Saharan and anthropogenic aerosols. The rate of solubilisation was followed for native and processed aerosol particles; it is controlled by the pH variations due to release of acids or bases. It appears that one condensation/evaporation cycle increases the solubility of aerosol particles. Increasing the number of cloud process simulations does not affect the solubility profile. The solubility depends only on the conditions of the last cloud cycle and, in particular, on the factor controlling pH during this process.