Modeling the number distributions of urban and regional aerosols: theoretical foundations

Recent studies suggest an association between particle number concentrations and adverse health effects in humans and laboratory animals. A photochemical model able to predict the particle number distribution and concentration will be very helpful to establish the association between emissions and air quality needed for developing rational emission control strategies. As the first step of the study, each term in the aerosol dynamic equation, namely condensation and evaporation, coagulation, gravitational settling, nucleation, advection, turbulent transport, emission, deposition and heterogeneous chemical reaction, is analyzed to estimate its influence on the overall number distributions under typical urban conditions.