Ice nucleation properties of the most abundant mineral dust phases

Abstract

The ice nucleation properties of the nine most abundant minerals occurring in desert aerosols (quartz, albite, microcline, kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite, calcite, gypsum, and hematite) were investigated by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). In this instrument, the pure minerals are exposed to water vapor at variable pressures and temperatures. The crystallization of ice on the mineral particles is observed by secondary electron imaging, and the supersaturation for an activated particle fraction of 1–3% is determined as function of temperature. In all experiments, condensation of water prior to ice formation was not observed within detectable limits, even at water supersaturation. The highest temperatures for 1–3% activation vary between −10°C and −16°C for the nine minerals investigated, and the corresponding onset relative humidities relative to ice RH i between 107 and 117%. Supersaturation temperature curves for initial ice formation (1–3% activation) in the temperature range typical for mixed‐phase clouds were measured for all nine minerals. The temperature dependence of the onset relative humidity is strongly dependent on mineralogy. Kaolinite, montmorillonite, and hematite show a strong increase in RH i with decreasing temperature, whereas RH i is almost constant for illite, albite, quartz, and calcite. The highly variable ice nucleation properties of the various mineral dust components should be considered for parameterization schemes. Illite and kaolinite are the most important minerals to consider, as they have high ice nucleation efficiency and are common components of desert aerosols.