Electrical Generation of Natural Aerosols from Vegetation

Abstract

It is suggested that an alternative, or additional, source of the blue haze above heavily forested areas may be the generation of submicrometer-sized wax particles by the action of strong electrical fields at the tips of pine needles and other wax-covered plant surfaces. Exposure of pine needles to high potential gradients results in the production of airborne wax particles with diameters less than 0.6 micrometer.