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CPC-AIR

Condensation particle counter aboard aircraft

Baseline Instrument, Guest

The condensation particle counter (CPC) measures sub-micron aerosol particle number concentration by condensing fluid onto particles and causing them to grow to sizes that are easily detectable by optical scattering. The condensing liquid is typically an alcohol (e.g., butanol) or water.

Depending on the CPC type, typical CPC instruments can count particles with sizes that range from 3 to 3000 nanometers (ultrafine CPC) or from 10 to 3000 nanometers (fine CPC).

  • Fan Mei
    Lead Mentor Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

References

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Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) | Reviewed October 2024