THE INFLUENCE OF MONOMOLECULAR SURFACE FILMS ON THE PRODUCTION OF CONDENSATION NUCLEI FROM BUBBLED SEA WATER.
Abstract
Salt condensation nuclei were produced in large quantities (100,000 particles per cu cm) from bubbled sea water and sodium chloride solutions. The addition of pure and mixed insoluble monomolecular films to the sea-water surface increased the concentration of salt nuclei by as much as threefold. The greatest increases were caused by the binary monolayers, which were synergistic in their behavior. No increases in nuclei count resulted when monolayers were spread onto the surface of aqueous systems which did not contain surface-active foam-forming materials. The increase in the number of salt particles measured is not related to a surface-chemical modification of either the sea-water droplets or the surface of the salt particles but is a consequence of the alteration of the mechanics of the bubble-bursting process. The insoluble film decreases the degree of foaming at the sea-water surface and enhances the immediate breaking of small bubbles. This leads to a greater rate of surface fragmentation of the air/water interface. The meteorological and oceanographic implications of these data are discussed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 29, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0667462
Entities
People
- William D. Garrett
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory