Exploring the interactions between atmospheric ions and micrometre sized aerosols

The interaction of atmospheric ions and micrometre diameter aerosols has been explored using two different numerical modelling techniques. Firstly, a simple box-model has been used to study the dynamics of ion-aerosol interactions and the sensitivity to a number of parameters. Secondly, a coupled dispersion and ion-aerosol interaction model has been used to study the evolution of a charged aerosol released from a source. This more complex model includes the effect of the dilution of the released aerosol which can be a key parameter controlling the rate of change of the aerosol charge distribution.