The characteristics of atmospheric ice nuclei measured at the top of Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) in Southeast China using a newly built static vacuum water vapor diffusion chamber

A newly built static vacuum water vapor diffusion chamber was built to measure the concentration of ice nuclei (INs) at the top of Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) in Southeast China. The experiments were conducted under temperatures between −15°C and −23°C and supersaturations with respect to ice between 4% and 25%. The results show that the average IN concentration was in the range of 0.27 to 7.02L−1, when the temperature was varied from −15°C to −23°C. The changes in IN concentrations with time were correlated with the change of number concentration of the aerosol particles of 0.5–20μm in diameter. The square correlation coefficients (R2) between IN and coarse aerosol particles (0.5–20μm in diameter) were all higher than 0.60, much higher than that (0.10) between IN and smaller particles (0.01–0.5μm). The concentration of ice nuclei at 14:00 LST was significantly higher than that at 08:00 LST, which is correlated with the diurnal variation of the concentration of aerosol particles. A parametric equation was developed based on measurements to represent the variations of IN concentration with temperature and supersaturation. •The first attempt to characterize IN in a background region in southeast China.•The concentration of IN was measured and analyzed using a new type chamber.•High correlation of IN with aerosol particle in size of 0.5-20μm was found.•A three dimensional plot was showed to represent concentration of IN.•Parameterizations were established.