Experimental modelling of the arctic steam fogs

Results of modelling of steam fogs, specific for the Arctic regions, are presented. An experimental setup based on the thermal-vacuum chamber of 100 m 3 in volume (15 m in height, 3 m in diameter) allows one to model and investigate the processes of formation and evolution of the steam fogs in dependence of the water-air temperature difference ( Δ w ), water surface roughness, content of ice nuclei and other factors that are typical for polar regions. The water surface roughness 3–6 times increases the fog optical density. The temperature difference of “water surface-air” is a determinant factor as well, however, the modal size of supercooled droplets is sufficiently conservative to ΔT w variation and the droplet concentration and fog optical density τ are largely determined by the content of nuclei crystallization concentration in the interval N c=0–30 cm −3. If N c concentration increases up to 30–300 cm −3, then, the fog optical density 3–5 times decreases.