Clusters: Elucidating Gas-to-Particle Conversion Processes

摘要

Why is there currently so much interest in the subject of fine particles. First, fine particles are ubiquitous throughout the universe: They are present in interstellar media (e.g., in dense clouds as well as comets); they are ultimately responsible for the rings around Saturn, and, in some theories of planetary evolution, they are invoked to explain the origin of planets themselves. In high altitudes of our own planet there are layers of meteoritic ablation where dust layers are known and noctilucent clouds form, possible enhanced by ion-induced nucleation processes. For more down-to-earth reasons, fine particles are of interest to environmental scientists, who must contend with them in ways more germane to our everyday life in terms of visibility and health. Reprints. (jhd)