Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/X013081/1
A microfluidic device for quantification of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles (FluidIce)
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor BJ Murray, University of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment
- Grant held at:
- University of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Aerosols
- Land - Atmosphere Interactions
- Ocean - Atmosphere Interact.
- Aerosols
- Cloud physics
- Ice nucleation
- Radiative Processes & Effects
- Water In The Atmosphere
- Aerosols and particles
- Atmospheric ice
- Cloud physics
- Nucleation
- Regional & Extreme Weather
- Ice nucleation
- Abstract:
- A small fraction of atmospheric aerosol particles that nucleate ice in clouds have a disproportionate effect on climate. Quantification of these ice-nucleating particles is key to reducing climate uncertainties associated with clouds around the globe, from deep convection in the tropics to boundary layer clouds in the oceanic mid- to high-latitudes. However, the atmospheric concentration, sources, sinks, transport and activity of ice-nucleating particles are all poorly defined. A major limitation is the lack of instrumentation capable of measuring ice-nucleating particles. We have previously developed a prototype microfluidic platform for quantifying atmospheric ice-nucleating particles in Murray's European Research Council fellowship, but it's throughput and automation are limited by both instrumental and data processing challenges. Here we propose to take LOC-NIPI far beyond what was envisaged in Murray's ERC grant and to vastly improve it utility for the quantification of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles. In FluidIce we will replace the data-hungry (and limiting) high speed camera with a much simpler LED-Photodiode detector coupled with our new frozen-unfrozen droplet sorting device. This relatively modest investment will allow us to greatly speed up sample throughput and therefore add a great deal of value to other projects, such as M-Phase (a NERC grant focused on the cloud-phase feedback as part of the CloudSense programme) and WesCon (a Met Office funded aircraft project looking at high-impact convection in the UK). The legacy of FluidIce will make the routine quantification of ice-nucleating particles concentrations down to ~-35 C possible in future field and laboratory projects. FluidIce also moves the LOC-NIPI towards our longer term goal of a fully automated instrument capable of continuous monitoring of ice-nucleating particle spectra, from sampling through to freezing analysis.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/X013081/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grant FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Exploring the frontiers
This grant award has a total value of £79,452
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DI - Staff | DA - Estate Costs | DA - Other Directly Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £9,462 | £32,522 | £3,516 | £23,020 | £6,470 | £4,462 |
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