Operating envelopes of particle sizing instrumentation used for icing research

The Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe and the Optical Array Probe are analyzed in terms of their ability to make accurate determinations of water droplet size distributions. Sources of counting and sizing errors are explained. The paper describes ways of identifying these errors and how they can affect measurement

Performance and operating envelope of imaging and scattering particle sizing instruments

Scattering and imaging type particle sizing instruments are analyzed in terms of their ability to make accurate determinations of particle size distributions, number density, and total mass. Sources of counting and sizing errors are explained. Ways are described of identifying these errors and how these errors can effect the measurements

Assessing the contributions of surface waves and complex rays to far-field Mie scattering by use of the Debye series

The contributions of complex rays and the secondary radiation shed by surface waves to scattering by a dielectric sphere are calculated in the context of the Debye series expansion of the Mie scattering amplitudes. Also, the contributions of geometrical rays are reviewed and compared with the Debye series. Interference effects between surface waves, complex waves, and geometrical waves are calculated, and the possibility of observing these interference effects is discussed. Experimental data supporting the observation of a surface wave-geometrical pattern is presented

The internal caustic structure of illuminated liquid droplets

The internal electric field of an illuminated liquid droplet is studied in detail using both wave theory and ray theory. The internal field obtains its maximum values on the caustics within the droplet. Ray theory is used to determine the equations of these caustics and the density of rays on them. The Debye series expansion of the interior field Mie amplitudes is used to calculate the wave theory version of these caustics. The physical interpretation of the sources of stimulated Raman scattering and fluorescence emission within a liquid droplet is then given

Performance of the forward scattering spectrometer probe in NASA's icing research tunnel

Two Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probes were used to measure droplet distributions in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel. The instruments showed good agreement when the median volume diameter (MVD) was approximately 16 micrometers. Coincidence events affect much of the data and caused the measured MVD to be about 2 to 3 micrometers larger than expected. Coincidence events were reduced by shutting down half of the spray bars in the tunnel during certain tests

Experimental testing of four correction algorithms for the forward scattering spectrometer probe

Three number density correction algorithms and one size distribution correction algorithm for the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) were compared with data taken by the Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA) and an optical number density measuring instrument (NDMI). Of the three number density correction algorithms, the one that compared best to the PDPA and NDMI data was the algorithm developed by Baumgardner, Strapp, and Dye (1985). The algorithm that corrects sizing errors in the FSSP that was developed by Lock and Hovenac (1989) was shown to be within 25 percent of the Phase Doppler measurements at number densities as high as 3000/cc

A Correction Algorithm for Particle-Size Distribution Measurements Made with the Forward-Scattering Spectrometer Probe

Multiparticle coincidence events in the scattering volume of the forward-scattering spectrometer probe (FSSP) cause the instrument to bias the measurement of the particle size distribution of atmospheric aerosols toward large diameters. We employ a probabilistic model based on Poisson statistics to determine the average diameter and rms width of the actual size distribution as functions of the average diameter and rms width of the measured distribution. We compare our predictions to a Monte Carlo simulation of the FSSP operatio

Internal Caustic Structure of Illuminated Liquid Droplets

The internal electric field of an illuminated liquid droplet is studied in detail with the use of both wave theory and ray theory. The internal field attains its maximum values on the caustics within the droplet. Ray theory is used to determine the equations of these caustics and the density of rays on them. The Debye-series expansion of the interior-field Mie amplitudes is used to calculate the wave-theory version of these caustics. The physical interpretation of the sources of stimulated Raman scattering and fluorescence emission within a liquid droplet is then given

Assessing the Contributions of Surface Waves and Complex Rays to Far-Field Mie Scattering by Use of the Debye Series

The contributions of complex rays and the secondary radiation shed by surface waves to scattering by a dielectric sphere are calculated in the context of the Debye-series expansion of the Mie scattering amplitudes. Also, the contributions of geometrical rays are reviewed and compared with those of the Debye series. Interference effects among surface waves, complex rays, and geometrical rays are calculated, and the possibility of observing these interference effects is discussed. Experimental data supporting the observation of a surface-wave-geometrical-ray-interference pattern are presented

An Improved Correction Algorithm for Number Density Measurements Made with the Forward-Scattering Spectrometer Probe

A correction factor to the number density measured by the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) which compensates for dead time and coincidence errors was determined by calculating the probabilities of and the average number of particles in the six possible types of dead time and coincidence events. These probabilities and averages were calculated by means of a probabilistic model based on Poisson statistics. A Monte Carlo computer simulation of the FSSP operation was also carried out and the number density correction factor was compared with the Monte Carlo data. For an actual number density of 2000/cm3, it was found that the measured number density was of the order of 300/cm3