An observational study of atmospheric ice nuclei number concentration during three fog-haze weather periods in Shenyang, northeastern China

Characteristics of ice nuclei (IN) number concentrations during three fog-haze weather periods from November 2010 to January 2012 in Shenyang were presented in this paper. A static diffusion chamber was used and sampling of IN aerosols was conducted using a membrane filter method. Sampling membrane filter processing conditions were unified in the activation temperature at − 15 °C under conditions of 20% ice supersaturation and 3% water supersaturation. The variations of natural IN number concentrations in different weather conditions were investigated. The relations between the meteorological factors and the IN number concentrations were analyzed, and relationships between pollutants and IN number concentrations were also studied. The results showed that mean IN number concentration were 38.68 L− 1 at − 20 °C in Shenyang, for all measurements. Mean IN number concentrations are higher during haze days (55.92 L− 1 at − 20 °C) and lower after rain. Of all meteorological factors, wind speed, boundary stability, and airflow direction appeared to influence IN number concentrations. IN number concentrations were positively correlated with particulate matters PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 during haze weather.