What One Can Learn From the Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) Size Distributions as Monitored by the BEO Moussala?

TL;DR

This study analyzes a year's worth of CCN size distribution data from BEO Moussala, revealing consistent patterns and correlations with meteorological parameters on different timescales.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of CCN size distributions over a full year at BEO Moussala, highlighting stable distribution patterns and their relation to meteorological factors.

Findings

Stable CCN size distribution patterns identified across different times of day and year.

Correlations between CCN concentrations and meteorological parameters established.

Distinct distribution peaks and valleys observed regardless of concentration fluctuations.

Abstract

In this proceeding we report initial studies into the big data set acquired by the Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) counter of the Basic Environmental Observatory (BEO) Moussala over the whole 2016 year at a frequency of 1 Hz. First, we attempt to reveal correlations between the results for CCN number concentrations on the timescale of a whole year (2016) as averaged over 12 month periods with the meteorological parameters for the same period and with the same time step. Then, we zoom into these data and repeat the study on the timescale of a month for two months from 2016, January and July, with a day time step. For the same two months we show the CCN size distributions averaged over day periods. Finally, we arrive at our main result: typical, in terms of maximal and minimal number concentrations, CCN size distributions for chosen hours, one hour for each month of the year, hence 24 distributions in total. These data show a steady pattern of peaks and valleys independent of the concrete number concentration which moves up and down the number concentrations (y-axis) without significant shifts along the sizes (x-axis).