Particle Dry Deposition Dynamics in Atmospheric Systems

Particle dry deposition removes airborne particulates from the atmosphere through a combination of gravitational settling, turbulent diffusion and surface‐collection processes. Turbulent eddies transport particles toward the surface, where interception, impaction and adhesion to substrates such as vegetation, soil, water or snow occur. Deposition velocity varies strongly with particle diameter, meteorological conditions and land‐use type, often exhibiting a minimum in the accumulation mode (0.1–1 µm) and higher values in both ultrafine and coarse regimes. Accurate parameterisations of dry deposition are critical for predicting aerosol lifetime, air quality, cloud condensation nuclei concentrations and radiative forcing. Applications range from urban pollution management and ecosystem nutrient cycling to emergency preparedness for radionuclide releases. Recent efforts have focused on refining size‐resolved schemes, integrating surface heterogeneity and reconciling model predictions with field observations, yet challenges remain in representing complex turbulence–particle–surface interactions across diverse environments.

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Particle Dry Deposition Dynamics in Atmospheric Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in particle dry deposition dynamics in atmospheric systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dry deposition velocity: The net downward flux of particles to a surface per unit concentration at reference height, combining settling and turbulent transport effects.

Aerodynamic resistance: The turbulent and laminar constraints on particle movement between a reference height and the surface.

Surface collection efficiency: The fraction of particles reaching a surface that adhere, influenced by surface roughness, stickiness and particle inertia.

Eddy covariance: A measurement technique that quantifies turbulent fluxes of particles or gases by correlating vertical wind velocity and concentration fluctuations.

References

1. A study of particle dry deposition parameterizations in an atmospheric radioactive preparedness model: Application to the Chernobyl case. Journal of Hazardous Materials (2024).
2. Characterization of size-segregated particles' turbulent flux and deposition velocity by eddy correlation method at an Arctic site. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2023).
3. Revisiting particle dry deposition and its role in radiative effect estimates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2020).