A Phase Separation Inlet for Droplets, Ice Residuals, and Interstitial Aerosols

Abstract. A new inlet for studying the aerosols and hydrometeor residuals that compose mixed-phase clouds – the phaSe seParation Inlet for Droplets icE residuals and inteRstitial aerosols (SPIDER) – is described here. SPIDER combines an omni-directional inlet, a Large-Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor (L-PCVI), a flow tube evaporation chamber, and a Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor (PCVI) to separate droplets, ice crystals, and interstitial aerosols for simultaneous sampling. Laboratory verification tests of each individual component and the composite SPIDER system were conducted. SPIDER was deployed to Storm Peak Laboratory (SPL), a mountain-top research facility at 3210 m a.s.l. in the Rocky Mountains, for a three-week field campaign. SPIDER performance as a field instrument is presented with data that demonstrates its capability of separating distinct cloud elements and interstitial aerosol. Possible design improvements of SPIDER are also suggested.