Articles | Volume 26, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6909-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6909-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 May 2026
Research article |
| 21 May 2026
| 21 May 2026
From cylinder to city: how recondensation-induced nucleation in vehicle exhaust shapes urban aerosol number
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
International Degree Program in Climate Change and Sustainable Development, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan
I-Chun Tsai
Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan
Li-Wei Kuo
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Gong-Do Hwang
NVIDIA Singapore, Singapore
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Short summary
This study identifies a previously unrepresented process, Recondensation-Induced Nucleation (RIN), linking combustion microphysics to ambient ultrafine particle formation. Laboratory engine experiments, parcel modeling, and Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) simulations show that including RIN can significantly reduce number concentration underestimation from 75 % to 22 % while maintaining PM2.5 accuracy, providing a mechanistic basis for improving urban aerosol modeling.
This study identifies a previously unrepresented process, Recondensation-Induced Nucleation...
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