Homogeneous freezing nucleation rates and crystallization dynamics of single levitated sulfuric acid solution droplets

Supercooled sulfuric acid solution droplets are a major constituent of the stratospheric background aerosol. We report the rate of homogeneous freezin g and the crystallization dynamics of single levitated sulfuric acid soluti on droplets with 0 to 57.6 wt.% H2SO4. The energy of formation of the criti cal nucleus and the self-diffusion activation energy are deduced from the e xperiments as a function of temperature and concentration. The results are compared to both theoretical and experimental work of other groups.