The mechanism for the deposition of spherical aerosols on a wall is in
vestigated in a high resolution direct numerical simulation of low Rey
nolds number turbulent flow in a vertical channel. A Stokes drag force
is used in the equation of motion for the aerosol and the particles a
re assumed to have no influence on the flow field. A particle deposits
when it is one radius from the wall. This occurs mainly by an inertia
l-free flight from distances outside the viscous sublayer. Particle co
ncentration profiles are presented as a function of time and as a func
tion of distance from the channel walls. It is shown that particles ac
cumulate in the viscous sublayer by turbophoresis and by free flights
that do not carry particles to the wall. A new method for identifying
free-flight particles is presented and a prediction of free-flight dep
osition is made using fluid velocity distributions.