Spherical MgSO4 droplets were deposited by a syringe on the hydrophobic Teflon substrate. Using micro-Raman technique, the laser beam was highly focused twice on the surface and in the center of spherical droplets. The Raman spectra for the surface and the inner of MgSO4 droplets were accord-ingly obtained, suggesting formation of a thin layer of gels on MgSO4 droplets at low relative humidity. The gel layer covered the surface and exhibited a significant delay in response to the change of ambi-ent relative humidity, resulting in the structural difference between the surface and the inner of MgSO4 droplets.
One technique based on the difference spectra was developed to study the state of water in supersaturated Mg(NO3)2 aerosols. The technique could be derived from the observation that the Raman scattering and infrared absorbance cross sections of molecular vibrations of interest remain practically constant from diluted solutions to supersaturated aerosols. The spectra of solvated water were obtained and primarily related to the first hydration layers of solute molecules in supersaturated Mg(NO3)2 aerosols. Based on this investigation, a chain structure was proposed to occur in the supersaturated Mg(NO3)2 aerosols at low relative humidities (RHs).
