Neutrons for probing the ice nucleation on atmospheric soot particles

Soot resulting from combustion of kerosene in aircraft engines can act as condensation nuclei for water/ice in the atmosphere and promote the formation of contrails that turn into artificial cirrus clouds and affect the climate. The mechanisms of nucleation of water/ice particles are not well identified. Studies ??in situ?? are difficult to realize, so we try to determine by neutron diffraction the nucleation of water/ice adsorbed on soot collected at the outlet of an aircraft engine combustor within the conditions of the upper troposphere. The results are compared with those obtained on model laboratory soot. The comparison highlights the role of chemical impurities and structural defects of original aircraft engine soot on the nucleation of water/ice in atmospheric conditions.