Aitken nucleus

noun

Ait·​ken nucleus ˈāt-kən- 

meteorology

: a microscopic aerosol particle in the atmosphere that encourages condensation to gather into a droplet

Using air samples collected from a 65-foot tower in a eucalyptus forest in Portugal, the researchers found an abundance of tiny aerosols, known as Aitken nuclei, that could only have been produced locally.

—Henry Fountain, New York Times, 3 Nov. 1998

Word History

Etymology

after John Aitken †1919 Scottish meteorologist and engineer

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

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