sizeresolved

Sizeresolved is a term used to describe data, analyses, or results that are resolved by particle size. In aerosol science and materials research, it refers to measurements or representations in which a property is assigned to discrete size classes, enabling examination of how properties vary with size. Sizeresolved data are typically obtained by separating a sample into size fractions using instruments such as differential mobility analyzers, optical particle counters, or centrifugation-based fractionation, followed by measurement of the property of interest in each fraction.

In data processing and visualization, size-resolved representations plot the quantity Q as a function of size D, or provide histograms or spectra conditioned on size. This approach helps reveal size-dependent phenomena such as optical absorption, catalytic activity, or mechanical strength that bulk measurements may obscure.

Common applications include aerosol and environmental science (size distributions of pollutants, size-dependent reactivity), nanomaterial characterization (property scaling with particle diameter), and formulation science (drug delivery particle sizing effects).

Limitations include instrument resolution limits, choice of size bins, and propagation of uncertainties; results may depend on the method used to define size (e.g., mobility diameter vs physical diameter).

See also: size distribution, particle sizing, differential mobility analyzer, dynamic light scattering.