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abstract: 'We present a method to calculate vertical profiles of particle size distributions in condensation clouds of giant planets and brown dwarfs. The method assumes a balance between turbulent diffusion and sedimentation in horizontally uniform cloud decks. Calculations for the Jovian ammonia cloud are compared with results from previous methods. An adjustable parameter describing the efficiency of sedimentation allows the new model to span the range of predictions made by previous models. Calculations for the Jovian ammonia cloud are consistent with observations. Example calculations are provided for water, silicate, and iron clouds on brown dwarfs and on a cool extrasolar giant planet. We find that precipitating cloud decks naturally account for the characteristic trends seen in the spectra of L- and T-type ultracool dwarfs.'
author:
- 'Andrew S. Ackerman and Mark S. Marley'
title: Precipitating Condensation Clouds in Substellar Atmospheres
---

Introduction
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The visual appearance and spectrum of every solar system body with an atmosphere depends strongly upon the character and distribution of atmospheric condensates. This is particularly true for the giant planets where optically thick cloud decks dominate the appearance of the planets at most continuum wavelengths in both the reflected solar and the thermal infrared. Condensates 