AbstractA scattered light photometer which monitors the particle number concentration of aerosols is described. The photometer measures the scattered light from illuminated submicron particle clouds with known material properties at certain scattering angles. Intensity ratios in combination with the degree of polarization are used to determine the mean particle diameter and the geometric standard deviation of an assumed log‐normal particle size distribution. The determination of the particle size distribution is based on an algorithm which compares the measured and calculated (Mie theory) relative intensity quantities described. Furthermore, the particle number concentration is monitored from a single absolute intensity measurement at one scattering angle. In order to obtain quantitative results a spherical particle shape is require