Analysis of 2012 POLAR Flight Data – Preliminary Observations presentation: Julia Burkart NETCARE Workshop 18./19. Nov. 2013
Motivation Arctic aerosol is still purely understood what can we learn from flight data? Main questions: – Potential sources of new particle formation in the Arctic? – Transport of black carbon (BC) to the Arctic: potential source regions?
POLAR Flights 2012 Conducted by AWI (Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany) and EC (Environment Canada) in spring 2012 PAMARCMIP framework (Polar Airborne Measurements and Arctic Regional Climate Model Simulation Project) Longyearbyen 2 Station Nord 3 Alert 4 Eureka 5 Resolute Bay Instruments particle number conc DMT UHSAS dp: 70nm - 1µm TSI CPC dp > 15nm black carbon (BC) DMT SP2 dp(rBC) > 70nm
In total 28 profiles: 4 up to 5km 18up to 3km 6 up to 1.5km UHSAS – dp: 70nm - 1µm CPC - dp >15nm
UHSAS – dp: 70nm - 1µm CPC - dp >15nm UHSAS – dp: 70nm - 1µm CPC - dp >15nm Strong increase in CPC particle number concentration between 2-3km.
Mode of recently formed particles UHSAS – dp: 70nm - 1µm CPC - dp >15nm
Mode of recently formed particles is associated with airmasses passing over Greenland UHSAS – dp: 70nm - 1µm CPC - dp >15nm
Black Carbon (BC) Transport Chemical & Physical processing 300nm 70nm SP2 detection limit
Hypothesis: a relatively larger rBC/UHSAS>300nm ratio indicates faster transport
Stohl et al. (2013), ACP
shorter residence time/ faster transport? longer residence time? longer residence time/ slower transport? rBC/UHSAS>300nm.
Summary/Outlook Evidence that recently formed particles are associated with airmasses passing over Greenland Is Greenland a sink/source of new particles? Is there evidence for BC transport from flaring sources? Further data analysis with focus on BC
Acknowledgement Shao-Meng Li, Environment Canada Richard Leaitch, Environment Canada Jon Abbatt, University of Toronto