Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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10.5194/acpd-7-1215-2007
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/1215/2007/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/1215/2007/acpd-7-1215-2007.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/1215/2007/acpd-7-1215-2007.pdf
1215
1260
2007-01-25
Changes in aerosol properties during spring-summer period in the Arctic troposphere
A.-C. Engvall
anki@misu.su.se
R. Krejci
J. Ström
R. Treffeisen
R. Scheele
O. Hermansen
J. Paatero
Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, S 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Applied Environmental Science – Atmospheric Science Unit, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, S 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Telegrafenberg A43, D-14473 Potsdam, Germany
Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut, Postbus201, NL 3730, AE De Bilt, Netherlands
Norsk institutt for luftforskning, Postboks100, 2027 Kjeller, Norway
Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O.B. 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland
The change in aerosol properties during the transition from the more
polluted spring to the clean summer Arctic troposphere was studied. A six
year data set of observations from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, covering the
months April through June serve as the basis for the characterisation of
this time period. In addition four-day-back trajectories were used to
describe air mass histories. The observed transition in aerosol properties
from an accumulation mode dominated to an Aitken mode dominated size
distribution is discussed with respect to long-range transport and
influences from natural and anthropogenic sources of aerosols and pertinent
trace gases. Our study shows that the air-mass transport is an important
factor modulating the physical and chemical properties observed. However,
the air-mass transport cannot alone explain the yearly repeatable systematic
and rather rapid change in aerosol properties, occurring within a limited
time window of approximately 10 days. With a simplified phenomenological
model, which delivers the nucleation potential for new particle formation,
we suggest that the rapid shift in aerosol microphysical properties between
the Arctic spring and summer is mainly driven by the incoming solar
radiation in concert with transport of precursor gases and changes in
condensational sink.
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