Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 7 6 2007 10.5194/acpd-7-17213-2007 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/17213/2007/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/17213/2007/acpd-7-17213-2007.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/17213/2007/acpd-7-17213-2007.pdf 17213 17260 2007-11-27 Seasonal and diurnal variations of Hg° over New England H. Mao hmao@typhoon.sr.unh.edu R. W. Talbot J. M. Sigler B. C. Sive J. D. Hegarty Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Climate Change Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA Factors influencing diurnal to interannual variability in Hg° over New England were investigated using multi-year measurements conducted by the AIRMAP program at the Thompson Farm (TF) coastal site, an inland elevated site at Pac Monadnock (PM), and one summer of measurements on Appledore Island (AI) in the Gulf of Maine. Mixing ratios of Hg° at TF showed distinct seasonality with maxima in March and minima in October. In comparison, Hg° at AI tracked the trend at TF but with higher minima, while at PM the diurnal and annual cycles were dampened. In winter, Hg° was correlated most strongly with CO and NO_y, indicative of anthropogenic emissions as their primary source. Our analysis indicates that Hg° had a regional background level of ~160 fmol/mol, a summertime dry deposition velocity of ~0.20 cm s^−1, and a ~16 day lifetime in the coastal boundary layer. The influence of oceanic emissions on ambient Hg° levels was identified using the Hg°-CHBr₃ correlation at both TF and AI. Moreover, the lower Hg° levels and steeper decreasing warm season trend at TF (0.5–0.6 fmol/mol d^−1) compared to PM (0.2–0.3 fmol/mol d^−1) likely reflected the impact of marine halogen chemistry. 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