Individual particle analysis of the springtime Arctic aerosol, 1983-1989

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7015347

Sheridan, P J; Schnell, R C; Kahl, J D

During the springs of 1983, 1986 and 1989, the Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program (AGASP) conducted major aircraft-based field experiments over much of the western Arctic. As part of the AGASP research efforts, several regions of the springtime Arctic atmosphere were probed by the NOAA WP-3D Orion research aircraft. These included the marine boundary layer over open water, the surface inversion layer over the pack ice, the background free troposphere, the frequently encountered Arctic haze layers, and the lower stratosphere. Size segregated aerosol samples were collected from these air masses using a three-stage cascade impactor mounted on the aircraft. Individual particle analysis using analytical electron microscopy was performed on each collection substrate to reveal particulate morphology, size distribution and elemental composition information. Results of these studies show that (1) Arctic haze layers are composed largely of sulfates and anthropogenic particles, (2) the synoptic meteorology is an important factor which influences the magnitude of the pollution component in the haze, and (3) the stratospheric aerosols are predominantly H2SO4 droplets, with the exception of those collected in 1983, which showed relatively high crustal particle concentrations due to volcanic debris.

• Research Organization: Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7015347
• Report Number(s): AD-P-007360/1/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIRCRAFT
ARCTIC HAZE
ARCTIC REGIONS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ICE
INORGANIC ACIDS
METEOROLOGY
MICROSCOPY
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
POLAR REGIONS
POLLUTION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SIZE
SOLS
STRATOSPHERE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFURIC ACID
TROPOSPHERE
VARIATIONS
VOLCANOES