AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Long-term Trend Analysis of 47 Years of Finnish Arctic Aerosol Composition
JAMES R. LAING, Philip K. Hopke, Eleanor F. Hopke, Liaquat Husain, Vincent A. Dutkiewicz, Jussi Paatero, Yro Viisinen, Clarkson University
Abstract Number: 51 Working Group: Remote and Regional Atmospheric Aerosols
Abstract Long-term datasets of aerosol chemical composition are very useful for understanding past events. Significant changes have occurred in the Arctic over the past half century. Black carbon and sulfate concentrations in particular can help assess aerosol-driven climate forcing that has taken place and lead to a better understanding of changes in the Arctic atmosphere. Week-long historical filter samples collected at Kevo, Finland from 1964-2010 have been analyzed for various chemical species. Major ions and methane sulfonate (MSA) have been analyzed by ion chromatography (IC), trace elements by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and BC by light transmission. Black carbon and non-sea salt sulfate (nss-SO42-) have decreased dramatically over the past 5 decades, most significantly in the early 1990’s coinciding with the collapse of the Soviet Union. This decline correlates with published global emissions inventories (Bond, 2007, Global Biogeochemical Cycles 21, GB2018; Smith, 2011, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 11, 1101–1116). Most heavy metals of interest (V, Ni, Cu, Cd, Sb, Pb) have decreased over this time period as well. The decrease in Pb in the Arctic atmosphere is attributable to the restricted use and ban of leaded gasoline in Europe. The 47-year complete data set will be analyzed by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). The receptor modeling results will be connected with back trajectory data in a Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) analysis to determine possible source areas. The combination of PMF and PSCF will identify sources and their geographic locations.