Seasonal variations and vertical features of aerosol particles in the Antarctic troposphere

Abstract

Tethered balloon-borne aerosol measurements were carried out at Syowa Station, Antarctica during the 46th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. CN concentration had a maximum in the summer, whereas the number concentrations of fine particles (D p>0.3μm) and coarse particles (D p>2.0μm) increased during the winter-spring. The range of CN concentration was 30-2200 cm -3 near the surface (surface-500 m) and 7-7250 cm -3 in the lower free troposphere (> 1500 m). During the austral summer, higher CN concentration was often observed in the lower free troposphere. Frequent appearance of higher CN concentration in the free troposphere relative to the surface measurements strongly suggests that new particle formation in the Antarctic regions occurs in the lower free troposphere. Single particle analysis indicated that most of the aerosol particles during the winter were composed of Mg-enriched sea-salt particles originated from sea-salt fractionation on the sea-ice and their modified particles by NO 3- and SO 42-. This suggests that sea-salt fractionation on sea-ice and modification of sea-salt particles were affected greatly by aerosol hygroscopicity during the winter. Antarctic haze layer was observed not only in the boundary layer but also in the lower free troposphere. © 2010 National Institute of Polar Research.