New insights into the composition and origins of ultrafine aerosol in the summertime high Arctic

Lawler, M.J.; Saltzman, E.S.; Karlsson, L.; Zieger, P.; Salter, M.; Baccarini, A.; Schmale, J.; Leck, C.

doi:10.1029/2021GL094395

New insights into the composition and origins of ultrafine aerosol in the summertime high Arctic

Lawler MJ, Saltzman ES, Karlsson L, Zieger P, Salter M, Baccarini A, Schmale J & Leck C

Citation

Lawler, M. J., Saltzman, E. S., Karlsson, L., Zieger, P., Salter, M., Baccarini, A., … Leck, C. (2021). New insights into the composition and origins of ultrafine aerosol in the summertime high Arctic. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(21), e2021GL094395 (11 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094395

Persistent URL https://www.dora.lib4ri.ch/psi/islandora/object/psi:39698

The summertime high Arctic atmosphere is characterized by extremely low aerosol abundance, such that small natural aerosol inputs have a strong influence on cloud formation and surface temperature. The physical sources and the mechanisms responsible for aerosol formation and development in this climate-critical and changing region are still uncertain. We report time-resolved measurements of high Arctic Aitken mode (∼20–60 nm diameter) aerosol composition during August–September 2018. During a significant Aitken mode formation event, the particles were composed of a combination of primary and secondary materials. These results highlight the importance of primary aerosol sources for high Arctic cloud formation, and they imply the action of a poorly understood atmospheric mechanism separating larger particles into multiple sub-particles.

Details

Publication Type

Journal Article

Title

New insights into the composition and origins of ultrafine aerosol in the summertime high Arctic

Author(s)

Lawler, M.J.

Saltzman, E.S.

Karlsson, L.

Zieger, P.

Salter, M.

Baccarini, A. (5504 Molecular Cluster and Particle Processes)