Mass Size Distributions for Atmospheric Particulate Elements at the Zeppelin Background Station in NY Ålesund. Spitsbergen

Abstract

Measurements of the multielemental composition of size-fractionated aerosols provide information on the source processes of the various elements and they allow one to examine the physico-chemical transformation processes that take place during the atmospheric transport or as a result of local meteorology and atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, such measurements provide the necessary input data for estimating the scavenging probabilities and dry deposition velocities of the elements. Several studies on elemental mass size distributions have already been performed in the Arctic, e.g., by Pacyna et al. [1984], Li and Winchester [1990], Hillamo et al. [1993] and Barrie et al. [1994], but virtually all former studies were done in the winter and were limited to time periods of a few months. To investigate changes in sources, source processes and/or particle size modification processes over the course of the year, in late 1990 we started long-term (and still ongoing) samplings with a cascade impactor at the Zeppelin mountain station in Spitsbergen. Selected preliminary results of these samplings are presented and briefly discussed.