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- Title
Sources of Southern Hemisphere Marine Aerosols: Insights From Carbonaceous Fraction Concentration and Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis.
- Authors
Gu, Weihua; Xie, Zhouqing; Jiang, Bei; Yue, Fange; Yu, Xiawei; Chen, Afeng
- Abstract
Marine carbonaceous aerosols, originating from marine and continental sources, are significant global aerosol components. The understanding of marine carbonaceous aerosols is currently limited, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Furthermore, there is an ongoing debate regarding the contributions of marine fresh and ancient carbon to marine aerosols. To address these gaps, we conducted an extensive investigation utilizing a long‐term data set of aerosol samples collected during six Antarctic cruises (28°N–78°S) from 2013 to 2020. Our analysis revealed an average organic carbon (OC) concentration of 1.29 ± 1.15 μg/m3 and an element carbon (EC) concentration of 0.13 ± 0.18 μg/m3 in the samples. These concentrations varied within a range spanning from background marine samples to those impacted by substantial continental transport. Fossil fuel combustion remained the primary source of continental influence in the marine environment, as evidenced by the OC/EC ratio. The δ13CTC value for all samples range from −22.3‰ to −28.4‰, with a mean value of −26.3 ‰. Using a three‐endmember isotopic source model, we find that continental carbonaceous aerosols make substantial contributions in the Eastern Indian Ocean (81 ± 4%), while their prevalence is lower in the Southern Ocean (SO) (44 ± 20%). In contrast to mid‐latitudes, primary marine aerosol of the SO exhibits a significantly higher contribution from the fresh carbon pool (52 ± 19%). Furthermore, our study suggests that SO sea ice may play a potential role in driving emissions from the fresh carbon pool. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the effects of carbonaceous aerosols on climate change and the ocean‐atmosphere carbon cycle. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we investigated marine carbonaceous aerosols, which are important components of global aerosols. We analyzed a long‐term data set of aerosol samples collected during Antarctic cruises from 2013 to 2020. Our analysis showed that the concentration of organic carbon (OC) averaged 1.29 ± 1.15 μg/m3, and the concentration of element carbon (EC) averaged 0.13 ± 0.18 μg/m3 in the samples. The concentrations varied, ranging from background marine levels to those influenced by continental transport. The highest OC concentration was observed over the Eastern Indian Ocean, attributed to emissions from power plants and refineries. Fossil fuel combustion remained the primary source of continental influence. Isotopic analysis revealed that continental carbonaceous aerosols contributed significantly in the EIO (81 ± 4%), while their prevalence was lower in the SO (44 ± 20%). In the SO, primary marine aerosols had a higher contribution from fresh carbon pool (52 ± 19%), which is closely linked to the marine phytoplankton ecosystem. We also found that sea ice in the SO may play a potential role in driving emissions from the fresh carbon pool and influencing carbonaceous aerosol concentrations. These findings enhance our understanding of the impacts of carbonaceous aerosols on climate change and the ocean‐atmosphere carbon cycle. Key Points: Fossil fuel combustion is the primary source of continental influence in the marine environmentCarbonaceous aerosol of the Southern Ocean (SO) exhibits a significant contribution from the fresh carbon pool (52 ± 19%)SO sea ice play a potential role in driving emissions from the fresh carbon pool
- Subjects
CARBONACEOUS aerosols; STABLE isotope analysis; AEROSOLS; AEROSOL sampling; CARBON cycle; SEA ice
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres, 2024, Vol 129, Issue 12, p1
- ISSN
2169-897X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2023JD039803