Atmospheric aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory and environmental implications

The Pierre Auger Observatory detects the highest energy cosmic rays. Calorimetric measurements of extensive air showers induced by cosmic rays are performed with a fluorescence detector. Thus, one of the main challenges is the atmospheric monitoring, especially for aerosols in suspension in the atmosphere. Several methods are described which have been developed to measure the aerosol optical depth profile and aerosol phase function, using lasers and other light sources as recorded by the fluorescence detector. The origin of atmospheric aerosols traveling through the Auger site is also presented, highlighting the effect of surrounding areas to atmospheric properties. In the aim to extend the Pierre Auger Observatory to an atmospheric research platform, a discussion about a collaborative project is presented.Comment: Regular Article, 16 pages, 12 figure

Phytochelatins are bioindicators of atmospheric metal exposure via direct foliar uptake in trees near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Plants produce phytochelatins in response to copper and nickel, the primary metal pollutants emitted by the dominant smelting operation in Sudbury. Copper and nickel concentrations in soils decline sharply with distance from this facility, primarily as a result of early smelting practices. Phytochelatin concentrations in Sudbury-area trees, however, do not correlate with metal levels in soils. Rather, phytochelatin production in tree leaves is driven by metals currently released to the atmosphere through the 381 m emissions stack. Phytochelatin concentrations in the foliage of three tree species growing in situ are highest 20-30 km from the stack, correlated with maximum acid-leachable concentrations of deposited copper and nickel. Similar results observed in potted trees placed adjacent to indigenous trees confirm that aerially deposited metals are the source of current metal stress patterns. The addition of peat moss filters to potted soils did not alter this response, indicating that direct foliar metal uptake is responsible

Geochemistry of Trace Metals in the Gironde Estuary (F).

Dissolved particulate and colloidal fractions of Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn and Fe were measured in the Gironde estuary (F). The concentration profiles of these various trace metals are modeled using a simple geochemical model based on inorganic complexation of the metals by seawater anions.JRC.(EI)-Environment Institut