Influence of seasonal mesoscale and microscale meteorological conditions in Svalbard on results of monitoring of long-range transported pollution [poster]

The Zeppelin Observatory is an atmospheric monitoring station located on the northwest coast of Spitzbergen island, in the Svalbard archipelago. The station provides background air composition, meteorological and climatological data for numerous research projects. The observatory is located on a mountain ridge in a region with complex topography that affects local atmospheric circulation processes. Research question: How the seasonal data collected at the Zeppelin observatory and Ny-Ålesund station (Fig. 2b), a temporarily station in the settlement, is affected by: 1) micrometeorological conditions 2) mesoscale dynamics 3) local air pollutio

Effect of seasonal mesoscale and microscale meteorological conditions in Ny-Ålesund on results of monitoring of long-range transported pollution

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Dekhtyareva, A., Holmén, K., Maturilli, M., Hermansen, O. & Graversen, R. (2018). Effect of seasonal mesoscale and microscale meteorological conditions in Ny-Ålesund on results of monitoring of long-range transported pollution. Polar Research, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2018.1508196. Source at https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2018.1508196.Ny-Ålesund is an international research settlement where the thermodynamics and chemical composition of the air are monitored. The present work investigates the effects of micrometeorological conditions, mesoscale dynamics and local air pollution on the data collected at two different locations around the village. Daily filter measurements of sulphur dioxide and non-sea salt sulphate from the temporary Ny-Ålesund station and permanent Zeppelin mountain station have been analysed along with meteorological data. The influence of different factors representing micrometeorological phenomena and local pollution from ships has been statistically investigated. Seasonal variation of the correlation between the data from Ny-Ålesund and Zeppelin stations is revealed, and the seasonal dependence of the relative contribution of different factors has been analysed. The median concentrations of SO42- measured in Ny-Ålesund increased significantly on days with temperature inversions in winter. In spring, concentrations of SO2 and SO42- were higher than normal at both stations on days with temperature inversions, but lower on days with strong humidity inversions. In summer, local ship traffic affects the SO2 data set from Ny-Ålesund, while no statistically significant influence on the Zeppelin data set has been observed. The pollution from ships has an effect on SO42- values at both stations; however, the concentrations in Ny-Ålesund were higher when local pollution accumulated close to the ground in days with strong humidity inversions

Springtime nitrogen oxides and tropospheric ozone in Svalbard: results from the measurement station network

Svalbard is a remote and scarcely populated Arctic archipelago and is considered to be mostly influenced by long-range-transported air pollution. However, there are also local emission sources such as coal and diesel power plants, snowmobiles and ships, but their influence on the background concentrations of trace gases has not been thoroughly assessed. This study is based on data of tropospheric ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) collected in three main Svalbard settlements in spring 2017. In addition to these ground-based observations and radiosonde and O3 sonde soundings, ERA5 reanalysis and BrO satellite data have been applied in order to distinguish the impact of local and synoptic-scale conditions on the NOx and O3 chemistry. The measurement campaign was divided into several sub-periods based on the prevailing large-scale weather regimes. The local wind direction at the stations depended on the large-scale conditions but was modified due to complex topography. The NOx concentration showed weak correlation for the different stations and depended strongly on the wind direction and atmospheric stability. Conversely, the O3 concentration was highly correlated among the different measurement sites and was controlled by the long-range atmospheric transport to Svalbard. Lagrangian backward trajectories have been used to examine the origin and path of the air masses during the campaign.publishedVersio

The impact of foreign real estate investment on land prices: evidence from Mauritius

This paper examines the impact of foreign real estate on land prices in Mauritius. Using a panel dataset comprising price, quantity and other information for a variety of luxury villas and apartments, we show that the price of land paid by locals has been pushed up by a modest 4-22% in total as a result of these developments. We also examine the determinants of the prices of the dwellings in these schemes, finding that they are strongly related to the sizes of the plots, whether they have ocean views and the desirability of the region in which they are sited, although there remains considerable unexplained heterogeneity

Identify emerging science objectives and challenges over the next 5-10 years, in relation to the enabling research infrastructure.

Workshop on Arctic and Marine Research Infrastructure. 17-18 September 2013, Rome, ItalyPeer Reviewe

A microwave radiometer for the remote sensing of nitric oxide and ozone in the middle atmosphere

Nitric oxide, which reacts catalytically to destroy ozone, can be produced in great abundance in the middle atmosphere during energetic particle precipitation triggered by solar storms. During the Antarctic winter, the strong polar vortex can rapidly transport nitric oxide downward, and this process has been identified as a mechanism that can link ozone recovery in,the upper stratosphere with solar activity. As part of the Sun Earth Connection programme at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), a new, state-of-the-art microwave radiometer is being developed in collaboration with the MaxPlanck Institute (MPI) and the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) to simultaneously measure profiles of ozone and nitric oxide between 30 and 80 km deep within the Antarctic polar vortex. Operating in the 250 GHz spectral region, the semi-autonomous instrument will be coupled to moderate- and high-resolution chirp spectrometers to provide simultaneous spectra of the nitric oxide and ozone. In addition, a second local oscillator will be used to periodically examine carbon monoxide at 230.538 GHz to infer the vertical descent rate within the Antarctic vortex. Here, we present the science rationale for the observation programme as well as the instrument specifications, design and performance

Short-term variations in atmospheric CO2 at Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen, during spring and summer

Results from the continuous measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide performed at Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen are presented. The results are discussed with an emphasis on day-today variations during spring and early summer. During all years studied, significant negative anomalies (“dips”), lasting for several days, have been observed in the data from late May through July. The timing coincides with a draw down of dissolved carbon dioxide and nutrients in the surface waters of the North Atlantic observed by others. By using 3-dimensional trajectories, we follow the history of the air arriving in Ny-Ålesund, and show that the air, depleted in CO2 , had been in contact with these waters. Combining the trajectories with a box model yields a simple Lagrangian model, and we demonstrate that the timing and magnitude of the dips are consistent with the degree of CO2 saturation of the sea during April to mid-June. In late June and July, the model indicates that a significant portion of the dips must have other causes, e.g., CO2 uptake in the terrestrial biosphere further south