Arctic tropospheric ozone: assessment of current knowledge and model performance

As the third most important greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), tropospheric ozone (O3) is also an air pollutant causing damage to human health and ecosystems. This study brings together recent research on observations and modeling of tropospheric O3 in the Arctic, a rapidly warming and sensitive environment. At different locations in the Arctic, the observed surface O3 seasonal cycles are quite different. Coastal Arctic locations, for example, have a minimum in the springtime due to O3 depletion events resulting from surface bromine chemistry. In contrast, other Arctic locations have a maximum in the spring. The 12 state-of-the-art models used in this study lack the surface halogen chemistry needed to simulate coastal Arctic surface O3 depletion in the springtime; however, the multi-model median (MMM) has accurate seasonal cycles at non-coastal Arctic locations. There is a large amount of variability among models, which has been previously reported, and we show that there continues to be no convergence among models or improved accuracy in simulating tropospheric O3 and its precursor species. The MMM underestimates Arctic surface O3 by 5 % to 15 % depending on the location. The vertical distribution of tropospheric O3 is studied from recent ozonesonde measurements and the models. The models are highly variable, simulating free-tropospheric O3 within a range of ±50 % depending on the model and the altitude. The MMM performs best, within ±8 % for most locations and seasons. However, nearly all models overestimate O3 near the tropopause (∼300 hPa or ∼8 km), likely due to ongoing issues with underestimating the altitude of the tropopause and excessive downward transport of stratospheric O3 at high latitudes. For example, the MMM is biased high by about 20 % at Eureka. Observed and simulated O3 precursors (CO, NOx, and reservoir PAN) are evaluated throughout the troposphere. Models underestimate wintertime CO everywhere, likely due to a combination of underestimating CO emissions and possibly overestimating OH. Throughout the vertical profile (compared to aircraft measurements), the MMM underestimates both CO and NOx but overestimates PAN. Perhaps as a result of competing deficiencies, the MMM O3 matches the observed O3 reasonably well. Our findings suggest that despite model updates over the last decade, model results are as highly variable as ever and have not increased in accuracy for representing Arctic tropospheric O3.</p

A local marine source of atmospheric particles in the High Arctic

The chemical composition of non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1) was characterized at the Villum Research Station (Villum) at Station Nord in North Greenland during spring-summer 2016 using a Time of Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ToF-ACSM). The composition is dominated by sulfate (48%) and organic species (40%). Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) identified three key factors corresponding to a primary hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), and two types of secondary organic aerosol: oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) and a marine organic aerosol (MOA). The HOA factor accounts for 5% of the organic aerosol mass, which is consistent with previous findings at Villum. The OOA factor accounts for 77% of the organic aerosol mass and correlates with accumulation mode particles, which supports previous findings indicating that oxidized organic aerosols are predominantly from long-range transport during winter and spring at Villum. The MOA factor was characterized by mass spectral fragments of methane sulfonic acid (MSA) from atmospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulfide, for which reason the MOA factor is considered to be of biogenic origin. MOA accounts for 18% of the organic aerosol mass and correlates with locally produced Aitken mode particles. This indicates that biogenic processes are not only a significant source of aerosols at Villum, but MOA also appears to be formed in the vicinity of the measurement site. This local geographical origin was confirmed through air mass back trajectory modelling and source-receptor analysis. During May, air masses frequently arrived from the east, with source regions for the MOA factor and therewith MSA located in the Barents Sea and Lincoln Sea with lesser contributions from the Greenland Sea. During June, air mass origin shifted to the west, with source regions for the MOA factor and MSA shifting correspondingly to Baffin Bay and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. While shifting transport patterns between May and June lead to shifting source regions, sea ice likely played a role as well. During May, marginal ice zones were present in the Barents Sea between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land, while during June, sea ice in the northern part of Baffin Bay retreated and sea ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago decreased. Although May and June experienced different transport patterns and sea ice conditions, levels of the MOA factor and MSA were similar between the months. This is likely due to similarities between marine biological activities in the Barents Sea and Baffin Bay. This research highlights the complex relationship between transport patterns, sea ice conditions, and atmospheric particle concentrations. Multiyear aerosol chemical composition from several High Arctic sites is encouraged to determine the full effects of ocean-atmosphere interactions and transport patterns on atmospheric aerosol concentrations

Overview: Integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments (iCUPE) — concept and initial results

The role of polar regions is increasing in terms of megatrends such as globalization, new transport routes, demography, and the use of natural resources with consequent effects on regional and transported pollutant concentrations. We set up the ERA-PLANET Strand 4 project “iCUPE – integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments” to provide novel insights and observational data on global grand challenges with an Arctic focus. We utilize an integrated approach combining in situ observations, satellite remote sensing Earth observations (EOs), and multi-scale modeling to synthesize data from comprehensive long-term measurements, intensive campaigns, and satellites to deliver data products, metrics, and indicators to stakeholders concerning the environmental status, availability, and extraction of natural resources in the polar areas. The iCUPE work consists of thematic state-of-the-art research and the provision of novel data in atmospheric pollution, local sources and transboundary transport, the characterization of arctic surfaces and their changes, an assessment of the concentrations and impacts of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants and their cycling, the quantification of emissions from natural resource extraction, and the validation and optimization of satellite Earth observation (EO) data streams. In this paper we introduce the iCUPE project and summarize initial results arising out of the integration of comprehensive in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, and multi-scale modeling in the Arctic context

Overview: Integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments (iCUPE)-concept and initial results

The role of polar regions is increasing in terms of megatrends such as globalization, new transport routes, demography, and the use of natural resources with consequent effects on regional and transported pollutant concentrations. We set up the ERA-PLANET Strand 4 project "iCUPE-integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments"to provide novel insights and observational data on global grand challenges with an Arctic focus. We utilize an integrated approach combining in situ observations, satellite remote sensing Earth observations (EOs), and multi-scale modeling to synthesize data from comprehensive long-term measurements, intensive campaigns, and satellites to deliver data products, metrics, and indicators to stakeholders concerning the environmental status, availability, and extraction of natural resources in the polar areas. The iCUPE work consists of thematic state-of-the-art research and the provision of novel data in atmospheric pollution, local sources and transboundary transport, the characterization of arctic surfaces and their changes, an assessment of the concentrations and impacts of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants and their cycling, the quantification of emissions from natural resource extraction, and the validation and optimization of satellite Earth observation (EO) data streams. In this paper we introduce the iCUPE project and summarize initial results arising out of the integration of comprehensive in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, and multi-scale modeling in the Arctic context. © 2020 Author(s)