Guy, H, Brooks, IM orcid.org/0000-0002-5051-1322, Carslaw, KS orcid.org/0000-0002-6800-154X et al. (9 more authors) (2021) Controls on surface aerosol particle number concentrations and aerosol-limited cloud regimes over the central Greenland Ice Sheet. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 21 (19). pp. 15351-15374. ISSN 1680-7316
Abstract
This study presents the first full annual cycle (2019–2020) of ambient surface aerosol particle number concentration measurements (condensation nuclei > 20 nm, N20) collected at Summit Station (Summit), in the centre of the Greenland Ice Sheet (72.58∘ N, −38.45∘ E; 3250 ma.s.l.). The mean surface concentration in 2019 was 129 cm−3, with the 6 h mean ranging between 1 and 1441 cm−3. The highest monthly mean concentrations occurred during the late spring and summer, with the minimum concentrations occurring in February (mean: 18 cm−3). High-N20 events are linked to anomalous anticyclonic circulation over Greenland and the descent of free-tropospheric aerosol down to the surface, whereas low-N20 events are linked to anomalous cyclonic circulation over south-east Greenland that drives upslope flow and enhances precipitation en route to Summit. Fog strongly affects particle number concentrations, on average reducing N20 by 20 % during the first 3 h of fog formation. Extremely-low-N20 events (< 10 cm−3) occur in all seasons, and we suggest that fog, and potentially cloud formation, can be limited by low aerosol particle concentrations over central Greenland.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Inst for Climate & Atmos Science (ICAS) (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > National Centre for Atmos Science (NCAS) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/S00906X/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 18 Oct 2021 15:37 |
Last Modified: | 18 Oct 2021 15:37 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Copernicus Publications |
Identification Number: | 10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:179238 |