A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps
An unusual peak in atmospheric aerosol particle number and mass concentration occurred on September 20 and 21, 2006 at the Schneefernerhaus (SFH) Observatory, Germany. A source-receptor analysis using the Lagrangian transport model FLEXPART suggested that polluted air from source regions in the West...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Borntraeger
2010-12-01
|
| Series: | Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0465 |
| _version_ | 1797332570329841664 |
|---|---|
| author | Wolfram Birmili Tina Göbel André Sonntag Ludwig Ries Ralf Sohmer Stefan Gilge Ingeborg Levin Andreas Stohl |
| author_facet | Wolfram Birmili Tina Göbel André Sonntag Ludwig Ries Ralf Sohmer Stefan Gilge Ingeborg Levin Andreas Stohl |
| author_sort | Wolfram Birmili |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An unusual peak in atmospheric aerosol particle number and mass concentration occurred on September 20 and 21, 2006 at the Schneefernerhaus (SFH) Observatory, Germany. A source-receptor analysis using the Lagrangian transport model FLEXPART suggested that polluted air from source regions in the Western and Central U.S. travelled within 4-8 days over the Atlantic to the European Alpine region. A warm conveyor belt over the northern Great Plains was identified as the essential process lifting the boundary layer air to the high altitudes required for a rapid transatlantic transit. The layer arriving at SFH had an aerosol mass concentration of about 30 μg m-3, and a particle number size distribution showing an aged accumulation mode aerosol with mode diameter around 0.3 μm. A combination of in-situ humidity, 214Po and carbon monoxide measurements as well as upper air observations (radiosoundings) suggested that the layer had no previous contact with the local/European boundary layer. A screening of three years of FLEXPART simulations (2005-2007) yielded this case study as the only event of transatlantic anthropogenic aerosol to SFH where mixing with the boundary layer could safely be excluded. The event therefore represents rare surface-based evidence of transatlantic transport of fine and ultrafine aerosols. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:51:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66df0d786f744286ba19728d6c167eb2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0941-2948 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:51:47Z |
| publishDate | 2010-12-01 |
| publisher | Borntraeger |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| spelling | doaj.art-66df0d786f744286ba19728d6c167eb22024-02-02T14:43:49ZengBorntraegerMeteorologische Zeitschrift0941-29482010-12-0119659160010.1127/0941-2948/2010/046575515A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the AlpsWolfram BirmiliTina GöbelAndré SonntagLudwig RiesRalf SohmerStefan GilgeIngeborg LevinAndreas StohlAn unusual peak in atmospheric aerosol particle number and mass concentration occurred on September 20 and 21, 2006 at the Schneefernerhaus (SFH) Observatory, Germany. A source-receptor analysis using the Lagrangian transport model FLEXPART suggested that polluted air from source regions in the Western and Central U.S. travelled within 4-8 days over the Atlantic to the European Alpine region. A warm conveyor belt over the northern Great Plains was identified as the essential process lifting the boundary layer air to the high altitudes required for a rapid transatlantic transit. The layer arriving at SFH had an aerosol mass concentration of about 30 μg m-3, and a particle number size distribution showing an aged accumulation mode aerosol with mode diameter around 0.3 μm. A combination of in-situ humidity, 214Po and carbon monoxide measurements as well as upper air observations (radiosoundings) suggested that the layer had no previous contact with the local/European boundary layer. A screening of three years of FLEXPART simulations (2005-2007) yielded this case study as the only event of transatlantic anthropogenic aerosol to SFH where mixing with the boundary layer could safely be excluded. The event therefore represents rare surface-based evidence of transatlantic transport of fine and ultrafine aerosols.http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0465 |
| spellingShingle | Wolfram Birmili Tina Göbel André Sonntag Ludwig Ries Ralf Sohmer Stefan Gilge Ingeborg Levin Andreas Stohl A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| title | A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps |
| title_full | A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps |
| title_fullStr | A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps |
| title_full_unstemmed | A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps |
| title_short | A case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the Schneefernerhaus Observatory (2650 m) on the northern edge of the Alps |
| title_sort | case of transatlantic aerosol transport detected at the schneefernerhaus observatory 2650 m on the northern edge of the alps |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0465 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wolframbirmili acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT tinagobel acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT andresonntag acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ludwigries acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ralfsohmer acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT stefangilge acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ingeborglevin acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT andreasstohl acaseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT wolframbirmili caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT tinagobel caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT andresonntag caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ludwigries caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ralfsohmer caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT stefangilge caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT ingeborglevin caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps AT andreasstohl caseoftransatlanticaerosoltransportdetectedattheschneefernerhausobservatory2650monthenorthernedgeofthealps |