Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core
<p>Black carbon (BC) is an important climate-forcing agent that affects snow albedo. In this work, we present a record of refractory black carbon (rBC) variability, measured from a 20 m deep snow and firn core drilled in West Antarctica (79<span class="inline-formula"&g...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2020-05-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1537/2020/tc-14-1537-2020.pdf |
| _version_ | 1830474227741884416 |
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| author | L. Marquetto L. Marquetto S. Kaspari J. Cardia Simões J. Cardia Simões |
| author_facet | L. Marquetto L. Marquetto S. Kaspari J. Cardia Simões J. Cardia Simões |
| author_sort | L. Marquetto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Black carbon (BC) is an important climate-forcing agent
that affects snow albedo. In this work, we present a record of refractory
black carbon (rBC) variability, measured from a 20 m deep snow and firn
core drilled in West Antarctica (79<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>55<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′</sup></span>34.6<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′′</sup></span> S, 94<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>21<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′</sup></span>13.3<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′′</sup></span> W, 2122 m above sea level) during the 2014–2015 austral summer. This
is the highest elevation rBC record from West Antarctica. The core was
analyzed using the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) coupled to a CETAC
Marin-5 nebulizer. Results show a well-defined seasonality with geometric
mean concentrations of 0.015 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the wet season
(austral summer–fall) and 0.057 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the dry season
(austral winter–spring). The core was dated to 47 years (1968–2015) using
rBC seasonality as the main parameter, along with sodium (Na), sulfur (S)
and strontium (Sr) variations. The annual rBC concentration geometric mean
was 0.03 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the lowest of all rBC cores in Antarctica
referenced in this work, while the annual rBC flux was 6.25 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the lowest flux in West Antarctica rBC
records. No long-term trend was observed. Snow albedo reductions at the site
due to BC were simulated using SNICAR online and found to be insignificant
(<span class="inline-formula">−</span>0.48 %) compared to clean snow. Fire spot inventory and BC emission
estimates from the Southern Hemisphere suggest Australia and Southern
Hemisphere South America as the most probable emission sources of BC to the
drilling site, whereas HYSPLIT model particle transport simulations from
1968 to 2015 support Australia and New Zealand as rBC sources, with limited
contributions from South America. Spectral analysis (REDFIT method) of the
BC record showed cycles related to the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) and to El
Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), but cycles in common with the Amundsen
Sea Low (ASL) were not detected. Correlation of rBC records in Antarctica
with snow accumulation, elevation and distance to the sea suggests rBC
transport to East Antarctica is different from transport to West Antarctica.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T15:16:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-826416e1907d4779b3bbd14e242d3201 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T15:16:33Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-826416e1907d4779b3bbd14e242d32012022-12-21T18:59:09ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242020-05-01141537155410.5194/tc-14-1537-2020Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn coreL. Marquetto0L. Marquetto1S. Kaspari2J. Cardia Simões3J. Cardia Simões4Department of Geological Sciences, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington 98926, USACentro Polar e Climático, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av, Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP, 91509-900, BrazilDepartment of Geological Sciences, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington 98926, USACentro Polar e Climático, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av, Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP, 91509-900, BrazilClimate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5790, USA<p>Black carbon (BC) is an important climate-forcing agent that affects snow albedo. In this work, we present a record of refractory black carbon (rBC) variability, measured from a 20 m deep snow and firn core drilled in West Antarctica (79<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>55<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′</sup></span>34.6<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′′</sup></span> S, 94<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>21<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′</sup></span>13.3<span class="inline-formula"><sup>′′</sup></span> W, 2122 m above sea level) during the 2014–2015 austral summer. This is the highest elevation rBC record from West Antarctica. The core was analyzed using the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) coupled to a CETAC Marin-5 nebulizer. Results show a well-defined seasonality with geometric mean concentrations of 0.015 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the wet season (austral summer–fall) and 0.057 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the dry season (austral winter–spring). The core was dated to 47 years (1968–2015) using rBC seasonality as the main parameter, along with sodium (Na), sulfur (S) and strontium (Sr) variations. The annual rBC concentration geometric mean was 0.03 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g L<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the lowest of all rBC cores in Antarctica referenced in this work, while the annual rBC flux was 6.25 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, the lowest flux in West Antarctica rBC records. No long-term trend was observed. Snow albedo reductions at the site due to BC were simulated using SNICAR online and found to be insignificant (<span class="inline-formula">−</span>0.48 %) compared to clean snow. Fire spot inventory and BC emission estimates from the Southern Hemisphere suggest Australia and Southern Hemisphere South America as the most probable emission sources of BC to the drilling site, whereas HYSPLIT model particle transport simulations from 1968 to 2015 support Australia and New Zealand as rBC sources, with limited contributions from South America. Spectral analysis (REDFIT method) of the BC record showed cycles related to the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) and to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), but cycles in common with the Amundsen Sea Low (ASL) were not detected. Correlation of rBC records in Antarctica with snow accumulation, elevation and distance to the sea suggests rBC transport to East Antarctica is different from transport to West Antarctica.</p>https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1537/2020/tc-14-1537-2020.pdf |
| spellingShingle | L. Marquetto L. Marquetto S. Kaspari J. Cardia Simões J. Cardia Simões Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core The Cryosphere |
| title | Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core |
| title_full | Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core |
| title_fullStr | Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core |
| title_full_unstemmed | Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core |
| title_short | Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core |
| title_sort | refractory black carbon rbc variability in a 47 year west antarctic snow and firn core |
| url | https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1537/2020/tc-14-1537-2020.pdf |
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