Project Details
Projekt
Transport and aging of primary and secondary aerosol constituents in high altitudes of the Arctic troposphere (TransArctic)
Applicant
Sebastian Zeppenfeld, Ph.D.
Subject Area
Atmospheric Science
Term
since 2023
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 531020996
In the "TransArctic" project, we plan to investigate the chemical composition of aerosol particles and cloud residuals in the higher altitudes of the Arctic troposphere. The main focus lies on the chemical analysis of three atmospherically relevant groups of substances: a) inorganic cations and anions (e.g. sodium, magnesium, ammonium, chloride, sulfate, etc.), b) alkylamines (DMA, TMA, DEA, TEA, etc.) and c) iodate and derivatives. These substances are known as dominating primary and secondary aerosol components of the lower Arctic troposphere. However, their multiphase-chemical aging, their transport into the higher altitudes of the troposphere and their contribution to cloud formation and thus their role in Arctic amplification in the context of climate change are still poorly understood. The above ions and compounds will be analyzed from offline filters sampled by a counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) during the aircraft-based "ACLOUD" campaign (2017) in the Arctic. This multi-sided campaign allows comparison with and complementation of numerous other online data, e.g. the Aircraft-based Laser Ablation Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ALABAMA). This rare data will then be combined with measurements at sea-level collected during the synchronously conducted ship campaign "PASCAL/SiPCA" (2017). In the further course of the DFG project, further offline aerosol filters will be sampled, analyzed and evaluated during the planned flight campaign "BACSAM-II" (2024). As part of the "TransArctic" project, sophisticated statistical data analysis and air mass back trajectory analysis will be used to investigate the influence of air mass history (e.g. sea ice versus open sea), altitude and multiphase chemical processes including cloud chemistry. The insights gained will provide a valuable contribution to a better understanding of the complex interactions of the different compartments of the Arctic environment (aerosol particles, clouds, sea ice, open sea, land) and thus one piece to the complex puzzle of Arctic amplification.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
