In-Situ Observations of Maritime Sources/Sinks of Aerosol and Cloud Condensation Nuclei at Palmer Station, Antarctica: PAEROS Pilot Phase

University Of California-San Diego Scripps Inst Of Oceanography, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

The composition and concentration of marine aerosols in the Southern Ocean atmosphere is a key factor needed for our improved understanding of global climate change. Both the sources (e.g. sea-salt, biogenic, anthropogenic, mineral dust) and the fluxes of aerosols and cloud condensation and ice nuclei (CCN; IN) under prevailing atmospheric conditions (e.g. wind speed, temperature, insolation, precipitation etc.) are poorly known in this harsh and remote environment. Yet they are essential in understanding aerosol-cloud processing and subsequent effects on the Earth's radiation budget. Based on the outcome of a successful MRI award, which developed the Portable AERosol Observing System (PAEROS), a miniaturized aerosol package will be deployed remotely on a research cruise in the Southern Ocean (onboard R/V LMGould) and then in the maritime environment at Palmer Station, Antarctica. Direct measurements of the size spectra of CCN, aerosol particles that serve as seeds for cloud formation, are notably poorly observed in high polar and southern latitudes. The deployment will also allow additional testing of the autonomous operation of the PAEROS instrumentation under harsh environmental conditions.