scholarly journals Black carbon as a factor in deglaciation in polar and mountain ecosystems: A Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 6-33
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav I. Polyakov ◽  
◽  
Evgeny V. Abakumov ◽  
Rustam Kh. Tembotov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Strong Light ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Carbon Particles ◽  
Central Caucasus ◽  
Main Component

Black carbon is considered a product of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and materials that originated from volcanic eruptions or were emitted during wildfires. It is a strong light-absorbing component that has many atmospheric and surface effects in terrestrial and glacial ecosystems. Normally, black carbon is presented as a solid particle, consisting mainly of pure carbon, which absorbs solar radiation at all wavelengths. Some black carbon particles are amended by a mineral compound, though black carbon substances are normally dark or greyish dark. Black carbon is the most active part of suspended particles in the atmosphere and on glacial surfaces, absorbing solar radiation, the main component of ash, which consists of carbon particles with impurities in the form of mineral particles and also contains carbon of biogenic origin. In this paper, we have analyzed the literature on black carbon and its effect on deglaciation processes in the Earth’s polar and mountainous regions. The physical, chemical, and microbiological composition of black carbon accumulations were studied using the examples of the Arctic, the Antarctic, and the Central Caucasus. Potential sources and conditions of the transportation of black carbon into the polar zone and their effect on ice and snow have also been discussed.

scholarly journals Black Carbon - A Silent Contributor to Climate Change

2021 ◽  
pp. 242-246
Author(s):  
Shikha Uniyal Gairola ◽  
Siddharth Shankar Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Complete Combustion ◽  
Incomplete Combustion ◽  
Carbon Particles ◽  
Work Done

Black carbon is a potent climate-warming component of particulate matter formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil-fuels, wood and other fuels. Complete combustion would turn all the carbon in the fuel into carbon dioxide, but combustion is never complete, and CO2, CO, volatile organic compounds, organic compounds, and black carbon particles are formed in the process. It contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiation to heat. When deposited on ice and snow, BC and co-emitted particles reduce surface albedo thereby melting the glaciers. The complex mixture of particulate matter resulting from incomplete combustion is referred as soot. When suspended in the atmosphere, black carbon contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiations to heat. It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall pattern. The Artic and the glaciated regions such as Himalayas are particularly vulnerable to melting as a result. The present paper aims to review the work done on black carbon and its mitigation measure.

scholarly journals Detecting Black Carbon in the Arctic Atmosphere

Eos ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Arctic Climate ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Carbon Particles ◽  
Arctic Atmosphere

Measurements of light-absorbing carbon particles made during an Arctic research expedition could improve understanding of their effects on the Arctic climate.

scholarly journals Contrasting source contributions of Arctic black carbon to atmospheric concentrations, deposition flux, and atmospheric and snow radiative effects

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Matsui ◽  
Tatsuhiro Mori ◽  
Sho Ohata ◽  
Nobuhiro Moteki ◽  
Naga Oshima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Deposition Flux ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Source Contributions ◽  
Mass Concentrations

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) particles in the Arctic contribute to rapid warming of the Arctic by heating the atmosphere and snow and ice surfaces. Understanding the source contributions to Arctic BC is therefore important, but they are not well understood, especially those for atmospheric and snow radiative effects. Here we estimate simultaneously the source contributions of Arctic BC to near-surface and vertically integrated atmospheric BC mass concentrations (MBC_SRF and MBC_COL), BC deposition flux (MBC_DEP), and BC radiative effects at the top of the atmosphere and snow surface (REBC_TOA and REBC_SNOW), and show that the source contributions to these five variables are highly different. In our estimates, Siberia makes the largest contribution to MBC_SRF, MBC_DEP, and REBC_SNOW in the Arctic (defined as > 70° N), accounting for 70 %, 53 %, and 43 %, respectively. In contrast, Asia’s contributions to MBC_COL and REBC_TOA are largest, accounting for 38 % and 45 %, respectively. In addition, the contributions of biomass burning sources are larger (24−34 %) to MBC_DEP, REBC_TOA, and REBC_SNOW, which are highest from late spring to summer, and smaller (4.2−14 %) to MBC_SRF and MBC_COL, whose concentrations are highest from winter to spring. These differences in source contributions to these five variables are due to seasonal variations in BC emission, transport, and removal processes and solar radiation, as well as to differences in radiative effect efficiency (radiative effect per unit BC mass) among sources. Radiative effect efficiency varies by a factor of up to 4 among sources (1465−5439 W g–1) depending on lifetimes, mixing states, and heights of BC and seasonal variations of emissions and solar radiation. As a result, source contributions to radiative effects and mass concentrations (i.e., REBC_TOA and MBC_COL, respectively) are substantially different. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of considering differences in the source contributions of Arctic BC among mass concentrations, deposition, and atmospheric and snow radiative effects for accurate understanding of Arctic BC and its climate impacts.

scholarly journals Black Carbon as a Source of Trace Elements and Nutrients in Ice Sheet of King George Island, Antarctica

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 465
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav Polyakov ◽  
Evgeny Abakumov ◽  
Bulat Mavlyudov
Keyword(s):  
Trace Metals ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Special Role ◽  
King George Island ◽  
Volcanic Origin ◽  
Fildes Peninsula ◽  
Mountainous Regions

Enormous deglaciation in the polar and mountainous regions of the Earth is associated not only with large-scale climatic changes but also with the global transfer of black carbon (BC) microparticles, which accumulate on the surface of glaciers and lead to changes in albedo and the rate of degradation of ice. BC is the product of an incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires. The accumulation of organogenic microparticles leads to the formation of cryoconites, which are dust made of a combination of small rock particles and the result of anthropogenic activities (fossil fuel combustion) that play a special role in deglaciation. Here, we describe the content of trace metals and nutrients in accumulation of the BC from glaciers of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Western Antarctica. The analysis of trace metals concentrations showed that most of the studied elements (Cr, Pb, Zn, Ni) have a volcanic origin; at the same time, Cd and Cu have been accumulated as a result of anthropogenic activity. The content of nutrients in BC are most similar with Technosols, which forms near the scientific station at King George Island. The particles of BC can be translocated into organisms, which could pose a significant risk for living organisms and humans.

Sources and Transport of Black Carbon number size distribution at Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxana Cremer ◽  
Peter Tunved ◽  
Daniel Partridge ◽  
Johan Ström
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Carbon Number ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Number Size Distribution ◽  
High Level

<p>Black carbon (BC) particles originate from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels. They are known to contribute to the warming of Earth’s climate due to radiative effects and aerosol-cloud interactions. The lifetime of sub-micron BC in the troposphere is in the order of days-weeks. Through interaction with other airborne compounds, the hydrophobic nature of BC gradually becomes more hygroscopic and thus available as CCN.</p><p>An assessment of the large-scale impact on clouds and climate requires detailed insights about the lifecycle of BC in the atmosphere, understanding sources for BC, transport, transformation, and removal processes. All these processes are tightly linked to particle size, making knowledge regarding how BC distributes over a given size range substantial.</p><p>In a previous study we explored statistical methods to attribute BC mass according to particle size (in review). Combining these results with cluster analysis of long term record of aerosol number size distribution (NSD) observations from Zeppelin Observatory it was shown that the method produced reasonable results for a majority of observations. However, the cluster characteristic of NSD associated with high level of pollution presented additional challenges as the methodological approach gave an unrealistic average BC size distribution.</p><p>In the current study we focus on these inconsistencies; additional analytical methods are introduced to resolve source-receptor relationships, defining transport characteristics using extensive trajectory analysis. The analysis provides insights of the processes along the travel path to the receptor location and resolves key transport routes for the BC fraction to the Arctic.</p>

scholarly journals Volcanic activity sparks the Arctic Oscillation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weizheng Qu ◽  
Fei Huang ◽  
Jinping Zhao ◽  
Ling Du ◽  
Yong Cao
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Activity ◽  
Volcanic Eruption ◽  
Arctic Oscillation ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Vortex System ◽  
Significant Fluctuation ◽  
The Arctic Oscillation

AbstractThe parasol effect of volcanic dust and aerosol caused by volcanic eruption results in the deepening and strengthening of the Arctic vortex system, thus stimulating or strengthening the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Three of the strongest AOs in more than a century have been linked to volcanic eruptions. Every significant fluctuation of the AO index (AOI = ΔH_middle latitudes − ΔH_Arctic) for many years has been associated with a volcanic eruption. Volcanic activity occurring at different locations in the Arctic vortex circulation will exert different effects on the polar vortex.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of black carbon concentrations and climate impact to aging and scavenging

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne T. Lund ◽  
Terje K. Berntsen ◽  
Bjørn H. Samset
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Acid ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Model Measurement ◽  
Global Mean

Abstract. Despite recent improvements, significant uncertainties in global modeling of black carbon (BC) aerosols persist, posing important challenges for the design and evaluation of effective climate mitigation strategies targeted at BC emission reductions. Here we investigate the sensitivity of BC concentrations in the chemistry-transport model OsloCTM2 with the microphysical aerosol parameterization M7 (OsloCTM2-M7) to parameters controlling aerosol aging and scavenging. We focus on Arctic surface concentrations and remote region BC vertical profiles, and introduce a novel treatment of condensation of nitric acid on BC. The OsloCTM2-M7 underestimates annual averaged BC surface concentrations, with a mean normalized bias of −0.55. The seasonal cycle and magnitude of Arctic BC surface concentrations is improved compared to previous OsloCTM2 studies, but model-measurement discrepancies during spring remain. High-altitude BC over the Pacific is overestimated compared with measurements from the HIPPO campaigns. We find that a shorter global BC lifetime improves the agreement with HIPPO, in line with other recent studies. Several processes can achieve this, including allowing for convective scavenging of hydrophobic BC and reducing the amount of soluble material required for aging. Simultaneously, the concentrations in the Arctic are reduced, resulting in poorer agreement with measurements in part of the region. A first step towards inclusion of aging by nitrate in OsloCTM2-M7 is made by allowing for condensation of nitric acid on BC. This results in a faster aging and reduced lifetime, and in turn to a better agreement with the HIPPO measurements. On the other hand, model-measurement discrepancies in the Arctic are exacerbated. Work to further improve this parameterization is needed. The impact on global mean radiative forcing (RF) and surface temperature response (TS) in our experiments is estimated. Compared to the baseline, decreases in global mean direct RF on the order of 10–30 % of the total pre-industrial to present BC direct RF is estimated for the experiments that result in the largest changes in BC concentrations. We show that globally tuning parameters related to BC aging and scavenging can improve the representation of BC vertical profiles in the OsloCTM2-M7 compared with observations. Our results also show that such improvements can result from changes in several processes and often depend on assumptions about uncertain parameters such as the BC ice nucleating efficiency and the change in hygroscopicity with aging. It is also important to be aware of potential tradeoffs in model performance between different regions. Other important sources of uncertainty, particularly for Arctic BC, such as model resolution has not been investigated here. Our results underline the importance of more observations and experimental data to improve process understanding and thus further constrain models.

scholarly journals The importance of Asia as a source of black carbon to the European Arctic during springtime 2013

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (20) ◽  
pp. 11537-11555 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Liu ◽  
B. Quennehen ◽  
E. Darbyshire ◽  
J. D. Allan ◽  
P. I. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Geometric Standard Deviation ◽  
Free Troposphere ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
European Arctic ◽  
Mean Concentration

Abstract. Black carbon aerosol (BC) deposited to the Arctic sea ice or present in the free troposphere can significantly affect the Earth's radiation budget at high latitudes yet the BC burden in these regions and the regional source contributions are poorly constrained. Aircraft measurements of aerosol composition in the European Arctic were conducted during the Aerosol–Cloud Coupling And Climate Interactions in the Arctic (ACCACIA) campaign in March 2013. Pollutant plumes were encountered throughout the lower to upper Arctic troposphere featuring enhancements in CO and aerosol mass loadings, which were chemically speciated into BC and non-refractory sulphate and organic matter. FLEXPART-WRF simulations have been performed to evaluate the likely contribution to the pollutants from regional ground sources. By combining up-to-date anthropogenic and open fire biomass burning (OBB) inventories, we have been able to compare the contributions made to the observed pollution layers from the sources of eastern/northern Asia (AS), Europe (EU) and North America (NA). Over 90 % of the contribution to the BC was shown to arise from non-OBB anthropogenic sources. AS sources were found to be the major contributor to the BC burden, increasing background BC loadings by a factor of 3–5 to 100.8 ± 48.4 ng sm−3 (in standard air m3 at 273.15 K and 1013.25 mbar) and 55.8 ± 22.4 ng sm−3 in the middle and upper troposphere respectively. AS plumes close to the tropopause (about 7.5–8 km) were also observed, with BC concentrations ranging from 55 to 73 ng sm−3, which will potentially have a significant radiative impact. EU sources influenced the middle troposphere with a BC mean concentration of 70.8 ± 39.1 ng sm−3 but made a minor contribution to the upper troposphere due to the relatively high latitude of the source region. The contribution of NA was shown to be much lower at all altitudes with BC mean concentration of 20 ng sm−3. The BC transported to the Arctic is mixed with a non-BC volume fraction representing between 90–95 % of the mass, and has a relatively uniform core size distribution with mass median diameter 190–210 nm and geometric standard deviation σg = 1.55–1.65 and this varied little across all source regions. It is estimated that 60–95 % of BC is scavenged between emission and receptor based on BC / ΔCO comparisons between source inventories and measurement. We show that during the springtime of 2013, the anthropogenic pollution particularly from sources in Asia, contributed significantly to BC across the European Arctic free troposphere. In contrast to previous studies, the contribution from open wildfires was minimal. Given that Asian pollution is likely to continue to rise over the coming years, it is likely that the radiative forcing in the Arctic will also continue to increase.

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