Long-range atmospheric transport of volatile monocarboxylic acids with Asian dust over high mountain snow site, central Japan

Abstract. To understand the long-range transport of monocarboxylic acids from the Asian Continent to Japanese Islands, we collected snowpack samples from a pit sequence (depth, ca. 6 m) at the Murodo-Daira snowfield near the summit of Mt. Tateyama, central Japan in 2009 and 2011. Snow samples (n = 16) were analyzed for normal (C1–C10), branched chain (iC4–iC6), aromatic (benzoic and toluic acid isomers), and hydroxyl (glycolic and lactic) monocarboxylic acids, together with inorganic ions and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Acetic acid (C2) was found as a dominant species (average, 125 ng g−1), followed by formic acid (C1) (85.7 ng g−1) and isopentanoic acid (iC5) (20.0 ng g−1). We found a strong correlation (r2 = 0.73) between formic plus acetic acids and non-sea-salt Ca2+ that is a proxy of Asian dust. Contributions of total monocarboxylic acids to DOC in 2009 (21.2 ± 11.6 %) were higher than that in 2011 (3.75 ± 2.62 %), being consistent with higher intensity of Asian dust in 2009 than 2011. Formic plus acetic acids also showed a positive correlation (r2 = 0.81) with benzoic acid that is a tracer of automobile exhaust, indicating that monocarboxylic acids and their precursors are largely emitted from anthropogenic sources in China and/or secondarily produced in the atmosphere by photochemical processing. In addition, the ratio of formic plus acetic acids to nss-Ca2+ (0.27) was significantly higher than those (0.00036–0.0018) obtained for reference dust materials of Chinese loess deposits from Tengger and Gobi deserts. This result suggests that volatile and semi-volatile organic acids are adsorbed on the alkaline dust particles during long-range atmospheric transport. Entrainment of organic acids by dusts is supported by a good correlation (r2=0.76) between formic plus acetic acids and pH of melt snow samples. Our study demonstrates that Asian alkaline dusts can uptake volatile monocarboxylic acids during long-range transport and the dusts coated with organic acids may act as effective ice nuclei to cause a heavy snowfall.

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Long-range atmospheric transport of volatile monocarboxylic acids with Asian dust over a high mountain snow site, central Japan

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-16-14621-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (22) ◽

pp. 14621-14633 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Tomoki Mochizuki ◽

Kimitaka Kawamura ◽

Kazuma Aoki ◽

Nobuo Sugimoto

Keyword(s):

Organic Acids ◽

Long Range ◽

Atmospheric Transport ◽

Asian Dust ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Dust Particles ◽

Central Japan ◽

Monocarboxylic Acids ◽

Snow Samples ◽

Acetic Acids

Abstract. To understand the long-range transport of monocarboxylic acids from the Asian continent to the Japanese islands, we collected snowpack samples from a pit sequence (depth ca. 6 m) at the Murodo-Daira snowfield near the summit of Mt. Tateyama, central Japan, in 2009 and 2011. Snow samples (n = 16) were analyzed for normal (C1–C10), branched chain (iC4–iC6), aromatic (benzoic and toluic acid isomers), and hydroxyl (glycolic and lactic) monocarboxylic acids, together with inorganic ions and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Acetic acid (C2) was found to be a dominant species (average 125 ng g−1), followed by formic acid (C1) (85.7 ng g−1) and isopentanoic acid (iC5) (20.0 ng g−1). We found a strong correlation (r =  0.88) between formic plus acetic acids and non-sea-salt Ca2+ that is a proxy of Asian dust. Contributions of total monocarboxylic acids to DOC in 2009 (21.2 ± 11.6 %) were higher than that in 2011 (3.75 ± 2.62 %), being consistent with higher intensity of Asian dust in 2009 than in 2011. Formic plus acetic acids also showed a positive correlation (r =  0.90) with benzoic acid that is a tracer of automobile exhaust, indicating that monocarboxylic acids and their precursors are largely emitted from anthropogenic sources in China and/or secondarily produced in the atmosphere by photochemical processing. In addition, the ratio of formic plus acetic acids to nss–Ca2+ (0.27) was significantly higher than those (0.00036–0.0018) obtained for reference dust materials of Chinese loess deposits from the Tengger and Gobi deserts. This result suggests that volatile and semi-volatile organic acids are adsorbed on the alkaline dust particles during long-range atmospheric transport. Entrainment of organic acids by dusts is supported by a good correlation (r = 0.87) between formic plus acetic acids and pH of melt snow samples. Our study suggests that Asian alkaline dusts may be a carrier of volatile monocarboxylic acids.

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Long-range atmospheric transport of volatile monocarboxylic acids with Asian dust over high mountain snow site, central Japan

10.5194/acp-2016-623-rc1 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Long Range ◽

Atmospheric Transport ◽

Asian Dust ◽

High Mountain ◽

Central Japan ◽

Monocarboxylic Acids

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Review of Long-range atmospheric transport of volatile monocarboxylic acids with Asian dust over high mountain snow site, central Japan

10.5194/acp-2016-623-rc2 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Long Range ◽

Atmospheric Transport ◽

Asian Dust ◽

High Mountain ◽

Central Japan ◽

Monocarboxylic Acids

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Spectral optical properties of long-range transport Asian dust and pollution aerosols over Northeast Asia in 2007 and 2008

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-10-5391-2010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 5391-5408 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

J. Jung ◽

Y. J. Kim ◽

K. Y. Lee ◽

M. G. -Cayetano ◽

T. Batmunkh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Properties ◽

Long Range ◽

Atmospheric Chemistry ◽

Light Attenuation ◽

Measurement Data ◽

Absorption Efficiency ◽

Asian Dust ◽

Urban Site ◽

Long Range Transport ◽

Range Transport

Abstract. As a part of the IGAC (International Global Atmospheric Chemistry) Mega-cities program, aerosol physical and optical properties were continuously measured from March 2007 to March 2008 at an urban site (37.57° N, 126.94° E) in Seoul, Korea. Spectral optical properties of long-range transported Asian dust and pollution aerosols have been investigated based on the year long measurement data. Optically measured black carbon/thermally measured elemental carbon (BC/EC) ratio showed clear monthly variation with high values in summer and low values in winter mainly due to the enhancement of light attenuation by the internal mixing of EC. Novel approach has been suggested to retrieve the spectral light absorption coefficient (babs) from Aethalometer raw data by using BC/EC ratio. Mass absorption efficiency, σabs (=babs/EC) at 550 nm was determined to be 9.0±1.3, 8.9±1.5, 9.5±2.0, and 10.3±1.7 m2 g−1 in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively with an annual mean of 9.4±1.8 m2 g−1. Threshold values to classify severe haze events were suggested in this study. Increasing trend of aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) with wavelength was observed during Asian dust events while little spectral dependence of SSA was observed during long-range transport pollution (LTP) events. Satellite aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and Hysplit air mass backward trajectory analyses as well as chemical analysis were performed to characterize the dependence of spectral optical properties on aerosol type. Results from this study can provide useful information for studies on regional air quality and aerosol's effects on climate change.

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Mono- and di-carboxylic acids under long-range transport of air pollution in central Japan

Tellus B ◽

10.3402/tellusb.v41i3.15073 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 219-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Hikaru Satsumabayashi ◽

Hidemi Kurita ◽

Yoko Yokouchi ◽

Hiromasa Ueda

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Carboxylic Acids ◽

Long Range ◽

Long Range Transport ◽

Central Japan ◽

Range Transport

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Long-range transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the eastern Asian continent to Kanazawa, Japan with Asian dust

Atmospheric Environment ◽

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.11.021 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 41 (12) ◽

pp. 2580-2593 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Shuji Tamamura ◽

Tsutomu Sato ◽

Yukie Ota ◽

Xilong Wang ◽

Ning Tang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Long Range ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Asian Dust ◽

Long Range Transport ◽

Asian Continent ◽

Range Transport ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

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Asian Long-Range Transport in Relation to Atmospheric Rivers in Northern California

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos10060313 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 313

Author(s):

Catherine N. Liu ◽

Sen Chiao ◽

Ju-Mee Ryoo

Keyword(s):

Long Range ◽

Cold Season ◽

Asian Dust ◽

Long Range Transport ◽

Back Trajectory ◽

Northern California ◽

Atmospheric Rivers ◽

Back Trajectory Analysis ◽

Range Transport ◽

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

The study investigates the effect of aerosol long-range transport on precipitation over Northern California during atmospheric river (AR) events in the 2017 cold season (January–April). ARs in 2017 were one of the strongest to date, and the intense precipitation associated with the ARs resulted in flooding, destruction of property, and contamination of water supplies. The Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data shows Asian dust traveling across the Northern Pacific Ocean along with AR events. Aerosol measurements in California, provided by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE), show that more Asian dust tends to be observed over the coast, while non-Asian/localized dust is observed inland. A mixture of Asian and localized dust is observed over the mountains, although higher amounts of both are observed in the spring (March–April). Back trajectory analysis confirms that Asian aerosols are transported along the air parcels, and each AR event has its own transport pattern in terms of horizontal advection and vertical lifting. Correlation between precipitation and aerosols is low. This suggests that aerosols contribute little to the decrease of local precipitation during the 2017 AR events.

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