Variations in Tropospheric Submicron Particle Size Distributions Across the European Continent 2008–2009

• Published in: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
• Main Authors: Beddows, D.C.S., Dall’Osto, M., Harrison, R. M., Kulmala, M., Asmi, A., Wiedensohler, A., Laj, P., Fjaeraa, A.M., Sellegri, K., Birmili, W., Bukowiecki, N., Weingartner, E., Baltensperger, U., Ždímal, V. (Vladimír), Zíková, N. (Naděžda), Putaud, J.-P., Marinoni, A., Tunved, P., Hansson, H.-C., Feibig, M., Kivekäs, N., Swietlicki, E., Lihavainen, H., Asmi, E., Ulevicius, V., Aalto, P.P., Mihalopoulos, N., Kalivitis, N., Kalapov, I., Kiss, G., de Leeuw, G., Henzing, B., O'Dowd, C., Jennings, S.G., Flentje, H., Meinhardt, F., Ries, L., Denier van der Gon19, H.A.C., Visschedijk, A.J.H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: particle size distribution; clusters; aerosol size distribution; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4327-2014; http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0227844

Cluster analysis of particle number size distributions from background sites across Europe is presented. This generated a total of nine clusters which could be further combined into two main groups, namely: a South to North category (four clusters) and 5 a West to East category (five clusters). The first category was identified as most frequently being detected inside and around Northern Germany and neighbouring countries, showing clear evidence of local afternoon nucleation and growth events that could be linked to movement of air masses from South-to-North arriving ultimately at the Arctic resulting in Arctic Haze. The second group of particle size spectra proved to have 10 narrower size distributions and collectively showed a dependence of modal diameter upon the longitude of the site (West to East) at which they were most frequently detected. These clusters indicated regional nucleation (at the coastal sites) growing to larger modes further inland. The apparent growth rate of the modal diameter was around 1 3nmh−1.