Ice-nucleating particles in northern Greenland: annual cycles, biological contribution and parameterizations ...

• Main Authors: Sze, Kevin C.H., Wex, Heike, Hartmann, Markus, Skov, Henrik, Massling, Andreas, Villanueva, Diego, Stratmann, Frank
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: ETH Zurich 2023
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000611357; http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/611357

Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) can initiate ice formation in clouds at temperatures above -38 °C through heterogeneous ice nucleation. As a result, INPs affect cloud microphysical and radiative properties, cloud lifetime, and precipitation behavior and thereby ultimately the Earth’s climate. Yet, little is known regarding the sources, abundance and properties of INPs, especially in remote regions such as the Arctic. In this study, 2-yearlong INP measurements (from July 2018 to September 2020) at Villum Research Station in northern Greenland are presented. A low-volume filter sampler was deployed to collect filter samples for offline INP analysis. An annual cycle of INP concentration (NINP) was observed, and the fraction of heat-labile INPs was found to be higher in months with low to no snow cover and lower in months when the surface was well covered in snow (> 0.8 m). Samples were categorized into three different types based only on the slope of their INP spectra, namely into summer, winter and mix ... : Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 23 (8) ...