Ozone variability and halogen oxidation within the Arctic and sub-Arctic springtime boundary layer

• Published in: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
• Main Authors: J. B. Gilman, J. F. Burkhart, B. M. Lerner, E. J. Williams, W. C. Kuster, P. D. Goldan, P. C. Murphy, C. Warneke, C. Fowler, S. A. Montzka, B. R. Miller, L. Miller, S. J. Oltmans, T. B. Ryerson, O. R. Cooper, A. Stohl, J. A. de Gouw
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2010
• Subjects: Physics; QC1-999; Chemistry; QD1-999; Arctic; Arctic Basin; North Atlantic; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-10223-2010; https://doaj.org/article/34f2de93513c48f28eae61946f0b4490

The influence of halogen oxidation on the variabilities of ozone (O 3 ) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within the Arctic and sub-Arctic atmospheric boundary layer was investigated using field measurements from multiple campaigns conducted in March and April 2008 as part of the POLARCAT project. For the ship-based measurements, a high degree of correlation ( r = 0.98 for 544 data points collected north of 68° N) was observed between the acetylene to benzene ratio, used as a marker for chlorine and bromine oxidation, and O 3 signifying the vast influence of halogen oxidation throughout the ice-free regions of the North Atlantic. Concurrent airborne and ground-based measurements in the Alaskan Arctic substantiated this correlation and were used to demonstrate that halogen oxidation influenced O 3 variability throughout the Arctic boundary layer during these springtime studies. Measurements aboard the R/V Knorr in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans provided a unique view of the transport of O 3 -poor air masses from the Arctic Basin to latitudes as far south as 52° N. FLEXPART, a Lagrangian transport model, was used to quantitatively determine the exposure of air masses encountered by the ship to first-year ice (FYI), multi-year ice (MYI), and total ICE (FYI+MYI). O 3 anti-correlated with the modeled total ICE tracer ( r = −0.86) indicating that up to 73% of the O 3 variability measured in the Arctic marine boundary layer could be related to sea ice exposure.