Dynamics of snow-air mercury exchange at Ny Ålesund during springtime 2011

• Published in: E3S Web of Conferences
• Main Authors: Manca G., Ammoscato I., Esposito G., Ianniello A., Nardino M., Sprovieri F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; French
• Published: EDP Sciences 2013
• Subjects: AMDEs; mercury speciation; elemental mercury fluxes; Arctic; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Ny-Ålesund; Ny Ålesund; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20130103010; https://doaj.org/article/8f02642be9834cc58f5f3952c7f5fb85

Continuous time series of flux measurements were carried out in Ny Ålesund, Spitsbergen, during a springtime field campaign from 31 of March to 3 of May, 2011. Flux measurements were integrated with mercury speciation analysis in order to understand the fate of mercury during atmospheric elemental gaseous mercury depletion events (AMDEs). Moreover a methodology for quality assurance of flux measurements is presented. Measurements were made at Gruvebadet, 1 km west from the Ny-Ålesund village (78˚55' N, 11˚56' E) at an elevation of 18 m above sea level. Ambient concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury, divalent reactive gaseous mercury and particulate phase mercury were semicontinuously measured using an integrated Tekran system. Mercury depletion events were observed during the month of April and were characterized by an incomplete mercury destruction. Indeed Hg0 concentration was never below 0.49 ng m−3.