Brief communication: Analysis of organic matter in surface snow by PTR-MS – implications for dry deposition dynamics in the Alps

The exchange of organic matter (OM) between the atmosphere and snow is poorly understood due to the complex nature of OM and the convoluted processes of deposition, re-volatilisation, and chemical and biological processing. OM that is finally retained in glaciers potentially holds a valuable histori...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Cryosphere
Main Authors: D. Materić, E. Ludewig, K. Xu, T. Röckmann, R. Holzinger
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2019
Subjects:
geo
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-297-2019
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/13/297/2019/tc-13-297-2019.pdf
https://doaj.org/article/ac5eac3c1c7b474791bd44dc030d5a27
Description
Summary:The exchange of organic matter (OM) between the atmosphere and snow is poorly understood due to the complex nature of OM and the convoluted processes of deposition, re-volatilisation, and chemical and biological processing. OM that is finally retained in glaciers potentially holds a valuable historical record of past atmospheric conditions; however, our understanding of the processes involved is insufficient to translate the measurements into an interpretation of the past atmosphere. This study examines the dynamic processes of post-precipitation OM change at the alpine snow surface with the goal of interpreting the processes involved in surface snow OM.