Source apportionment of particles at Station Nord, North East Greenland during 2008–2010 using COPREM and PMF analysis

• Published in: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Quynh, Skov, Henrik, Sørensen, Lise Lotte, Jensen, Bjarne, Grube, Anna Groth, Massling, Andreas, Glasius, Marianne, Nøjgaard, Jacob Klenø
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; Station Nord; black carbon; East Greenland; Siberia
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/source-apportionment-of-particles-at-station-nord-north-east-greenland-during-20082010-using-coprem-and-pmf-analysis(aca06d7c-e2ee-4bbc-8c0b-97381eaa67a7).html; https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-35-2013; http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/13/35/2013/acp-13-35-2013.html

In order to develop strategies for controlling and reducing Arctic air pollution, there is a need to understand the basic mechanisms for determining the fate of air pollution in the Arctic. Sources of atmospheric particles at Station Nord (81° 36' N, 16° 40' W) in North East Greenland were evaluated for a two-year period from March 2008 to February 2010. Source apportionment using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and COnstrained Physical REceptor Model (COPREM) was based on measurements of black carbon, elements (Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb) and inorganic ions (SO2, SO42−, Na+, NH4+, NO3−, Cl2−. In general, source apportionment results by PMF and COPREM showed good agreement. Five sources adequately explained the measurements, which included a Marine and a Soil source of natural origin and three additional anthropogenic sources, which were all influenced by metal industries. One anthropogenic source was dominated by Zn of which air mass back trajectories using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model suggested a Canadian Arctic origin, despite certain influences from Southern and Eastern origins. Another anthropogenic source was characterised by high concentrations of Pb and As, which has been historically referred to as a Combustion source at Station Nord. The impacts of large-scale industry in Siberia, Russia were evident through high Cu concentrations in both the Combustion source and an additional Cu/Ni source.