A study of biomass-burning and anthropogenic impacts on arctic tropospheric chemistry using measurements at Summit, Greenland as part of the POLARCAT International Polar Year project.

Emphasis Area: Atmospheric Chemistry

Principal Investigator: R. Honrath

Sponsor: NASA

Funding Level: $800,000

Period: 2007-2010

Abstract:
This project will result in the first year-round, high-altitude Arctic measurements of a suite of ozone precursors NOx, NOy, PAN and non-methane hydrocarbons. Measurements will be made at the GEO-Summit station at Summit, Greenland (3208 m altitude) for a 2-year period beginning May 2008. These measurements will be analyzed in conjunction with FLEXPART transport modeling and simultaneous observations of CO, ozone and black carbon, in order to identify sources and impacts of both anthropogenic and biomass-burning emissions. This work will focus on impacts on arctic tropospheric ozone, ozone precursors and OH levels and will assess potential feedbacks upon snow photochemistry.

Primary collaborators: Detlev Helmig, Univ Colorado (NMHC measurements), A. Stohl, NILU (FLEXPART simulations), S. Oltmans, NOAA (ozone measurements), R. Schnell, NOAA (equivalent black carbon measurements), and G. Huey, Georgia Tech (CO measurements).