Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1498
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1498
23 May 2024
 | 23 May 2024

High-resolution analyses of concentrations and sizes of black carbon particles deposited on northwest Greenland over the past 350 years – Part 2: Seasonal and temporal trends in black carbon originated from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning

Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, and Teruo Aoki

Abstract. The roles and impacts of black carbon (BC), an important aerosol species affecting Earth’s radiation budget, are not well understood owing to lack of accurate long-term observations. To study the temporal changes in BC since the pre-industrial period, we analysed BC in an ice core drilled in northwest Greenland. Using an improved technique for BC measurement and a continuous flow analysis system, we obtained accurate and high temporal resolution records of BC particle size and mass/number concentrations for the past 350 years. Number and mass concentrations, which both started to increase in the 1870s associated with inflow of anthropogenically derived BC, reached their maxima in the 1910s–1920s and then subsequently decreased. On the basis of backward trajectory analyses, we found that North America was the dominant source region of the anthropogenic BC in the ice core. The increase in anthropogenic BC shifted the annual concentration peaks of BC from summer to winter–early spring. After BC concentrations diminished to pre-industrial levels, the annual peak concentration of BC returned to the summer. We found that anthropogenic BC particles were larger than biomass burning BC particles. By separating the BC in winter and summer, we reconstructed the temporal variations in BC that originated from biomass burning, including the period with large anthropogenic input. The BC that originated from biomass burning showed no trend of increase until the early 2000s. Finally, possible albedo reductions due to BC are discussed. Our new data provide key information for validating aerosol and climate models, thereby supporting improved projections of future climate and environment.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, and Teruo Aoki

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1498', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Jun 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Kumiko Goto-Azuma, 21 Jul 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC1', Kumiko Goto-Azuma, 21 Jul 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1498', Anonymous Referee #2, 18 Jun 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Kumiko Goto-Azuma, 21 Jul 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1498', Anonymous Referee #3, 20 Jun 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Kumiko Goto-Azuma, 21 Jul 2024
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, and Teruo Aoki
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, and Teruo Aoki

Viewed

Total article views: 516 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
369 113 34 516 15 20
  • HTML: 369
  • PDF: 113
  • XML: 34
  • Total: 516
  • BibTeX: 15
  • EndNote: 20
Views and downloads (calculated since 23 May 2024)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 23 May 2024)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 495 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 495 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 15 Oct 2024
Download
Short summary
Monthly records spanning 350 years from a Greenland ice core reveal trends in black carbon (BC) concentrations and sizes. BC concentrations have risen since the late 19th century due to the inflow of anthropogenic BC, with these particles being larger than those from biomass burning (BB). High BB BC concentration peaks in summer originating from BB could reduce albedo. However, BB BC showed no upward trend until the early 2000s. Our findings are crucial for validating aerosol and climate models.