Shipborne observations of atmospheric black carbon aerosol particles over the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, and North Pacific Ocean during September 2014

Abstract

Abstract Measurements of refractory black carbon (rBC) aerosol particles using a highly sensitive online single particle soot photometer were performed on board the R/V Mirai during a cruise across the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, and North Pacific Ocean (31 August to 9 October 2014). The measured rBC mass concentrations over the Arctic Ocean in the latitudinal region > 70°N were in the range 0–66 ng/m 3 for 1 min averages, with an overall mean value of 1.0 ± 1.2 ng/m 3 . Single‐particle‐based observations enabled the measurement of such low rBC mass concentrations. The effects of long‐range transport from continents to the Arctic Ocean were limited during the observed period, which suggests that the low rBC concentration levels would prevail over the Arctic Ocean. An analysis of rBC mixing states showed that particles with a nonshell/noncore structure made a significant contribution to the rBC particles detected over the Arctic Ocean.