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Methanesulphonate and non-sea salt sulphate in aerosol, snow, and ice on the East Antarctic plateau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2004

S.J. de Mora ,
D.J. Wylie  and
A.L. Dick
S.J. de Mora
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand Département d'océanographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada G5L 3A1
D.J. Wylie
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
A.L. Dick
Affiliation:
DSIR Ltd., PO Box 31311, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Cope Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, PO Box 346, Smithton, Tasmania 7330, Australia
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Abstract

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This investigation reports the first simultaneous measurement of methanesulphonate (MSA) and non-sea salt sulphate (NSSS) in aerosols, surface snow, and ice core samples for a continental site in Antarctica (78°S, 139°E, elevation 2849 m). Aerosol MSA concentrations ranged from 0.09–0.43 nmol m−3 STP (median 0.14 nmol m−3) and were generally lower than those observed at coastal Antarctic sites. NSSS concentrations varied from 0.66–1.32 nmol m−3 stp (median 0.88 nmol m−3), comparable to those reported for other continental Antarctic locations. Whereas the MSA:NSSS molar ratio in aerosol samples was in the range 12.7–32.5% (median 17.0%), the ratio down a snow pit and ice profile varied from 1.14–55.6% (median 3.50%), reflecting the variability to be expected over a period of a decade. The chemical composition and low MSA content suggests an origin of aerosols consistent with long range transport from mid-latitudes.

Keywords

aerosolAntarcticaice coremethanesulphonatenon-sea salt sulphatesnow
Type
Papers—Earth Sciences and Glaciology
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , March 1997 , pp. 46 - 55
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1997