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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
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

Abstract

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.

Type
Papers—Earth Sciences and Glaciology
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1997

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