The Abundance and Sources of Ice Nucleating Particles Within Alaskan Ice Fog

Abstract The Alaskan Layered Pollution and Chemical Analysis (ALPACA) field campaign included deployment of a suite of atmospheric measurements in January–February 2022 with the goal of better understanding atmospheric processes and pollution under cold and dark conditions in Fairbanks, Alaska. We report on measurements of particle composition, particle size, ice nucleating particle (INP) composition, and INP size during an ice fog period (29 January–3 February). During this period, coarse particulate matter (PM 10 ) concentrations increased by 150% in association with a decrease in air temperature, a stronger temperature inversion, and relatively stagnant conditions. Results also show a 18%–78% decrease in INPs during the ice fog period, indicating that particles had activated into the ice fog via nucleation. Peroxide and heat treatments performed on INPs indicated that, on average, the largest contributions to the INP population were heat‐labile (potentially biological, 63%), organic (31%), then inorganic (likely dust, 6%). Measurements of levoglucosan and bulk and single‐particle composition corroborate the presence of dust and aerosols from combustion sources. Heat‐labile and organic INPs decreased during the peak period of the ice fog, indicating those were preferentially activated, while inorganic INPs increased, suggesting they remained as interstitial INPs. In general, INP concentrations were unexpectedly high in Fairbanks compared to other locations in the Arctic during winter. The fact that these INPs likely facilitated ice fog formation in Fairbanks has implications for other high latitude locations subject to the hazards associated with ice fog.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
Published
2024-08-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024jd041170
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.51

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article

The Abundance and Sources of Ice Nucleating Particles Within Alaskan Ice Fog

Andrew P. Ault, Judy Tzu–Chun Wu, Jingqiu Mao, Jessie M. Creamean et al.
4 citations
Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
1.51
article

The Abundance and Sources of Ice Nucleating Particles Within Alaskan Ice Fog

Andrew P. Ault, Judy Tzu–Chun Wu, Jingqiu Mao, Jessie M. Creamean, Andrew L. Holen, Emily R. Lill, William Robert Simpson, Carl Schmitt, Emily V. Fischer, Amy P. Sullivan, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Brice Temime‐Roussel, Barbara D’Anna, Thomas C. J. Hill, Kerri A. Pratt, Russell Perkins, Kevin R. Barry, Ezra J. T. Levin, Kathy S. Law, Meeta Cesler‐Maloney, Paul J. DeMott, Emily J. Costa, Monica Mashkevich
article en
4 citations

Abstract

Abstract The Alaskan Layered Pollution and Chemical Analysis (ALPACA) field campaign included deployment of a suite of atmospheric measurements in January–February 2022 with the goal of better understanding atmospheric processes and pollution under cold and dark conditions in Fairbanks, Alaska. We report on measurements of particle composition, particle size, ice nucleating particle (INP) composition, and INP size during an ice fog period (29 January–3 February). During this period, coarse particulate matter (PM 10 ) concentrations increased by 150% in association with a decrease in air temperature, a stronger temperature inversion, and relatively stagnant conditions. Results also show a 18%–78% decrease in INPs during the ice fog period, indicating that particles had activated into the ice fog via nucleation. Peroxide and heat treatments performed on INPs indicated that, on average, the largest contributions to the INP population were heat‐labile (potentially biological, 63%), organic (31%), then inorganic (likely dust, 6%). Measurements of levoglucosan and bulk and single‐particle composition corroborate the presence of dust and aerosols from combustion sources. Heat‐labile and organic INPs decreased during the peak period of the ice fog, indicating those were preferentially activated, while inorganic INPs increased, suggesting they remained as interstitial INPs. In general, INP concentrations were unexpectedly high in Fairbanks compared to other locations in the Arctic during winter. The fact that these INPs likely facilitated ice fog formation in Fairbanks has implications for other high latitude locations subject to the hazards associated with ice fog.

Journal of Geophysical Research AtmospheresVol. 129(16)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Alaska Fairbanks (US), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), University of Michigan (US), Sorbonne Université (FR), Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (FR), Handix Scientific (United States) (US), Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales (FR), Colorado State University (US)
National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Michigan, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan, Biological and Environmental Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
1.51
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