Hydroxyl concentration estimates in the sunlit snowpack at Summit, Greenland
Abstract
Experiments were performed at Summit, Greenland (72°34′ N, 38°29′ W) to investigate hydroxyl mixing ratios in the sunlit surface snowpack (or firn). We added a carefully selected mixture of hydrocarbon gases (with a wide range of hydroxyl reactivities) to a UV and visible light transparent flow chamber containing undisturbed natural firn. The relative decrease in mixing ratios of these gases allowed estimation of the lower limit mixing ratio of hydroxyl radicals in the near-surface firn pore spaces. Hydroxyl mixing ratios in the firn air followed a diurnal cycle in summer 2003 (10–12 July), with peak values of more than 3.2×106 molecules cm−3 between 13:00 and 16:00 local time. The minimum value estimated was 1.1×106 molecules cm−3 at 20:00 local time. Results during spring of 2004 showed lower, but rapidly increasing, peak hydroxyl mixing ratios of 1.1×106 molecules cm−3 in the early afternoon on 15 April and 1.5×106 molecules cm−3on 1 May. Our firn hydroxyl estimates were similar to directly measured above-snow ambient levels during the spring field season, but were only about 30% of ambient levels during summer.
Department
Earth Sciences, Earth Systems Research Center
Publication Date
8-2007
Journal Title
Atmospheric Environment
Publisher
Elsevier
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.08.058
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Andreas J. Beyersdorf, Nicola J. Blake, Aaron L. Swanson, Simone Meinardi, Jack E. Dibb, Steve Sjostedt, Greg Huey, Barry Lefer, F. Sherwood Rowland, Donald R. Blake, Hydroxyl concentration estimates in the sunlit snowpack at Summit, Greenland, Atmospheric Environment, Volume 41, Issue 24, August 2007, Pages 5101-5109, ISSN 1352-2310, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.08.058.
Rights
Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.