AWARE: Finding the composition

and sources of organic

aerosols in Antarctica
Rosa A Bebi

PI: Lynn M. Russell

Introduction

Organic aerosols on clouds are an enigma that
research has been trying to make sense of for years.
Antarctica is a valid source of information because it is
relatively uninhabited by humans and it has a high albedo
and unique seasonal behavior the Ozone Hole. The
Ozone hole is a complicated phenomena that takes place
during the late Winter and early Spring months in Antarctica.
The processes of ozone depletion are complex. First,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) molecules are released in the air
due to human activity around the globe. These chemicals
get pushed into the polar regions through air circulation and
Hadley cells. CFCs are found on PSCs, or polar
stratospheric clouds. The molecules are broken by
ultraviolet radiation, liberating chlorine, a very reactive
molecule. Because of the low temperatures in the polar
region, this reaction is increased significantly, causing the
chlorine and other reactive halogen gases to bind to and
destroy ozone, causing the Ozone Hole.

Understanding Antarcticas climatic properties and
the Ozone Hole phenomena can provide a better
understanding of aerosols and their properties. Earlier
research was conducted in the Northern polar region
Alert, Canada, which also has interesting climatic
properties, such as the Arctic Haze. This data will be
observed in order to better understand the prospective
methods of the AWARE research project.

The AWARE project will deploy in mid-July, 2015.
From this data, organic aerosols will be obtained and
transformed into a spectra in order to better understand
which functional groups alcohol (COH), alkane (CH),
carboxyl (COH), and carbonyl (C=O) are
present in forming Antarcticas clouds1. With
this data, provided by Fourier Transform
Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, these functional
groups can be attached to sources using
Positive Matrix Formation (PMF).

Perspective Methods:

Obtaining submicron aerosol particles from
the ambient air through a filter holder in Antarctica.
The Teflon filters (37mm) were prepared in the Fourier
Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This process
provides a spectra that represents either molecule
mixtures or organic functional groups. The spectra
from the prescan can be subtracted from the spectra
of the postscan to show which functional groups are
present on the data1.

Once these instruments come back from
Antarctica, the Teflon filters will go through FTIR
spectroscopy again. This will measure the spectra of
the absorption of organic functional groups and
quantify the organic mass. After the final scan, new
found spectra is used in the program Positive Matrix
Formation (PMF). This creates several various
scenarios of composition curves by plotting
absorbance versus wavelength (as seen in figure 1).
Because PMF is a matrix program, it does not
consider the chemistry that is incorporated in the data.
Utilizing PMF requires user logic on what spectra are
usable and likely considering the chemical structure of
these functional groups. With PMF, the spectra can be
examined to find a number of factors. This indicates
how many functional groups are presently available in
the system being observed.

Fig 1. Plot of Absorbance versus wavelength during Spring, Summer and Winter
seasons in Alert, Canada. Throughout all the seasons, there is a dominance of the
functional groups Alkane (CH) and Alcohol (COH). Winter showed more of a
dominance of Alcohol (COH). This is the type of data to be derived from Antarctica.
(Graph taken from Kylee Chang2).

Conclusion

The AWARE project will begin taking samples
weekly from Antarctica in mid-July 2015. Within the next
two years, there will be new data and insight on the aerosol
activity in Antarctica.

References:
1Chris

Welch. (n.d.). The Ozone Hole Questions and Answers About the Ozone
Layer. Retrieved June 11, 2015, from http://www.theozonehole.com/
twenty.htm

2Kylee Chang. Lynn Russell (2008) The Composition and Sources of Organic
Aerosols in Alert, Canada.

3Satoshi Takahama , Anita Johnson & Lynn M. Russell (2013) Quantification of

Carboxylic and Carbonyl Functional Groups in Organic Aerosol Infrared
Absorbance Spectra, Aerosol Science and Technology, 47:3, 310-325,
DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2012.752065