Concentration and size variation of condensation nuclei at Mawson, Antarctica

Abstract

Condensation nucleus (CN) concentrations have been measured at Mawson (67.6°S, 62.9°E) since mid 1981. Weekly median concentrations have an annual cycle with a maximum of around 300 to 400 cm-3 in summer and a minimum of a few tens of particles per cm-3 in winter. In this respect Mawson behaves very much like an Antarctic continental location. Preliminary measurements of the size distribution of CN particles taken over a nine month period suggest a seasonal change in typical particle radius from around 0.01 μm in winter to around 0.04 μm in summer. Diurnal variation in the CN concentration is generally very weak and does not show any systematic relation to the pronounced diurnal variation in wind-speed at Mawson.