Variations in aerosol optical and microphysical characteristics along the route of Russian Antarctic Expeditions in the East Atlantic

Abstract

The 12-year aerosol studies along the route of the Russian Antarctic Expeditions in the East Atlantic and the Southern Ocean are summarized. We analyzed the spatial distribution (with 5° step in latitude), seasonal (November/April) variations, and interrelations of aerosol optical and microphysical characteristics. It is shown that the latitudinally average variations in aerosol parameters in the East Atlantic exceed one order of magnitude. The lowest (maximal) values are observed near Antarctica (in tropical zone): aerosol optical depth (0.5 μm) varies from 0.02 to 0.5, number concentrations of small particles (d = 0.4–1 μm) vary in the range 0.8–19 cm–3, concentrations of large (d > 1 μm) particles vary in the range 0.04–2.2 cm–3, and aerosol and black carbon mass concentrations vary in ranges 0.5–14 μg/m3 and 0.026–0.7 μg/m3.