Arctic Station Dirigibile Italia

Permafrost and Climate Change: transport processes and land-air-sea exchanges (PeCC)

Call year: 2015 Status: active IADC_id: 17

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The present project has two main aims: first, the study of transport processes and exchanges between sea- and land-atmosphere, with the aim to highlight the sources and processes that affect the chemical composition of Arctic aerosols and their interaction with seawater; second, the evaluation of the contribution of permafrost thawing to the chemical composition of seawater, fresh water, and aerosol particulate during the time. These goals will be achieved through: 1) the characterization of aerosols in terms of particle size distribution and chemical composition; 2) the chemical characterization of fresh and sea water and snow; and 3) the evaluation of the composition of porewater from soil cores.rnThe chemical composition of Arctic aerosols is determined by both natural and anthropic sources delivering particulate material into the Arctic area. Despite the numerous studies performed in this area, little is known about the sources and composition of the Arctic aerosol. The survey of the different particle size classes of aerosols will allow us to evaluate the distribution of different compounds and to identifythe mass transfer and evolution processes that contribute to primary and secondary aerosols. Besides, size segregated particles will give information on marine aerosol collected in submicron and in micrometric particles from sea spray and biogenic sources. The investigation of the sources will examine also the snow collected on the surface of the snow cover to study the variation of chemical composition during sampling collection, while the snow collected from a snow pit will provide useful temporal information. Through the chemical characterization of seawater collected, we will be ale to observe how its chemical composition changes with the progress of the season. Thawing permafrost could cause variations in the concentration of elements in water, due to the restructuration of drainage networks. It could also increase the sediment loading of rivers and eventually affect coastal seawater and oceans. The release of elements (including large carbon reservoirs) currently blocked in permafrost could deeply influence coastal waters and aerosol particulates; the increased thickness of the active layer could lead to an increase of trace elements between soil and aerosols, rivers and oceans.rnThe chemical characterization (organic, inorganic and ionic species content) will provide information about the chemical profile of the aerosol and about the presence and concentration of molecules and elements in snow, fresh water and seawater.rnIn particular, the use molecular markers will provide information on specific sources of atmospheric aerosols. As regards organic compounds, we will investigate Water Soluble Organic Compounds (WSOCs) for their relevance as molecular tracers and for their undisputed importancein terms of the effects on climate of atmospheric aerosols. Among WSOCs, we will investigate levoglucosan, phenolic compounds, D- and L-amino acids, sugars (mono-, di-saccharides and alcohol sugars), dicarboxylic acids, all of which indicate different aerosol sources. Levoglucosan and phenolic compounds are produced by biomass burning; L-amino acids are indicators of primary production such as plants and phytoplancton; D-amino acids derive mainly from bacteria both in soil and in marine environments; sugars are produced by different sources:microorganism, plants, animals, lichens, bacteria fungal spores, and lower plants;soils and associated biota can contribute to atmospheric aerosol through resuspension, erosion and agricultural activities; and dicarboxylic acids are produced by biological processes and by photochemical reactions in the atmosphere. Our previous study on Arctic aerosols in Ny-Alesund pointed out different temporal trends for levoglucosan and phenolic compounds1. These observations were confirmed by our study of Antarctic aerosols2, suggesting that these compounds probably had other local sources in addition to biomass burning aerosols reaching polar areas by long-range transport. This hypothesis will have to be confirmed by further research. L-Amino acids were observed during our previous sampling campaign in Ny-Alesund3 and in Antarctica (Mario Zucchelli Station)4, showing the contribution of marine sources. We aim to broaden the study to D-amino acids in theArctic area. Although in Antarctica4 levels were below the detection limits in that area, this does not exclude the possible detection of these compounds in Ny-Alesund, due to its high marine primary productivity and to the presence of vegetation, which is absent in Antarctica. Moreover, our previous study in Antarctica highlighted the need to also sample coarse (> 10 µm) particles, an operation that will be performed in Ny-Alesund.rnIn seawater samples, together with molecular and inorganic tracers, we will also study chlorophyll as an indicator of phytoplankton and of its seasonal evolution.rnAs regards inorganic analytes in aerosol, trace and ultratrace elements will be investigated (TE-trace elements and REE-rare earth elements), with particular reference to their chemical fractionation in water-soluble and insoluble forms. Soluble ions are useful indicators of natural sources (sea spray and crustal dust) 5.rnSnow, freshwater, seawater and porewater will be analysed to determine the TE and REE concentrations andin order to 1) understand the input of permafrost thawing; 2) correlate the composition of aerosol to changing temperature; and 3) recognize local and remote sources.rnThis project represents a valuable opportunity to1) better understand the source of molecular markers that are useful not only in atmospheric chemistry and transport, but also in paleoclimatic reconstructions; 2) highlight the local sources in relation to changing climate conditions, with particular reference to permafrost thawing;and 3) assess if and to what extent the thawing of permafrost influencesthe composition of coastal waters and, eventually, of aerosols.rnThe sampling campaign will be performed in the coastal area of Ny-Alesund, Svalbard Islands, during the period from the end of March to the beginning of July, so as to encompass the stages of ice/snow-covered ground and sea ice, the melting and breakup of the ice pack that covers the fiord, and the summer period. The sampling of snow and the initial sampling of aerosol and water will be performed in cooperation with the project “Arctic Sea Ice and HAlogen Deposition: investigation for a new paleoclimatic tool (ASIHAD)”.rnThe activity will be also correlated with the work of Marco Doveri’s group (IGG-CNR) and Maurizio Azzaro’s group (IAMC-CNR), which presented a proposal of activities at Ny-Alesund in the present call for expressions of interest, with the aim to expand the area of investigation in terms of matrices investigated and sampling sites, and to optimize the logistic resources for sample collection.rnThe proposed sampling campaign aims to improve our knowledge of a polar coastal area and to evaluate the importance of permafrost thawing on the composition of coastal waters. This survey will be propaedeutic to a successive and more extensive sampling campaign. During this second campaign, samples from perpendicular (relatively to the coast) transects and from depth profiles will be collected.rnrn1. Zangrando, R.; Barbaro, E.; Zennaro, P.; Rossi, S.; Kehrwald, N. M.; Gabrieli, J.; Barbante, C.; Gambaro, A., Molecular Markers of Biomass Burning in Arctic Aerosols. Environmental Science & Technology 2013,47, (15), 8565-8574.rnrn2. Zangrando, .; Barbaro, E.; Vecchiato, M.; Kehrwald, N.; Barbante, C.; Gambaro, A."Levoglucosan and phenols in marine, coastal and inland Antarctic aerosols." Under revision in Environmental Science & Technologyrnrn3. Scalabrin, E.; Zangrando, R.; Barbaro, E.; Kehrwald, N. M.; Gabrieli, J.; Barbante, C.; Gambaro, A., Amino acids in Arctic aerosols. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2012,12, (21), 10453-10463.rnrn4. Barbaro E., ZangrandoE., VecchiatoM., PiazzaR., CairnsW.R.L., CapodaglioG., BarbanteC., GambaroA., Free amino acids in Antarctic aerosol: potential markers for the evolution and fate of marine aerosol. Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 15, 1269-1305, 2015.rnrn5. C. Turetta, R. Zangrando, E. Barbaro, A. Gambaro, J. Gabrieli and C. Barbante. "Water-soluble trace and rare earth elements in Artic aerosol as tracer of different sources".ROL, 31, 78, 2014.

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Permafrost and Climate Change: transport processes and land-air-sea exchanges (PeCC)