Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust

High levels of trace gas (O3 and CO) and aerosol (BC, fine and coarse particle volumes), as well as high scattering coefficient values, were recorded at the regional GAW-WMO station of Mt. Cimone (CMN, 2165 m a.s.l., Italy) during the period 26–30 August 2007. Analysis of air-mass circulation, aerosol chemical characterization and trace gas and aerosol enhancement ratios (ERs), showed that high O3 and aerosol levels were likely linked to (i) the transport of anthropogenic pollution from northern Italy, and (ii) the advection of air masses rich in mineral dust and biomass burning (BB) products from North Africa. In particular, during the advection of air masses from North Africa, the CO and aerosol levels (CO: 175 ppbv, BC: 1015 ng/m3, fine particle volume: 3.00 µm3 cm-3, ðp: 84.5 Mm-1) were even higher than during the pollution event (CO: 138 ppbv, BC: 733 ng/m3, fine particles volume: 1.58 µm3 cm-3, ðp: 44.9 Mm-1). Moreover, despite the presence of mineral dust able to affect significantly the O3 concentration, the analysis of ERs showed that the BB event represented an efficient source of fine aerosol particles (e.g. BC), but also of the O3 recorded at CMN. In particular, the calculated O3/CO ERs (0.10–0.17 ppbv/ppbv) were in the range of values found in literature for relatively aged (2–4 days) BB plumes and suggested significant photochemical O3 production during the air-mass transport. For fine particles and ðp, the calculated ERs was higher in the BB plumes than during the anthropogenic pollution events, stressing the importance of the identified BB event as a source of atmospheric aerosol able to affect the atmospheric radiation budget. These results suggest that episodes of mineral dust mobilization and wildfire emissions over North Africa could significantly influence radiative properties (as deduced from ðp observations at CMN) and air quality over the Mediterranean basin and northern Italy.
 
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Paolo Cristofanelli (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Angela Marinoni (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Paolo Bonasoni (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Ubaldo Bonafè (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Francescopiero Calzolari (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Stefano Decesari (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Maria Cristina Facchini (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Rocco Duchi (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Federico Fierli (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Emanuela Finessi (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Palmira Messina (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Emiliano Orlandi (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Fabrizio Roccato (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR) - Jgor Arduini (The University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" - Chemical Science Institute) - Michela Maione (The University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" - Chemical Science Institute) - Tiziano Colombo (Italian Air Force Meteorological Service – C.A.M.M. Mt. Cimone) - Massimo Chiari (Physics Department, University of Florence and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Firenze) - Giulia Calzolai (Physics Department, University of Florence and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Firenze) (2009) . Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust. Copernicus GmbH (Copernicus Publications) https://geoportal.mountaingenius.org/geonetwork/srv/api/records/9697fc9d-567d-4def-bb3d-65a646bea744
 

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2009-07-17T00:00:00
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Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics,vol.9
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Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 9, 4603–4619, 2009
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Keywords ( Theme )
  • trace gas composition , mineral dust , aerosol properties , wildfire emissions
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  • Mt.Cimone
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Abstract:"Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust."  

Abstract:"Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol

properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North

Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust."

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acp-9-4603-2009.pdf  

Full Text(pdf):"Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol

properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North

Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust."

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"Significant variations of trace gas composition and aerosol properties at Mt. Cimone during air mass transport from North Africa – contributions from wildfire emissions and mineral dust".

Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 4603–4619, 2009

Cristofanelli, P., Marinoni, A., Arduini, J., Bonafè, U., Calzolari, F., Colombo, T., Decesari, S., Duchi, R., Facchini, M.C., Fierli, F., Finessi, E., Maione, M., Chiari, M., Calzolai, G., Messina, P., Orlandi, E., Roccato, F., Bonasoni, P.

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