Sources and origins of aerosols reaching Antarctica as revealed by lead concentration profiles in shallow snow

Abstract

Changes in the lead concentration in Antarctic snow over the past 30 years are considered as a response of the environment to a well-documented environmental change (decrease of lead emissions into the atmosphere). New data confirm the recent decreasing trend of lead concentration in snow as revealed by previous studies. Furthermore, comparing changes in the lead concentration in Antarctic snow layers with lead emissions from different anthropic sources, we can hypothesise that under present-day climatic conditions, lead-enriched aerosols reaching the Atlantic and Pacific sectors of East Antarctica originate mainly in South America and Australia, respectively.