Source sector and region contributions to black carbon and PM_2.5 in the Arctic

Abstract

Abstract. The impacts of black carbon (BC) and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) emissions from different source sectors (e.g., transportation, power, industry, residential, and biomass burning) and geographic source regions (e.g., Europe, North America, China, Russia, central Asia, south Asia, and the Middle East) to Arctic BC and PM2.5 concentrations are investigated through a series of annual sensitivity simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting – sulfur transport and deposition model (WRF-STEM) modeling framework. The simulations are validated using observations at two Arctic sites (Alert and Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory), the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) surface sites over the US, and aircraft observations over the Arctic during spring and summer 2008. Emissions from power, industrial, and biomass burning sectors are found to be the main contributors to the Arctic PM2.5 surface concentration, with contributions of ∼ 30 %, ∼ 25 %, and ∼ 20 %, respectively. In contrast, the residential and transportation sectors are identified as the major contributors to Arctic BC, with contributions of ∼ 38 % and ∼ 30 %. Anthropogenic emissions are the most dominant contributors (∼ 88 %) to the BC surface concentration over the Arctic annually; however, the contribution from biomass burning is significant over the summer (up to ∼ 50 %). Among all geographical regions, Europe and China have the highest contributions to the BC surface concentrations, with contributions of ∼ 46 % and ∼ 25 %, respectively. Industrial and power emissions had the highest contributions to the Arctic sulfate (SO4) surface concentration, with annual contributions of ∼ 43 % and ∼ 41 %, respectively. Further sensitivity runs show that, among various economic sectors of all geographic regions, European and Chinese residential sectors contribute to ∼ 25 % and ∼ 14 % of the Arctic average surface BC concentration. Emissions from the Chinese industry sector and European power sector contribute ∼ 12 % and ∼ 18 % of the Arctic surface sulfate concentration. For Arctic PM2.5, the anthropogenic emissions contribute > ∼ 75 % at the surface annually, with contributions of ∼ 25 % from Europe and ∼ 20 % from China; however, the contributions of biomass burning emissions are significant in particular during spring and summer. The contributions of each geographical region to the Arctic PM2.5 and BC vary significantly with altitude. The simulations show that the BC from China is transported to the Arctic in the midtroposphere, while BC from European emission sources are transported near the surface under 5 km, especially during winter.