Articles | Volume 18, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-421-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-421-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
24 Jan 2025
Research article |
| 24 Jan 2025
| 24 Jan 2025
Method development and application for the analysis of chiral organic marker species in ice cores
Johanna Schäfer
Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
Anja Beschnitt
Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
François Burgay
Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry (LUC), Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Thomas Singer
Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry (LUC), Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Margit Schwikowski
Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry (LUC), Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Thorsten Hoffmann
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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Patrick Dewald, Tobias Seubert, Laura Wüst, Jan Schuladen, Frank Drewnick, Friederike Fachinger, Thorsten Hoffmann, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 3445–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3445-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3445-2026, 2026
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We have developed and tested an instrument that quantitatively detects particulate nitrate. Gas-phase reactive nitrogen species are denuded using an active-carbon surface and particle nitrate is converted to NO2, which is detected using cavity-ringdown-spectroscopy. Key to accurate measurement of particulate nitrate is drying of the sampled air. Excellent agreement with an aerosol-mass-spectrometer indicates that the instrument detects both organic and inorganic nitrate particle mass accurately.
Paolo Gabrielli, Theo M. Jenk, Michele Bertó, Giuliano Dreossi, Daniela Festi, Werner Kofler, Mai Winstrup, Klaus Oeggl, Margit Schwikowski, Barbara Stenni, and Carlo Barbante
Clim. Past, 22, 1037–1055, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1037-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1037-2026, 2026
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A low latitude-high altitude Alpine ice core record was obtained in 2011 from the glacier Alto dell’Ortles (Eastern Alps, Italy) and provided evidence of one of the oldest Alpine ice core records spanning the last ~7000 years, back to the last Northern Hemisphere Climatic Optimum. Here we provide a new Alto dell’Ortles chronology of improved accuracy that will allow to constrain Holocene climatic and environmental histories emerging from this high-altitude glacial archive of Central Europe.
Johannes Degen, Nicole Bobrowski, Mélisende M. Bossard, Lucie Boucher, Huilin Chen, Andreas Engel, Bastien H. Geil, Giovanni B. Giuffrida, Steven van Heuven, Thorsten Hoffmann, Niklas Karbach, Gianluigi Ortenzi, and Tanja J. Schuck
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1865, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1865, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Observations in volcanic plumes often rely on Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). In July 2024, we used the active AirCore technique with UAS to probe the plumes of Mount Etna (Italy). This was the first time to use this technique inside volcanic plumes. AirCore samples are stored in long coils for laboratory analyses delivering high-quality trace gas measurements. We observed enhanced mole fractions of CO2 and often also of CO. allowing conclusions on oxidation processes inside the crater.
Niklas Karbach, Pauline Pouyes, Emilie Perraudin, Eric Villenave, and Thorsten Hoffmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2473, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2473, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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We investigated the chemical composition of organic aerosol near Paris to distinguish contributions from urban emissions and surrounding biogenic sources. By combining high resolution mass spectrometry with statistical clustering and wind information, we identified clear source specific patterns. Urban influence was associated with sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds, whereas biogenic influence was dominated by oxidized organic compounds.
Maja Rüth, Nicole Bobrowski, Ellen Bräutigam, Alexander Nies, Jonas Kuhn, Thorsten Hoffmann, Niklas Karbach, Bastien Geil, Ralph Kleinschek, Stefan Schmitt, and Ulrich Platt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2047–2059, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2047-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2047-2026, 2026
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UV absorption and electrochemical O3 sensor measurement techniques suffer from interferences, especially from SO2, which is a main constituent of volcanic plumes. Only chemiluminescence (CL) O3 monitors have no known interference with SO2. However, modern CL O3 monitors are impractical because they are heavy and bulky. We developed and applied a lightweight version of a CL O3 instrument (l.5 kg, shoebox size) and present the result of those drone based CL O3 measurements.
François Burgay, Haley Derrod, Tobias Erhardt, Federico Scoto, Delia Segato, Niccolò Maffezzoli, Federico Dallo, Daniele Zannoni, Azzurra Spagnesi, Helle-Astrid Kjær, Hubertus Fischer, Cristiano Varin, Carlo Barbante, and Andrea Spolaor
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6339, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6339, 2026
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With this work, we provide important evidence that the Iron Hypothesis is less effective than originally thought in the Northern Hemisphere due to alkaline aerosol conditions. Therefore in the High-Nutrient Low-Chlorophyll North Pacific Ocean, other factors such as sea-ice extent or iron remobilization from sediments may have played a more relevant role than atmospheric iron fertilization in modulating marine primary productivity.
Denis Leppla, Stefanie Hildmann, Nora Zannoni, Leslie A. Kremper, Bruna A. Holanda, Jonathan Williams, Christopher Pöhlker, Stefan Wolff, Marta Sà, Maria Christina Solci, Ulrich Pöschl, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 365–390, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-365-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-365-2026, 2026
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The chemical composition of organic particles in the Amazon rainforest was investigated to understand how biogenic and human emissions influence the atmosphere in this unique ecosystem. Seasonal patterns were found where wet seasons were dominated by biogenic compounds from natural sources while dry seasons showed increased fire-related pollutants. These findings reveal how emissions, fires and long-range transport affect atmospheric chemistry, with implications for climate models.
Jackson Seymore, Miklós Szakáll, Alexander Theis, Subir K. Mitra, Christine Borchers, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 18249–18265, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18249-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18249-2025, 2025
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Laboratory studies examined carbonyl deposition into ice crystals using a flowtube setup. Ice crystals were grown under conditions that mimic cirrus clouds in the presence of carbonyl vapors. Ice and gas samples were collected and analyzed to calculate ice uptake coefficients for 14 carbonyls at different temperatures. This revealed an inverse relationship between uptake and temperature. Vapor pressure and molar mass were found to be the most significant factors in uptake.
Christine Borchers, Lasse Moormann, Bastien Geil, Niklas Karbach, David Wasserzier, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 7231–7242, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-7231-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-7231-2025, 2025
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A three-dimensionally printed filter holder is connected to a lightweight, high-performance pump. This sampling system allows for easy and cost-effective measurements of organic aerosols at different heights and locations. By elucidating the chemical composition of organic aerosol, sources and processing of the compounds can be identified. Measurements at different altitudes and times of the day provide insight into the chemical aging and daytime trends of the aerosol particles.
Anna Breuninger, Philipp Joppe, Jonas Wilsch, Cornelis Schwenk, Heiko Bozem, Nicolas Emig, Laurin Merkel, Rainer Rossberg, Timo Keber, Arthur Kutschka, Philipp Waleska, Stefan Hofmann, Sarah Richter, Florian Ungeheuer, Konstantin Dörholt, Thorsten Hoffmann, Annette Miltenberger, Johannes Schneider, Peter Hoor, and Alexander L. Vogel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16533–16551, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16533-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16533-2025, 2025
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This study investigates molecular organic aerosol composition in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere from an airborne campaign over Central Europe in summer 2024. Via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry of tropospheric and stratospheric filter samples, we identified various organic compounds. Our findings underscore the significant cross-tropopause transport of biogenic secondary organic aerosol and anthropogenic pollutants.
Azzurra Spagnesi, Elena Barbaro, Matteo Feltracco, Federico Scoto, Marco Vecchiato, Massimiliano Vardè, Mauro Mazzola, François Burgay, Federica Bruschi, Clara Jule Marie Hoppe, Allison Bailey, Andrea Gambaro, Carlo Barbante, and Andrea Spolaor
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16215–16232, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16215-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16215-2025, 2025
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Svalbard is ideal for studying how warming affects snow’s seasonal chemistry. By comparing the snow chemical composition of the 2019–2020 season with 2018–2019 and 2020–2021, we provide an overview of the seasonal and interannual variability of several chemical species on the Svalbard snowpack, furnishing insights into the interplay between short-term meteorological variability and the long-term climatic impacts of climate changes.
Jackson Seymore, Martanda Gautam, Miklós Szakáll, Alexander Theis, Thorsten Hoffmann, Jialiang Ma, Lingli Zhou, and Alexander L. Vogel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 11829–11845, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11829-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11829-2025, 2025
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We investigated the chemical retention of water-soluble organic compounds in Beijing aerosols using an acoustic levitator and drop-freezing experiments. Samples from PM2.5 filter extracts were frozen at -15 °C in an acoustic levitator without artificial nucleators and analyzed using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. Our findings reveal a non-normal distribution of retention coefficients that differs from current literature on cloud droplets.
Jade Margerum, Julia Homann, Stuart Umbo, Gernot Nehrke, Thorsten Hoffmann, Anton Vaks, Aleksandr Kononov, Alexander Osintsev, Alena Giesche, Andrew Mason, Franziska A. Lechleitner, Gideon M. Henderson, Ola Kwiecien, and Sebastian F. M. Breitenbach
Clim. Past, 21, 661–677, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-661-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-661-2025, 2025
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We analyse a southern Siberian stalagmite to reconstruct soil respiration, wildfire, and vegetation trends during the Last Interglacial (LIG) (124.1–118.8 ka) and the Holocene (10–0 ka). Wildfires were more prevalent during the LIG than the Holocene and were supported by fire-prone species, low soil respiration, and a greater difference between summer and winter temperature. We show that vegetation type and summer/winter temperature contrast are strong drivers of Siberian wildfires.
Christine Borchers, Jackson Seymore, Martanda Gautam, Konstantin Dörholt, Yannik Müller, Andreas Arndt, Laura Gömmer, Florian Ungeheuer, Miklós Szakáll, Stephan Borrmann, Alexander Theis, Alexander L. Vogel, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13961–13974, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13961-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13961-2024, 2024
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Riming, a crucial process in cloud dynamics, influences the vertical distribution of compounds in the atmosphere. Experiments in Mainz's wind tunnel investigated retention coefficients of organic compounds under varying conditions. Findings suggest a correlation between the Henry's law constant and retention, applicable even to complex organic molecules.
Niklas Karbach, Lisa Höhler, Peter Hoor, Heiko Bozem, Nicole Bobrowski, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4081–4086, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4081-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4081-2024, 2024
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The system presented here can accurately generate and reproduce a stable flow of gas mixtures of known concentrations over several days using ambient air as a dilution medium. In combination with the small size and low weight of the system, this enables the calibration of hydrogen sensors in the field, reducing the influence of matrix effects on the accuracy of the sensor. The system is inexpensive to assemble and easy to maintain, which is the key to reliable measurement results.
Elena Di Stefano, Giovanni Baccolo, Massimiliano Clemenza, Barbara Delmonte, Deborah Fiorini, Roberto Garzonio, Margit Schwikowski, and Valter Maggi
The Cryosphere, 18, 2865–2874, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2865-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2865-2024, 2024
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Rising temperatures are impacting the reliability of glaciers as environmental archives. This study reports how meltwater percolation affects the distribution of tritium and cesium, which are commonly used as temporal markers in dating ice cores, in a temperate glacier. Our findings challenge the established application of radionuclides for dating mountain ice cores and indicate tritium as the best choice.
Horst Machguth, Anja Eichler, Margit Schwikowski, Sabina Brütsch, Enrico Mattea, Stanislav Kutuzov, Martin Heule, Ryskul Usubaliev, Sultan Belekov, Vladimir N. Mikhalenko, Martin Hoelzle, and Marlene Kronenberg
The Cryosphere, 18, 1633–1646, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1633-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1633-2024, 2024
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In 2018 we drilled an 18 m ice core on the summit of Grigoriev ice cap, located in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The core analysis reveals strong melting since the early 2000s. Regardless of this, we find that the structure and temperature of the ice have changed little since the 1980s. The probable cause of this apparent stability is (i) an increase in snowfall and (ii) the fact that meltwater nowadays leaves the glacier and thereby removes so-called latent heat.
Andrea Spolaor, Federico Scoto, Catherine Larose, Elena Barbaro, Francois Burgay, Mats P. Bjorkman, David Cappelletti, Federico Dallo, Fabrizio de Blasi, Dmitry Divine, Giuliano Dreossi, Jacopo Gabrieli, Elisabeth Isaksson, Jack Kohler, Tonu Martma, Louise S. Schmidt, Thomas V. Schuler, Barbara Stenni, Clara Turetta, Bartłomiej Luks, Mathieu Casado, and Jean-Charles Gallet
The Cryosphere, 18, 307–320, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-307-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-307-2024, 2024
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We evaluate the impact of the increased snowmelt on the preservation of the oxygen isotope (δ18O) signal in firn records recovered from the top of the Holtedahlfonna ice field located in the Svalbard archipelago. Thanks to a multidisciplinary approach we demonstrate a progressive deterioration of the isotope signal in the firn core. We link the degradation of the δ18O signal to the increased occurrence and intensity of melt events associated with the rapid warming occurring in the archipelago.
Emma Nilsson, Carmen Paulina Vega, Dmitry Divine, Anja Eichler, Tonu Martma, Robert Mulvaney, Elisabeth Schlosser, Margit Schwikowski, and Elisabeth Isaksson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3156, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3156, 2024
Preprint withdrawn
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To project future climate change it is necessary to understand paleoclimate including past sea ice conditions. We have investigated methane sulphonic acid (MSA) in Antarctic firn and ice cores to reconstruct sea ice extent (SIE) and found that the MSA – SIE as well as the MSA – phytoplankton biomass relationship varies across the different firn and ice cores. These inconsistencies in correlations across records suggest that MSA in Fimbul Ice Shelf cores does not reliably indicate regional SIE.
Tobias Erhardt, Camilla Marie Jensen, Florian Adolphi, Helle Astrid Kjær, Remi Dallmayr, Birthe Twarloh, Melanie Behrens, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Kaori Fukuda, Jun Ogata, François Burgay, Federico Scoto, Ilaria Crotti, Azzurra Spagnesi, Niccoló Maffezzoli, Delia Segato, Chiara Paleari, Florian Mekhaldi, Raimund Muscheler, Sophie Darfeuil, and Hubertus Fischer
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 5079–5091, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5079-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5079-2023, 2023
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The presented paper provides a 3.8 kyr long dataset of aerosol concentrations from the East Greenland Ice coring Project (EGRIP) ice core. The data consists of 1 mm depth-resolution profiles of calcium, sodium, ammonium, nitrate, and electrolytic conductivity as well as decadal averages of these profiles. Alongside the data a detailed description of the measurement setup as well as a discussion of the uncertainties are given.
Ling Fang, Theo M. Jenk, Dominic Winski, Karl Kreutz, Hanna L. Brooks, Emma Erwin, Erich Osterberg, Seth Campbell, Cameron Wake, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 17, 4007–4020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4007-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4007-2023, 2023
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Understanding the behavior of ocean–atmosphere teleconnections in the North Pacific during warm intervals can aid in predicting future warming scenarios. However, majority ice core records from Alaska–Yukon region only provide data for the last few centuries. This study introduces a continuous chronology for Denali ice core from Begguya, Alaska, using multiple dating methods. The early-Holocene-origin Denali ice core will facilitate future investigations of hydroclimate in the North Pacific.
Julia Homann, Niklas Karbach, Stacy A. Carolin, Daniel H. James, David Hodell, Sebastian F. M. Breitenbach, Ola Kwiecien, Mark Brenner, Carlos Peraza Lope, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Biogeosciences, 20, 3249–3260, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3249-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3249-2023, 2023
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Cave stalagmites contain substances that can be used to reconstruct past changes in local and regional environmental conditions. We used two classes of biomarkers (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and monosaccharide anhydrides) to detect the presence of fire and to also explore changes in fire regime (e.g. fire frequency, intensity, and fuel source). We tested our new method on a stalagmite from Mayapan, a large Maya city on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Anja Eichler, Michel Legrand, Theo M. Jenk, Susanne Preunkert, Camilla Andersson, Sabine Eckhardt, Magnuz Engardt, Andreas Plach, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 17, 2119–2137, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2119-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2119-2023, 2023
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We investigate how a 250-year history of the emission of air pollutants (major inorganic aerosol constituents, black carbon, and trace species) is preserved in ice cores from four sites in the European Alps. The observed uniform timing in species-dependent longer-term concentration changes reveals that the different ice-core records provide a consistent, spatially representative signal of the pollution history from western European countries.
Niccolò Maffezzoli, Eliza Cook, Willem G. M. van der Bilt, Eivind N. Støren, Daniela Festi, Florian Muthreich, Alistair W. R. Seddon, François Burgay, Giovanni Baccolo, Amalie R. F. Mygind, Troels Petersen, Andrea Spolaor, Sebastiano Vascon, Marcello Pelillo, Patrizia Ferretti, Rafael S. dos Reis, Jefferson C. Simões, Yuval Ronen, Barbara Delmonte, Marco Viccaro, Jørgen Peder Steffensen, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Kerim H. Nisancioglu, and Carlo Barbante
The Cryosphere, 17, 539–565, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-539-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-539-2023, 2023
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Multiple lines of research in ice core science are limited by manually intensive and time-consuming optical microscopy investigations for the detection of insoluble particles, from pollen grains to volcanic shards. To help overcome these limitations and support researchers, we present a novel methodology for the identification and autonomous classification of ice core insoluble particles based on flow image microscopy and neural networks.
François Burgay, Rafael Pedro Fernández, Delia Segato, Clara Turetta, Christopher S. Blaszczak-Boxe, Rachael H. Rhodes, Claudio Scarchilli, Virginia Ciardini, Carlo Barbante, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, and Andrea Spolaor
The Cryosphere, 17, 391–405, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-391-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-391-2023, 2023
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The paper presents the first ice-core record of bromine (Br) in the Antarctic plateau. By the observation of the ice core and the application of atmospheric chemical models, we investigate the behaviour of bromine after its deposition into the snowpack, with interest in the effect of UV radiation change connected to the formation of the ozone hole, the role of volcanic deposition, and the possible use of Br to reconstruct past sea ice changes from ice core collect in the inner Antarctic plateau.
Denis Leppla, Nora Zannoni, Leslie Kremper, Jonathan Williams, Christopher Pöhlker, Marta Sá, Maria Christina Solci, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 809–820, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-809-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-809-2023, 2023
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Chiral chemodiversity plays a critical role in biochemical processes such as insect and plant communication. Here we report on the measurement of chiral-specified secondary organic aerosol in the Amazon rainforest. The results show that the chiral ratio is mainly determined by large-scale emission processes. Characteristic emissions of chiral aerosol precursors from different forest ecosystems can thus provide large-scale information on different biogenic sources via chiral particle analysis.
Yunfan Liu, Hang Su, Siwen Wang, Chao Wei, Wei Tao, Mira L. Pöhlker, Christopher Pöhlker, Bruna A. Holanda, Ovid O. Krüger, Thorsten Hoffmann, Manfred Wendisch, Paulo Artaxo, Ulrich Pöschl, Meinrat O. Andreae, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 251–272, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-251-2023, 2023
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The origins of the abundant cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the upper troposphere (UT) of the Amazon remain unclear. With model developments of new secondary organic aerosol schemes and constrained by observation, we show that strong aerosol nucleation and condensation in the UT is triggered by biogenic organics, and organic condensation is key for UT CCN production. This UT CCN-producing mechanism may prevail over broader vegetation canopies and deserves emphasis in aerosol–climate feedback.
Jing Duan, Ru-Jin Huang, Yifang Gu, Chunshui Lin, Haobin Zhong, Wei Xu, Quan Liu, Yan You, Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Darius Ceburnis, Thorsten Hoffmann, and Colin O'Dowd
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10139–10153, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10139-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10139-2022, 2022
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Biomass-burning-influenced oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA-BB), formed from the photochemical oxidation and aging of biomass burning OA (BBOA), was resolved in urban Xi’an. The aqueous-phase processed oxygenated OA (aq-OOA) concentration was more dependent on secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) content and aerosol liquid water content (ALWC). The increased aq-OOA contribution during SIA-enhanced periods likely reflects OA evolution due to the addition of alcohol or peroxide groups
Wangbin Zhang, Shugui Hou, Shuang-Ye Wu, Hongxi Pang, Sharon B. Sneed, Elena V. Korotkikh, Paul A. Mayewski, Theo M. Jenk, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 16, 1997–2008, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1997-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1997-2022, 2022
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This study proposes a quantitative method to reconstruct annual precipitation records at the millennial timescale from the Tibetan ice cores through combining annual layer identification based on LA-ICP-MS measurement with an ice flow model. The reliability of this method is assessed by comparing our results with other reconstructed and modeled precipitation series for the Tibetan Plateau. The assessment shows that the method has a promising performance.
Paolo Gabrielli, Theo Manuel Jenk, Michele Bertó, Giuliano Dreossi, Daniela Festi, Werner Kofler, Mai Winstrup, Klaus Oeggl, Margit Schwikowski, Barbara Stenni, and Carlo Barbante
Clim. Past Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2022-20, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2022-20, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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We present a methodology that reduces the chronological uncertainty of an Alpine ice core record from the glacier Alto dell’Ortles, Italy. This chronology will allow the constraint of the Holocene climatic and environmental histories emerging from this archive of Central Europe. This method will allow to obtain accurate chronologies also from other ice cores from-low latitude/high-altitude glaciers that typically suffer from larger dating uncertainties compared with well dated polar records.
Raffaello Nardin, Mirko Severi, Alessandra Amore, Silvia Becagli, Francois Burgay, Laura Caiazzo, Virginia Ciardini, Giuliano Dreossi, Massimo Frezzotti, Sang-Bum Hong, Ishaq Khan, Bianca Maria Narcisi, Marco Proposito, Claudio Scarchilli, Enricomaria Selmo, Andrea Spolaor, Barbara Stenni, and Rita Traversi
Clim. Past, 17, 2073–2089, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-2073-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-2073-2021, 2021
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The first step to exploit all the potential information buried in ice cores is to produce a reliable age scale. Based on chemical and isotopic records from the 197 m Antarctic GV7(B) ice core, accurate dating was achieved and showed that the archive spans roughly the last 830 years. The relatively high accumulation rate allowed us to use the non-sea-salt sulfate seasonal pattern to count annual layers. The accumulation rate reconstruction exhibited a slight increase since the 18th century.
Alexandra Gutmann, Nicole Bobrowski, Marcello Liotta, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6395–6406, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6395-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6395-2021, 2021
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Motivated by a special interest in bromine chemistry in volcanic plumes, the study presented here describes a new method for the quantitative collection of gaseous hydrogen bromide in gas diffusion denuders. The hydrogen bromide reacted during sampling with appropriate epoxides applied to the denuder walls. The denuder sampling assembly was successfully deployed in the volcanic plume of Masaya volcano, Nicaragua.
Daniela Festi, Margit Schwikowski, Valter Maggi, Klaus Oeggl, and Theo Manuel Jenk
The Cryosphere, 15, 4135–4143, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4135-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4135-2021, 2021
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In our study we dated a 46 m deep ice core retrieved from the Adamello glacier (Central Italian Alps). We obtained a timescale combining the results of radionuclides 210Pb and 137Cs with annual layer counting derived from pollen and refractory black carbon concentrations. Our results indicate that the surface of the glacier is older than the drilling date of 2016 by about 20 years, therefore revealing that the glacier is at high risk of collapsing under current climate warming conditions.
Haijie Tong, Fobang Liu, Alexander Filippi, Jake Wilson, Andrea M. Arangio, Yun Zhang, Siyao Yue, Steven Lelieveld, Fangxia Shen, Helmi-Marja K. Keskinen, Jing Li, Haoxuan Chen, Ting Zhang, Thorsten Hoffmann, Pingqing Fu, William H. Brune, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Maosheng Yao, Thomas Berkemeier, Manabu Shiraiwa, and Ulrich Pöschl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10439–10455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10439-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10439-2021, 2021
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We measured radical yields of aqueous PM2.5 extracts and found lower yields at higher concentrations of PM2.5. Abundances of water-soluble transition metals and aromatics in PM2.5 were positively correlated with the relative fraction of •OH but negatively correlated with the relative fraction of C-centered radicals among detected radicals. Composition-dependent reactive species yields may explain differences in the reactivity and health effects of PM2.5 in clean versus polluted air.
Kai Wang, Ru-Jin Huang, Martin Brüggemann, Yun Zhang, Lu Yang, Haiyan Ni, Jie Guo, Meng Wang, Jiajun Han, Merete Bilde, Marianne Glasius, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9089–9104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9089-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9089-2021, 2021
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Here we present the detailed molecular composition of the organic aerosol collected in three eastern Chinese cities from north to south, Changchun, Shanghai and Guangzhou, by applying LC–Orbitrap analysis. Accordingly, the aromaticity degree of chemical compounds decreases from north to south, while the oxidation degree increases from north to south, which can be explained by the different anthropogenic emissions and photochemical oxidation processes.
Bo Galle, Santiago Arellano, Nicole Bobrowski, Vladimir Conde, Tobias P. Fischer, Gustav Gerdes, Alexandra Gutmann, Thorsten Hoffmann, Ima Itikarai, Tomas Krejci, Emma J. Liu, Kila Mulina, Scott Nowicki, Tom Richardson, Julian Rüdiger, Kieran Wood, and Jiazhi Xu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4255–4277, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4255-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4255-2021, 2021
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Measurements of volcanic gases are important for geophysical research, risk assessment and environmental impact studies. Some gases, like SO2 and BrO, may be studied from the ground at a safe distance using remote sensing techniques. Many other gases require in situ access to the gas plume. Here, a drone may be an attractive alternative. This paper describes a drone specially adapted for volcanic gas studies and demonstrates its use in a field campaign at Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea.
Cited articles
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Short summary
Glaciers preserve organic compounds from atmospheric aerosols, which can serve as markers for emission sources. Most studies overlook the enantiomers of chiral compounds. We developed a two-dimensional liquid chromatography method to determine the chiral ratios of the monoterpene oxidation products cis-pinic acid and cis-pinonic acid in ice-core samples. Applied to samples from the Belukha Glacier (1870–1970 CE), the method revealed fluctuating chiral ratios for the analytes.
Glaciers preserve organic compounds from atmospheric aerosols, which can serve as markers for...
