High-resolution analyses of concentrations and sizes of refractory black carbon particles deposited in northwestern Greenland over the past 350 years – Part 2: Seasonal and temporal trends in refractory black carbon originated from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning

Abstract

The roles and impacts of refractory black carbon (rBC), an important aerosol species affecting Earth's radiation budget, are not well understood owing to a lack of accurate long-term observations. To study the temporal changes in rBC since the pre-industrial period, we analyzed rBC in an ice core drilled in northwestern Greenland. Using an improved technique for rBC measurement and a continuous flow analysis (CFA) system, we obtained accurate and high-temporal-resolution records of rBC particle size and mass/number concentrations for the past 350 years. Number and mass concentrations, which both started to increase in the 1870s associated with the inflow of anthropogenically derived rBC, reached their maxima in the 1910s–1920s and then subsequently decreased. Backward-trajectory analyses suggest that North America was likely the dominant source region of the anthropogenic rBC in the ice core. The increase in anthropogenic rBC shifted the annual concentration peaks of rBC from summer to winter–early spring. After rBC concentrations diminished to pre-industrial levels, the annual peak concentration of rBC returned to the summer. We found that anthropogenic rBC particles were larger than biomass burning rBC particles. By separating the rBC in winter and summer, we reconstructed the temporal variations in rBC that originated from biomass burning, including the period with large anthropogenic input. The rBC that originated from biomass burning showed no trend in increase until the early 2000s. Finally, possible albedo reductions due to rBC are discussed. Our new data provide key information for validating aerosol and climate models, thereby supporting improved projections of future climate and environment.