Arctic Marine Secondary Organic Aerosol Drives Summertime Arctic Aerosol Properties

Abstract:
The Arctic region in a harbinger of global change. In summer, the Arctic lower troposphere is a pristine background aerosol environment dominated by small particles from poorly understood sources. Understanding the mechanisms that control the formation and growth of aerosol is crucial for our ability to predict cloud properties and therefore radiative balance and Arctic climate. This work demonstrates observational evidence for a secondary source of marine organic aerosol in the summertime Arctic. Loss of sea ice is likely to drive significant changes in aerosol-cloud interactions as the Arctic transitions to an ice free summer.