Dust particles from high latitudes have a potentially large local, regional, and global significance to climate and the environment as short-lived climate forcers, air pollutants, and nutrient ...sources. Identifying the locations of local dust sources and their emission, transport, and deposition processes is important for understanding the multiple impacts of high-latitude dust (HLD) on the Earth’s systems. Here, we identify, describe, and quantify the source intensity (SI) values, which show the potential of soil surfaces for dust emission scaled to values 0 to 1 concerning globally best productive sources, using the Global Sand and Dust Storms Source Base Map (G-SDS-SBM). This includes 64 HLD sources in our collection for the northern (Alaska, Canada, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, Sweden, and Russia) and southern (Antarctica and Patagonia) high latitudes. Activity from most of these HLD sources shows seasonal character. It is estimated that high-latitude land areas with higher (SI ≥ 0.5), very high (SI ≥ 0.7), and the highest potential (SI ≥ 0.9) for dust emission cover > 1 670 000 km2 , > 560 000 km2 , and > 240 000 km2 , respectively. In the Arctic HLD region (≥ 60◦ N), land area with SI ≥ 0.5 is 5.5 % (1 035 059 km2), area with SI ≥ 0.7 is 2.3 % (440 804 km2), and area with SI ≥ 0.9 is 1.1 % (208 701 km2). Minimum SI values in the northern HLD region are about 3 orders of magnitude smaller, indicating that the dust sources of this region greatly depend on weather conditions. Our spatial dust source distribution analysis modeling results showed evidence supporting a northern HLD belt, defined as the area north of 50◦ N, with a “transitional HLD-source area” extending at latitudes 50–58◦ N in Eurasia and 50–55◦ N in Canada and a “cold HLD-source area” including areas north of 60◦ N in Eurasia and north of 58◦ N in Canada, with currently “no dust source” area between the HLD and low-latitude dust (LLD) dust belt, except for British Columbia. Using the global atmospheric transport model SILAM, we estimated that 1.0 % of the global dust emission originated from the high-latitude regions. About 57 % of the dust deposition in snow- and ice-covered Arctic regions was from HLD sources. In the southern HLD region, soil surface conditions are favorable for dust emission during the whole year. Climate change can cause a decrease in the duration of snow cover, retreat of glaciers, and an increase in drought, heatwave intensity, and frequency, leading to the increasing frequency of topsoil conditions favorable for dust emission, which increases the probability of dust storms. Our study provides a step forward to improve the representation of HLD in models and to monitor, quantify, and assess the environmental and climate significance of HLD.
The Arctic marine climate system is changing rapidly, which is seen in the warming of the
ocean and atmosphere, decline of sea ice cover, increase in river discharge,
acidification of the ocean, and ...changes in marine ecosystems. Socio-economic
activities in the coastal and marine Arctic are simultaneously changing. This
calls for the establishment of a marine Arctic component of the Pan-Eurasian
Experiment (MA-PEEX). There is a need for more in situ observations on the
marine atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean, but increasing the amount of such
observations is a pronounced technological and logistical challenge. The
SMEAR (Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations) concept can be
applied in coastal and archipelago stations, but in the Arctic Ocean it will
probably be more cost-effective to further develop a strongly distributed
marine observation network based on autonomous buoys, moorings, autonomous
underwater vehicles (AUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These have to
be supported by research vessel and aircraft campaigns, as well as various
coastal observations, including community-based ones. Major manned drifting
stations may occasionally be comparable to terrestrial SMEAR flagship
stations. To best utilize the observations, atmosphere–ocean reanalyses need
to be further developed. To well integrate MA-PEEX with the existing
terrestrial–atmospheric PEEX, focus is needed on the river discharge and
associated fluxes, coastal processes, and atmospheric transports in
and out of the marine Arctic. More observations and research are also needed
on the specific socio-economic challenges and opportunities in the marine and
coastal Arctic, and on their interaction with changes in the climate and
environmental system. MA-PEEX will promote international collaboration;
sustainable marine meteorological, sea ice, and oceanographic observations;
advanced data management; and multidisciplinary research on the marine Arctic
and its interaction with the Eurasian continent.
We compared and tested Thermal Time, Sequential, Parallel and Flexible phenological models of leaf bud burst in birch (Betula pendula Roth. and B. pubescens Ehrh.) and flowering in bird cherry ...(Prunus padus L.) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.). We used phenological records from Oulainen-Ohineva (64°13' N, 24°53' E) in central Finland from 1953 to 2002 to estimate model parameters. We tested the models with data collected in all but six years between 1896 and 2002 in southern and central Finland; we divided this dataset into two 50-year datasets. The use of three datasets enabled us to test the models with data that were independent of the parameter fitting data, facilitating robust evaluation of model performance. Several models that fitted the parameterization data well showed poorer performance when tested with the independent data. This may be because the models were over-parameterized and able to adapt to noise in the data in addition to the phenological phenomenon itself. Simple Thermal Time models performed best with independent data, and Sequential and Parallel models were similar in prediction accuracy. Although Thermal Time models simulated boreal phenological events under current climatic conditions, some precautions are needed with simulations of climatic warming. For example, changed conditions may increase the relative importance of chilling in the timing of bud burst under elevated temperature conditions, which could alter the performance of phenological models.
The role of polar regions is increasing in terms of
megatrends such as globalization, new transport routes, demography, and the use
of natural resources with consequent effects on regional and ...transported
pollutant concentrations. We set up the ERA-PLANET Strand 4 project “iCUPE
– integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments” to
provide novel insights and observational data on global grand challenges
with an Arctic focus. We utilize an integrated approach combining in situ
observations, satellite remote sensing Earth observations (EOs), and
multi-scale modeling to synthesize data from comprehensive long-term
measurements, intensive campaigns, and satellites to deliver data products,
metrics, and indicators to stakeholders concerning the environmental
status, availability, and extraction of natural resources in the polar areas.
The iCUPE work consists of thematic state-of-the-art research and the provision
of novel data in atmospheric pollution, local sources and transboundary
transport, the characterization of arctic surfaces and their changes, an assessment
of the concentrations and impacts of heavy metals and persistent organic
pollutants and their cycling, the quantification of emissions from natural
resource extraction, and the validation and optimization of satellite Earth
observation (EO) data streams. In this paper we introduce the iCUPE project
and summarize initial results arising out of the integration of comprehensive in
situ observations, satellite remote sensing, and multi-scale modeling in the
Arctic context.
Turbulence is the key process transporting material and energy in the atmosphere. Furthermore, turbulence causes concentration fluctuations, influencing different atmospheric processes such as ...deposition, chemical reactions, formation of low-volatile vapours, formation of new aerosol particles and their growth in the atmosphere, and the effect of aerosol particles on boundary-layer meteorology. In order to analyse the connections, interactions and feedbacks relating those different processes require a deep understanding of atmospheric turbulence mechanisms, atmospheric chemistry and aerosol dynamics. All these processes will further influence air pollution and climate. The better we understand these processes and their interactions and associated feedback, the more effectively we can mitigate air pollution as well as mitigate climate forcers and adapt to climate change. We present several aspects on the importance of turbulence including how turbulence is crucial for atmospheric phenomena and feedbacks in different environments. Furthermore, we discuss how boundary-layer dynamics links to aerosols and air pollution. Here, we present also a roadmap from deep understanding to practical solutions.
Cryosphere: a kingdom of anomalies and diversity Melnikov, Vladimir; Gennadinik, Viktor; Kulmala, Markku ...
Atmospheric chemistry and physics,
05/2018, Letnik:
18, Številka:
9
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The cryosphere of the Earth overlaps with the atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere over vast areas with temperatures below
0 ∘C
and pronounced H2O phase changes. In spite of its strong variability ...in
space and time, the cryosphere plays the role of a global thermostat, keeping
the thermal regime on the Earth within rather narrow limits, affording
continuation of the conditions needed for the maintenance of life. Objects
and processes related to cryosphere are very diverse, due to the following
basic reasons: the anomalous thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of
H2O, the intermediate intensity of hydrogen bonds and the wide spread of
cryogenic systems all over the Earth. However, these features attract insufficient
attention from research communities. Cryology is usually understood as a
descriptive discipline within physical geography, limited to
glaciology and permafrost research. We emphasise its broad interdisciplinary
landscape involving physical, chemical and biological phenomena related to
the H2O phase transitions and various forms of ice. This paper aims to
draw the attention of readers to the crucial importance of cryogenic
anomalies,
which make the Earth atmosphere and the entire Earth system very special, if
not unique, objects in the universe.
Science diplomacy can be defined as “the use of scientific collaborations between countries to address joint problems and to build constructive international partnerships for delivering effective ...scientific advice for policy making”. During the last 10 years, the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) has been active in finding ways to solve global Grand Challenges, particularly climate change and poor air quality in polluted megacities, and at the same time, better bridge research to international climate policy and science diplomacy processes. INAR has introduced Pan-Eurasian Experiment programme running since the year 2012 (www.atm.helsinki.fi/peex) to better address the scientific challenge to understand Atmosphere – Earth Surface – Biosphere interactions and feedbacks in the Northern Eurasian context. INAR has also launched a measurement concept called the Global Network of Stations Measuring Earth Surface and Atmosphere Interactions (GlobalSMEAR) and has hosted the European Centre of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences since 2015. Most recently, INAR has coordinated the Arena for the gap analysis of the existing Arctic Science Co-Operations (AASCO), 2020–2021, to promote research with a holistic and integrated approach in understanding feedbacks and interactions globally and locally at the Arctic and outside the Arctic environments.
In 2016, an outbreak of anthrax killing thousands of reindeer and affecting dozens of humans occurred on the Yamal peninsula, Northwest Siberia, after 70 years of epidemiological situation without ...outbreaks. The trigger of the outbreak has been ascribed to the activation of spores due to permafrost thaw that was accelerated during the summer heat wave. The focus of our study is on the dynamics of local environmental factors in connection with the observed anthrax revival. We show that permafrost was thawing rapidly for already 6 years before the outbreak. During 2011–2016, relatively warm years were followed by cold years with a thick snow cover, preventing freezing of the soil. Furthermore, the spread of anthrax was likely intensified by an extremely dry summer of 2016. Concurrent with the long-term decreasing trend in the regional annual precipitation, the rainfall in July 2016 was less than 10% of its 30-year mean value. We conclude that epidemiological situation of anthrax in the previously contaminated Arctic regions requires monitoring of climatic factors such as warming and precipitation extremes.
The Russian Far East is a region between China and the Russian Arctic with a diverse climatological, geophysical, oceanic, and economical characteristic. The southern region is located in the Far ...East monsoon sector, while the northern parts are affected by the Arctic Ocean and cold air masses penetrating far to the south. Growing economic activities and traffic connected to the China Belt and Road Initiative together with climate change are placing an increased pressure upon the Russian Far East environment. There is an urgent need to improve the capacity to measure the atmospheric and environmental pollution and analyze their sources and to quantify the relative roles of local and transported pollution emissions in the region. In the paper, we characterize the current environmental and socio-economical landscape of the Russian Far East and summarize the future climate scenarios and identify the key regional research questions. We discuss the research infrastructure concept, which is needed to answer the identified research questions. The integrated observations, filling in the critical observational gap at the Northern Eurasian context, are required to provide state-of-the-art observations and enable follow-up procedures that support local, regional, and global decision making in the environmental context.
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