EESS Student Seminar talk on "Aerosol Chemical Composition from Tethered Balloon Observations at Neumayer III, Coastal Antarctica"
Abstract:
To better understand and parametrize clouds over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, in-situ measurements of cloud microphysics and aerosol-cloud interactions are essential. During the ORACLES (ORigin of Antarctic CLoud particles and their Effects on the Surface radiation budget) field campaigns, more than 130 in-situ vertical aerosol profile measurements were obtained over the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 austral summer seasons at the coastal Antarctic site of Neumayer Station III. A tethered balloon system was used to measure the particle and droplet total number concentrations and size distributions up to 1000 m altitude. Filter samples were collected at different altitudes for further analysis of the aerosol chemical composition. Additionally, the thermodynamic structure of the lower atmosphere was recorded through temperature, relative humidity and wind measurements.
Here, we present initial findings on the chemical composition of the collected aerosol samples, together with the vertical distribution of particle number concentrations and size distributions at Neumayer. The chemical composition is analysed using a new nano-electromechanical membrane coupled with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (NEMS-FTIR) analysis method. This technique significantly reduces the sampling time to 45-90 minutes, compared with approximately 24 hours using standard quartz filters for ion chromatography. As aerosol sources at Neumayer are expected to be closely linked to wind direction and broader weather systems, measurements were conducted under different wind and weather conditions during the two campaigns.
Biography:
I'm Yolanda, a PhD student in the Extreme Environments Research Laboratory (EERL) with Prof. Julia Schmale. After completing my Master's degree in Chemistry at the University of Fribourg, I wanted to move towards environmental chemistry. I spent a few months in Cabo Verde working on the conservation of endemic seabirds and plants before having the opportunity to spend a semester studying Arctic Technology at the University Centre in Svalbard. I then joined EERL, where I now work on the sources and composition of coastal Antarctic aerosols.
To better understand and parametrize clouds over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, in-situ measurements of cloud microphysics and aerosol-cloud interactions are essential. During the ORACLES (ORigin of Antarctic CLoud particles and their Effects on the Surface radiation budget) field campaigns, more than 130 in-situ vertical aerosol profile measurements were obtained over the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 austral summer seasons at the coastal Antarctic site of Neumayer Station III. A tethered balloon system was used to measure the particle and droplet total number concentrations and size distributions up to 1000 m altitude. Filter samples were collected at different altitudes for further analysis of the aerosol chemical composition. Additionally, the thermodynamic structure of the lower atmosphere was recorded through temperature, relative humidity and wind measurements.
Here, we present initial findings on the chemical composition of the collected aerosol samples, together with the vertical distribution of particle number concentrations and size distributions at Neumayer. The chemical composition is analysed using a new nano-electromechanical membrane coupled with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (NEMS-FTIR) analysis method. This technique significantly reduces the sampling time to 45-90 minutes, compared with approximately 24 hours using standard quartz filters for ion chromatography. As aerosol sources at Neumayer are expected to be closely linked to wind direction and broader weather systems, measurements were conducted under different wind and weather conditions during the two campaigns.
Biography:
I'm Yolanda, a PhD student in the Extreme Environments Research Laboratory (EERL) with Prof. Julia Schmale. After completing my Master's degree in Chemistry at the University of Fribourg, I wanted to move towards environmental chemistry. I spent a few months in Cabo Verde working on the conservation of endemic seabirds and plants before having the opportunity to spend a semester studying Arctic Technology at the University Centre in Svalbard. I then joined EERL, where I now work on the sources and composition of coastal Antarctic aerosols.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Prof. Julia Schmale, EERL