Isotope-Based Source Apportionment of EC Aerosol Particles during Winter High-Pollution Events at the Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard

Black carbon (BC) aerosol particles contribute to climate warming of the Arctic, yet both the sources and the source-related effects are currently poorly constrained. Bottom-up emission inventory (EI) approaches are challenged for BC in general and the Arctic in particular. For example, estimates from three different EI models on the fractional contribution to BC from biomass burning (north of 60° N) vary between 11% and 68%, each acknowledging large uncertainties. Here we present the first dual-carbon isotope-based (Δ14C and δ13C) source apportionment of elemental carbon (EC), the mass-based correspondent to optically defined BC, in the Arctic atmosphere. It targeted 14 high-loading and high-pollution events during January through March of 2009 at the Zeppelin Observatory (79° N; Svalbard, Norway), with these representing one-third of the total sampling period that was yet responsible for three-quarters of the total EC loading. The top-down source-diagnostic 14C fingerprint constrained that 52 ± 15% (n = 12) of the EC stemmed from biomass burning. Including also two samples with 95% and 98% biomass contribution yield 57 ± 21% of EC from biomass burning. Significant variability in the stable carbon isotope signature indicated temporally shifting emissions between different fossil sources, likely including liquid fossil and gas flaring. Improved source constraints of Arctic BC both aids better understanding of effects and guides policy actions to mitigate emissions.