Concentration of Black Carbon in the Near-Surface Atmosphere in the Pechora-Ilych Natural Reserve: Measurements and Merra-2 Reanalysis

The concentration of black carbon (BC), measured in near-surface air on the territory of the Pechora-Ilych State Natural Biosphere Reserve (PISNBR) on the western side of the Northern Ural Mountains, far from sources, is presented for two years (December 2017–November 2019). The temporal variations in BC concentration throughout a year and the location of its main sources are analyzed. The average values for two cold and two warm half-years were 128 and 62 ng/m3, respectively. The BC concentration in near-surface atmosphere was compared with MERRA-2 reanalysis data. On a monthly scale, the anomalous increase in BC concentration during short-term smoke aerosol transport across the observation area is more clearly revealed from the reanalysis data, rather than by values measured at a single point. Daily monitoring allows us to detect the specific dates of such situations.