Atmospheric aerosol in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica : physical and chemical properties and source region analysis

Since 2010, aerosol number, size and optical have been monitored at the Belgian Antarctic research station Princess Elisabeth. Atmospheric particles have been collected during the last three austral summers for chemical analysis by high-volume sampling. In addition, passive samplers have been installed at seven locations along a 250 km N-S transect from the coast to the Antarctic plateau, and the collected samples have been analysed on organics, VOCs and inorganics, respectively. Results will be presented for the multi-year seasonality of aerosol phyiscal properties. Further, first results of the chemical analyses for organics, inorganics and VOCs will be presented. E.g., the mineralogy of some samples point to distinct sources in South-America or southern Africa, respectivley. Simulations with the FLEXPART model will show how particles from these lower latitudes could reach Antarctica. FLEXTRA and FLEXPART results will also be shown for the air mass origin of specific events.