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An exemplary case of a bromine explosion event linked to cyclone development in the Arctic

dc.contributor.authorBlechschmidt, A.-M.
dc.contributor.authorRichter, A.
dc.contributor.authorBurrows, J.P.
dc.contributor.authorKaleschke, L.
dc.contributor.authorStrong, K.
dc.contributor.authorTheys, N.
dc.contributor.authorWeber, M.
dc.contributor.authorZhao, X.
dc.contributor.authorZien, A.
dc.date2016
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-23T11:28:19Z
dc.date.available2016-03-23T11:28:19Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/2666
dc.descriptionIntense, cyclone-like shaped plumes of tropospheric bromine monoxide (BrO) are regularly observed by GOME-2 on board the MetOp-A satellite over Arctic sea ice in polar spring. These plumes are often transported by high-latitude cyclones, sometimes over several days despite the short atmospheric lifetime of BrO. However, only few studies have focused on the role of polar weather systems in the development, duration and transport of tropospheric BrO plumes during bromine explosion events. The latter are caused by an autocatalytic chemical chain reaction associated with tropospheric ozone depletion and initiated by the release of bromine from cold brine-covered ice or snow to the atmosphere. In this manuscript, a case study investigating a commashaped BrO plume which developed over the Beaufort Sea and was observed by GOME-2 for several days is presented. By making combined use of satellite data and numerical models, it is shown that the occurrence of the plume was closely linked to frontal lifting in a polar cyclone and that it most likely resided in the lowest 3 km of the troposphere. In contrast to previous case studies, we demonstrate that the dry conveyor belt, a potentially bromine-rich stratospheric air stream which can complicate interpretation of satellite retrieved tropospheric BrO, is spatially separated from the observed BrO plume. It is concluded that weather conditions associated with the polar cyclone favoured the bromine activation cycle and blowing snow production, which may have acted as a bromine source during the bromine explosion event. © 2016 Author(s).
dc.languageeng
dc.titleAn exemplary case of a bromine explosion event linked to cyclone development in the Arctic
dc.typeArticle
dc.subject.frascatiEarth and related Environmental sciences
dc.audienceScientific
dc.subject.freeatmospheric chemistry
dc.subject.freeatmospheric deposition
dc.subject.freeatmospheric plume
dc.subject.freebromine
dc.subject.freecyclone
dc.subject.freesatellite data
dc.subject.freestratosphere-troposphere interaction
dc.subject.freeArctic Ocean
dc.subject.freeBeaufort Sea
dc.source.titleAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
dc.source.volume16
dc.source.issue3
dc.source.page1773-1788
Orfeo.peerreviewedYes
dc.identifier.doi10.5194/acp-16-1773-2016
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-84958279572


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