Open AccessHistorical record of carbonaceous particle concentrations from a European high‐alpine glacier (Colle Gnifetti, Switzerland)
Author(s) -
Lavanchy V. M. H.,
Gäggeler H. W.,
Schotterer U.,
Schwikowski M.,
Baltensperger U.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/1999jd900408
Subject(s) - ice core , glacier , period (music) , total organic carbon , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , carbon fibers , atmospheric sciences , physical geography , environmental chemistry , geology , climatology , chemistry , meteorology , geography , materials science , physics , composite number , acoustics , composite material
Historical records of the concentrations of black carbon (BC) and elemental carbon (EC), as well as of water insoluble organic carbon (OC) and total carbon (TC) covering the time period ∼1755–1975 are presented. Concentrations were obtained from an ice core of a European high‐alpine glacier, using an optical and a thermal method. Concentrations were found to vary between 7 and 128 μg L −1 for BC, between 5 and 130 μg L −1 for EC, between 53 and 484 μg L −1 for OC, and between 66 and 614 μg L −1 for TC. From preindustrial (1755–1890) to modern times (1950–1975) BC, EC, OC, and TC concentrations increased by a factor of 3.7, 3.0, 2.5, and 2.6, respectively. The sum of BC emissions of Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy, calculated from fossil fuel consumption, and the EC concentration record correlate well ( R 2 = 0.56) for the time period from 1890 to 1975; this indicates that the ice core record reflects the emissions of western Europe. High pre‐1860 concentrations indicate that by that time BC emissions to the atmosphere were already significant.