Tracking SO2 in Antarctica Using ISCAT 2000 Data

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Tracking SO2 in Antarctica Using ISCAT 2000 Data

• Burton Gray

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Introduction

• Brief Overview of ISCAT 2000
• Time Evolution of SO2 -Related Species
• Correlation of Said Species with SO2
• Backtracking Analysis
• Conclusions
• DISCLAIMER Bandys SO2 data is used for this
  analysis. I very recently learned that this data
  may have been flawed.

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ISCAT 2000

• Investigation of Sulfur Chemistry in the
  Antarctic Troposphere
• Expanded From ISCAT 1998 After Elevated Levels of
  NOx Found
• Very Large Suite of Chemical Data from Many
  Researchers

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Source of SO2

• Stratospheric and Continental Tracers
• Be-7, Pb-210
• Anthropogenic Emissions
• NO, CO
• Southern Ocean Biology
• DMS, MSA, Bromoform, Methyl Nitrate
• Volcanism
• Backtracking Analysis

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SO2 Versus Time
Peaks at 11/25, 12/02, 12/04, 12/12, and 12/26
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Be-7 and Pb-210
Neither seems to match the SO2 peaks at 11/25,
12/02, 12/04, 12/12, or 12/26
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NO and CO
NO only matches 12/12 peak
CO has general Downward trend
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DMS and MSA
Very little DMS data
Very little agreement with SO2 peaks
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CHBr3 and MeONO2
Bromoform seems to match 12/02, 12/04, 12/12, and
12/26 peaks
Methyl nitrate seems to match 11/25 and 12/02
peaks
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Correlations Be-7, Pb-210
r2 0.0221
r2 0.0129
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Correlations NO, CO
r2 0.0075
r2 0.0211
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Correlations MSA
r2 0.0077
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Correlations CHBr3, MeONO2
r2 0.2881
r2 0.1448
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CHBr3 Versus MeONO2
r2 0.7674
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Map of Antarctica
Available Backtracking Database 11/10 to 12/31
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11/25 Backtracking
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12/02 Backtracking
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12/04 Backtracking
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12/12 Backtracking
Low Confidence Peak
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12/26 Backtracking
Low Confidence Peak
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Conclusions

• SO2 Had Definite Peaks at 11/25, 12/02, and
  12/04, Plus Suspect Peaks at 12/12 and 12/26
• Modest Level of SO2 Variations Explained by
  Bromoform and Methyl Nitrate
• Bromoform and Methyl Nitrate Consistent
• Backtracking Suggests 11/25 and 12/04 Peaks May
  Be From Southern Ocean
• Conclusion SO2 From Southern Ocean