Size distribution, composition and origin of the submicron aerosol in the marine boundary layer during the eastern Mediterranean “SUB-AERO” experiment

A period of intensive physical and chemical aerosol characterisation measurements was held over 5 days during July 2000 as part of the European SUB-AERO experiment.. Concurrent measurements were performed at the Finokalia remote coastal site on the island of Crete (Greece) and onboard the R/V “Aegaeon” which cruised in south part of the Aegean Sea northwards of Crete. The objective of the study was to investigate the spatial and temporal variability of microphysical parameters of the submicron aerosol and their dependence on airmass origin and chemical composition. The results reflect the submicron aerosol properties during airmass transport from the north including Europe and the Balkans and are in line with other studies on the aerosol properties of polluted continental air entering the marine boundary layer (MBL). Concentrations of submicron particulate matter (PM) mass were relatively higher at sea (20 μg m−3) compared to the coastal site (16 μg m−3). Concentrations of both organic carbon and sulphate, being the major water soluble component, were also higher at sea than at land. The high concentrations of ammonium and those of the water soluble organics, such as oxalate, can be attributed to emissions from mainland forest fires. The submicron aerosol number size distribution was unimodal with mobility mean diameters (dg) ranging from 98 to 144 μm and standard deviations (σg) from 1.56 to 1.9. Aerosol number concentrations at Finokalia were at least 50% lower especially when R/V Aegaeon sampled polluted air, but the modal parameters of the size distribution were very similar (dg: 111–120, σg: 1.55–1.91). The surface MBL, under these conditions, was an aerosol rich environment where aerosol particles were transported both by the surface wind, advected from higher layers, chemically processed by interactions with gaseous precursors and physically altered by water vapour. The number to volume ratio for the submicrometer aerosol fraction reflected the effect of these mechanisms on the size distribution.