Atmospheric mercury behavior at different altitudes at Ny Alesund during Spring 2003

Intensive field measurements of atmospheric mercury and related species were carried out in Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen, during the spring of 2003 at two altitudes. Measurements were made at the Italian research station Dirigibile Italia (12 m a.s.l.) and on the top of Zeppelin Mountain at the Norwegian Research Station (474 m a.s.l.). Ambient concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury, divalent reactive gaseous mercury and particulate phase mercury were semi-continuously measured at both sites using an integrated Tekran system. Atmospheric elemental gaseous mercury depletion events (AMDEs) were observed at both locations, the lowest observed Hg0 concentration was 0.3 ng m−3. At sea level, mercury species concentrations following AMDEs were found to be higher and to exhibit larger variability in comparison to those observed at Zeppelin station.