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Abstract. A systematic study of black carbon (BC) vertical profiles measured at high-resolution over three Italian basin valleys (Terni Valley, Po Valley and Passiria Valley) is presented. BC vertical profiles are scarcely available in literature. The campaign lasted 45 days and resulted in 120 measured vertical profiles. Besides the BC mass concentration, measurements along the vertical profiles also included aerosol size distributions in the optical particle counter range, chemical analysis of filter samples and a full set of meteorological parameters. Using the collected experimental data, we performed calculations of aerosol optical properties along the vertical profiles. The results, validated with AERONET data, were used as inputs to a radiative transfer model (libRadtran). The latter allowed an estimation of vertical profiles of the aerosol direct radiative effect, the atmospheric absorption and the heating rate in the lower troposphere. The present measurements revealed some common behaviors over the studied basin valleys. Specifically, at the mixing height, marked concentration drops of both BC (range: from −48.4 ± 5.3 to −69.1 ± 5.5%) and aerosols (range: from −23.9 ± 4.3 to −46.5 ± 7.3%) were found. The measured percentage decrease of BC was higher than that of aerosols: therefore, the BC aerosol fraction decreased upwards. Correspondingly, both the absorption and scattering coefficients decreased strongly across the mixing layer (range: from −47.6 ± 2.5 to −71.3 ± 3.0% and from −23.5 ± 0.8 to −61.2 ± 3.1%, respectively) resulting in a single-scattering albedo increase along height (range: from +4.9 ± 2.2 to +7.4 ± 1.0%). This behavior influenced the vertical distribution of the aerosol direct radiative effect and of the heating rate. In this respect, the highest atmospheric absorption of radiation was predicted below the mixing height (~ 2–3 times larger than above it) resulting in a heating rate characterized by a vertical negative gradient (range: from −2.6 ± 0.2 to −8.3 ± 1.2 K day−1 km−1). In conclusion, the present results suggest that the BC below the mixing height has the potential to promote a negative feedback on the atmospheric stability over basin valleys, weakening the ground-based thermal inversions and increasing the dispersal conditions.

Abstract. Vertical aerosol profiles were directly measured over the city of Milan during three years (2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) of field campaigns. An optical particle counter, a portable meteorological station and a miniaturized cascade impactor were deployed on a tethered balloon. More than 300 vertical profiles were measured, both in winter and summer, mainly in conditions of clear, dry skies.The mixing height was determined from the observed vertical aerosol concentration gradient, and from potential temperature and relative humidity profiles. Results show that inter-consistent mixing heights can be retrieved highlighting good correlations between particle dispersion in the atmosphere and meteorological parameters. Mixing height growth speed was calculated for both winter and summer showing the low potential atmospheric dispersion in winter.Aerosol number size distribution and chemical composition profiles allowed us to investigate particle behaviour along height. Aerosol measurements showed changes in size distribution according to mixing height. Coarse particle profiles (d p >1.6 µm) were distributed differently than the fine ones (d p <1.6 µm) were, at different heights of the mixing layer. The sedimentation process influenced the coarse particle profiles, and led to a reduction in mean particle diameter for those particles observed by comparing data above the mixing height with ground data (−14.9±0.6% in winter and −10.7±1.0% in summer). Conversely, the mean particle diameter of fine particles increased above the mixing height under stable atmospheric conditions; the average inCorrespondence to: L. Ferrero (luca.ferrero@unimib.it) crease, observed by comparing data above the mixing height with ground data, was +2.1±0.1% in winter and +3.9±0.3% in summer. A hierarchical statistical model was created to describe the changes in the size distribution of fine particles along height. The proposed model can be used to estimate the typical vertical profile characterising launches within prespecified groups starting from: aerosol size and meteorological conditions measured at ground-level, and a mixing height estimation. The average increase of fine particle diameter, estimated on the basis of the model, was +1.9±0.5% in winter and +6.1±1.2% in summer, in keeping with experimental findings.

Abstract. We present results from a systematic study of vertical profiles of aerosol number size distribution and black carbon (BC) concentrations conducted in the Arctic, over Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard). The campaign lasted 2 years (2011–2012) and resulted in 200 vertical profiles measured by means of a tethered balloon (up to 1200 m a.g.l.) during the spring and summer seasons. In addition, chemical analysis of filter samples, aerosol size distribution and a full set of meteorological parameters were determined at ground. The collected experimental data allowed a classification of the vertical profiles into different typologies, which allowed us to describe the seasonal phenomenology of vertical aerosol properties in the Arctic. During spring, four main types of profiles were found and their behavior was related to the main aerosol and atmospheric dynamics occurring at the measuring site. Background conditions generated homogenous profiles. Transport events caused an increase of aerosol concentration with altitude. High Arctic haze pollution trapped below thermal inversions promoted a decrease of aerosol concentration with altitude. Finally, ground-based plumes of locally formed secondary aerosol determined profiles with decreasing aerosol concentration located at different altitude as a function of size. During the summer season, the impact from shipping caused aerosol and BC pollution plumes to be constrained close to the ground, indicating that increasing shipping emissions in the Arctic could bring anthropogenic aerosol and BC in the Arctic summer, affecting the climate.

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