Black carbon and other light-absorbing impurities in snow in the Chilean Andes

Rowe, Penny M.; Cordero, Raúl R.; Warren, Stephen G.; Stewart, Emily; Doherty, Sarah J.; Pankow, Alec; Schrempf, Michael; Casassa, Gino; Carrasco, Jorge; Pìzarro, Jaime; MacDonell, Shelley; Damiani, Alessandro; Lambert, Fabrice; Rondanelli, Roberto; Huneeus, Nicolás; Fernandoy, Francisco; Neshyba, Steven

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-39312-0

Cited by 51 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…Light absorbing particles (LAPs) (Skiles et al, 2018) are generally comprised of dust e.g., (Bryant et al, 2013;Painter et al, 2012;Skiles and Painter, 2019), black carbon e.g., (Khan et al, 2019;Rowe et al, 2019), volcanic ashes (Flanner et al, 2007) and snow algae e.g., (Ganey et al, 2017;Lutz et al, 2016). LAPs influence spectral albedo in the visible spectrum, 400 -700 nm (Warren and Wiscombe, 1980).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectral Characterization, Radiative Forcing, and Pigment Content of Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae: Approaches to Spectrally Discriminate Red and Green Communities and Their Impact on Snowmelt

Khan¹,

Dierssen²,

Scambos³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Abstract. Here, we present radiative forcing (RF) estimates by snow algae in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) region from multi-year measurements of solar radiation and ground-based hyperspectral characterization of red and green snow algae collected during a brief field expedition in austral summer 2018. Our analysis includes pigment content from samples at three bloom sites. Algal biomass in the snow and albedo reduction are well-correlated across the visible spectrum. Relative to clean snow, visibly green-patches reduce snow albedo by ~ 40 % and red-patches by ~ 20 %. However, red communities absorb considerably more light per mg of pigment compared to green communities, particularly in green wavelengths. Based on our study results, it should be possible to differentiate red and green algae using Sentinel-2 bands in blue, green and red wavelengths. Instantaneous RF averages were double for green (180 W m−2) vs. red communities (88 W m−2), with a maximum of 228 W m−2. Based on multi-year solar radiation measurements at Palmer Station, this translated to a mean daily RF of ~ 26 W m−2 (green) and ~ 13 W m−2 (red) during peak growing season – on par with mid-latitude dust attributions capable of advancing snowmelt. This results in ~ 2522 m3 of snow melted by green-colored-algae and ~ 1218 m3 of snow melted by red-colored-algae annually over the summer, suggesting snow algae play a significant role in snowmelt in the AP regions where they occur. We suggest impacts of RF by snow algae on snowmelt be accounted for in future estimates of Antarctic ice-free expansion in the AP region.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectral Characterization, Radiative Forcing, and Pigment Content of Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae: Approaches to Spectrally Discriminate Red and Green Communities and Their Impact on Snowmelt

Khan¹,

Dierssen²,

Scambos³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…late season snowpack also allows insoluble light-absorbing impurities, including BC, to accumulate at the surface, as shown in Cereceda-Balic et al [17]. These BC concentrations can have a significant impact to measured albedo, which can critically alter the Andean cryosphere [29] and its function as water reservoir for the region [30]. These previous studies motivated our investigation of the relationship between black carbon in snow and the resulting albedo reduction.…”

Section: Snicar Calculations Of Broadband Snow Surface Albedo Sensitimentioning

confidence: 89%

Snow Surface Albedo Sensitivity to Black Carbon: Radiative Transfer Modelling

et al. 2020

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The broadband surface albedo of snow can greatly be reduced by the deposition of light-absorbing impurities, such as black carbon on or near its surface. Such a reduction increases the absorption of solar radiation and may initiate or accelerate snowmelt and snow albedo feedback. Coincident measurements of both black carbon concentration and broadband snow albedo may be difficult to obtain in field studies; however, using the relationship developed in this simple model sensitivity study, black carbon mass densities deposited can be estimated from changes in measured broadband snow albedo, and vice versa. Here, the relationship between the areal mass density of black carbon found near the snow surface to the amount of albedo reduction was investigated using the popular snow radiative transfer model Snow, Ice, and Aerosol Radiation (SNICAR). We found this relationship to be linear for realistic amounts of black carbon mass concentrations, such as those found in snow at remote locations. We applied this relationship to measurements of broadband albedo in the Chilean Andes to estimate how vehicular emissions contributed to black carbon (BC) deposition that was previously unquantified.

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“…These studies demonstrated synchronous variations in rBC emissions with past climate [11,12] and anthropogenic activities associated with industrialization and biomass burning [6,7,15]. Studies in South America have focused on modern rBC deposition in the Andes, an area that provides many people with essential water resources [12,16,17]. These studies have shown that modern rBC deposition was sourced from anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions, as well as biomass burning from the Amazon and nearby residential areas [12,16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Previously, rBC preserved in ice cores [6,[11][12][13], modern lake sediments [14,15], and snow samples [16][17][18][19] has been used as a proxy of regional biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion during the past century. These studies demonstrated synchronous variations in rBC emissions with past climate [11,12] and anthropogenic activities associated with industrialization and biomass burning [6,7,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies in South America have focused on modern rBC deposition in the Andes, an area that provides many people with essential water resources [12,16,17]. These studies have shown that modern rBC deposition was sourced from anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions, as well as biomass burning from the Amazon and nearby residential areas [12,16,17]. Over longer timescales, higher concentrations of rBC were observed during warmer and drier periods, such as the mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum [9000-5000 calendar years before present (cal yr BP)]-while rBC declines during the past 4000 years were attributed to hydroclimatic variations [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon

Arienzo

Maezumi

Chellman

et al. 2019

Fire

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Anthropogenic climate change—combined with increased human-caused ignitions—is leading to increased wildfire frequency, carbon dioxide emissions, and refractory black carbon (rBC) aerosol emissions. This is particularly evident in the Amazon rainforest, where fire activity has been complicated by the synchronicity of natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological change, coupled with spatial and temporal heterogeneity in past and present land use. One approach to elucidating these factors is through long-term regional fire histories. Using a novel method for rBC determinations, we measured an approximately 3500-year sediment core record from Lake Caranã in the eastern Amazon for rBC influx, a proxy of biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion. Through comparisons with previously published records from Lake Caranã and regional evidence, we distinguished between local and regional rBC emission sources demonstrating increased local emissions of rBC from ~1250 to 500 calendar years before present (cal yr BP), coinciding with increased local-scale fire management during the apex of pre-Columbian activity. This was followed by a regional decline in biomass burning coincident with European contact, pre-Columbian population decline, and regional fire suppression associated with the rubber boom (1850–1910 CE), supporting the minimal influence of climate on regional burning at this time. During the past century, rBC influx has rapidly increased. Our results can serve to validate rBC modeling results, aiding with future predictions of rBC emissions and associated impacts to the climate system.

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Black carbon and other light-absorbing impurities in snow in the Chilean Andes

Cited by 51 publications

References 37 publications

Spectral Characterization, Radiative Forcing, and Pigment Content of Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae: Approaches to Spectrally Discriminate Red and Green Communities and Their Impact on Snowmelt

Spectral Characterization, Radiative Forcing, and Pigment Content of Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae: Approaches to Spectrally Discriminate Red and Green Communities and Their Impact on Snowmelt

Snow Surface Albedo Sensitivity to Black Carbon: Radiative Transfer Modelling

Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon

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