Annual dynamics of aerosol organic components in the free atmosphere over South-Western Siberia

Abstract

We study the annual behavior of the concentration of organic components of the atmospheric aerosol, sampled onboard the Tu-134 Optik airborne laboratory in the atmospheric layer of 500–8500 m. The concentration of the organic component in aerosol composition is found to be maximal during spring and minimal during fall. Compounds ranging from C₈H₁₈ to C₃₅H₇₂ are detected in the composition of aerosol particles. The range of hydrocarbons is the widest during the winter period (C₁₂H₂₆–C₃₅H₇₂) and during spring (C₈H₁₈–C₃₁H₆₄), and it is markedly narrower during summer (C₁₈H₃₈–C₃₃H₆₈) and during fall (C₁₆H₃₄–C₃₁H₆₄). One mode (n-alkane C₂₀H₄₂) predominates in aerosol composition throughout the year. A secondary maximum, corresponding to n-alkane C₂₉H₆₀, appears during the summer period.