Black Carbon in Near-Surface Air in Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve: Measurements and Sources

Abstract

New data on the black carbon (BC) content in the atmosphere are obtained during year-round daily monitoring of BC concentration in the near-surface air layer in a hard-to-reach region of the northern Urals (on the territory of Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve) with the time resolution of 1 day. Results are analyzed for the cold half-year (from October 2017 to March 2018), when only BC of anthropogenic origin is present in the atmosphere and no fire effect is possible. Average BC concentrations (plus or minus standard deviation) are (296 ± 172) and (175 ± 82) ng/m³ in the near-surface air of Yaksha settlement and outside it, respectively. Comparison of monthly average BC concentrations in the near-surface air with those estimated from satellite observations (https://giovanni.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/) shows a satisfactory agreement, serving as a cross-check and confirming the reliability of results. Trajectory analysis of long-range transport of air masses and BC for the region of Pechora-Ilych nature reserve made it possible to identify the main anthropogenic BC sources in the atmosphere at distances less than 500 km on industrial territories of the central Urals, areas of carbon-containing fuel production in Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Districts, in the cities and settlements of Perm oblast, Udmurtia, and the Komi Republic.