Particulate carbon content in rain at various temperate and tropical locations

Particulate organic and black carbon concentrations in rain were determined in various source or remote regions, in order to gain information on the incorporation of atmospheric carbonaceous particles in hydrometeors. The analyses of rainwaters indicate that all the samples contained particles derived from combustion. Data obtained on a sample basis, show an important areal and temporal variability of the composition of rain carbonaceous particles, a variability which is reported to that of the black carbon to total carbon ratio, Cb/Ct, ranging from 10 to 72%. In addition to the fluctuations of the aerosol atmospheric burden, these variations may be related to alterations of the organic fraction of the particles or their involvement in in-cloud nucleation processes during atmospheric transport. Also, a comparison of the mean relative abundance of black carbon in aerosols and in rainwaters, gives evidence of a partial disappearance of the organic particles, a phenomenon which could be due to their dissolution when incorporated in the hydrometeors. Precipitation scavenging ratio values of black carbon particles, which range from 100 to 370, are similar to those found for sulphate anthropogenic aerosols. Due to their hygroscopic properties and mean size, black carbon aerosols could possibly trace the physico-chemical processes involved in the incorporation of fine combustion particles into hydrometeors. It is also suggested that smoke particles may act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Consequently, emissions of particulates derived from combustion in some tropical or industrial regions could result locally in alteration of cloud albedo and precipitation regimes.     

In situ Measurement of H2O and CH4 with Telecommunication Laser Diodes in the Lower Stratosphere: Dehydration and Indication of a Tropical Air Intrusion at Mid-Latitudes

Telecommunication laser diodes emitting near 1.39 m and 1.65 m in combination with direct-differential absorption spectroscopy are efficient tools to monitor in situ stratospheric H₂O andCH₄ with a good precision error (a few percents), a high temporal resolution (ranging from 10 ms to 1 s), a large dynamic range in the concentration measurements (four orders of magnitude) and a high selectivity in the analyte species. To illustrate the capability of laser probing technique, we report balloonborne H₂Oand CH₄ simultaneous measurements obtained on October 2001 atmidlatitudes (43° N). The H₂O vertical profile achieved with the lasersensor in the lower stratosphere is compared with the H₂O data yielded by a balloonborne frost-point hygrometer. The total hydrogen mixing ratio in the lower stratosphere, 2[CH₄] + [H₂O], appears to beconstant at 7.5 ± 0.1 ppmv. Nevertheless, an unexpected largedehydration of 0.5 ppmv was detected by both the laser sensor and thehygrometer between 16 km and 23 km. We suspect the occurrence of a tropicalair intrusion into mid-latitudes. We support this interpretation using a high-resolution advection model for potential vorticity.     

Organic contamination identification in sediments from a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem: The case of the Nador lagoon (Eastern Morocco)

The Nador lagoon ecosystem (North-East of Morocco) displays a major socioeconomic interest. In fact, it is essential to evaluate consequences of anthropogenic activities in the lagoon especially by organic matter studies (nature and distribution) in the sedimentary compartment. Surface sediments show variable rates in total organic carbon and in sulfur, high in some cases (7.5 and 1.8% respectively). These high contents are recorded in the center of the lagoon. Their distributions are controlled by the hydrodynamism and the anthropogenic degree. The molecular biomarkers analyses and especially n-alkanes distribution reveal: a zone of marine influence; and a zone of continental influence. The occurrence of pentacyclic triterpanes with a typical distribution of a thermally mature organic matter reveals a contamination due to petroleum products in the entire lagoon except for the center. Coprostanol occurrence near cities indicates wastewater effluents inputs and reducing conditions underlined by high values of stanols/sterol ratios. Thus, the organic contamination (petroleum by-products and wastewater effluents) occurs in the vicinity of the cities whereas the littoral edge and center remain weakly affected by these contaminations.