Analytical electron microscope studies of size-segregated particles collected during AGASP-II,flights 201–203

Cascade impactor samples were collected over the Alaskan Arctic during the first three research flights of AGASP-II. These samples were analyzed using analytical electron microscopy to determine the morphology, mineralogy and elemental composition of individual particles. For analytical considerations, a typical impactor sample was run for approximately 20 min, thus giving excellent time resolution of discrete events.Samples collected during flights 201 and 202 consisted of stratospheric aerosol and lower-altitude haze samples. Stratospheric samples were characterized by moderate loadings of H₂SO₄ droplets with relatively few particles of other types. Samples collected in tropospheric haze layers generally exhibited light-to-moderate particle loadings. H₂SO₄ was again the most prevalent species, with crustal and anthropogenic particles also observed. One sample taken over south-central Alaska near the end of flight 203 showed high concentrations of solid crustal particles, with relatively little associated H₂SO₄. Giant particles larger than 5 m were occasionally observed in this aerosol. The composition of this material closely matches that of bulk ash from the Mt. Augustine volcano, which erupted 9–13 days before collection of this sample. This brings forth the possibility that pockets of ash-rich aerosol existed over parts of south and central Alska during the AGASP-II field mission. There is no evidence that these volcanic aerosols were present in the AGASP study area north of the Brooks Range.