Area of action
In situ observations of BC in the Arctic
Monitoring of black carbon in the Arctic ambient air is extremely important in the implementation of policies and measures seeking to curb the Arctic impacts of this pollutant.
Action ID
1.1
International stimulus to mobilise processes at the national level of the Arctic countries to establish and sustain observation stations measuring BC
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1.2
Promote further harmonisation of measurement methods and QA/QC procedures applied at long-term stations observing black carbon in the Arctic and the lower latitudes
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1.3
Operationalise data sharing, review and dissemination of data from long-term stations measuring BC
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1.4
Further incentivise sharing of data from ad hoc /campaign black carbon measurements in the Arctic
View ActionMeasurements of black carbon in ambient air and black carbon deposition not only allow monitoring of how much black carbon ultimately reaches the Arctic, but also provide an independent dataset, with which black carbon emissions and atmospheric transport can be inversely modelled. Given that ambient levels of black carbon are generally below what can be reliably monitored via satellite-based remote sensing, in-situ measurement stations are crucial to monitor the spatial and temporal trends across the Arctic domain.
The EUA-BCA technical report Review of Observation Capacities and Data Availability for Black Carbon
in the Arctic Region (EUABCA 2019a) provided a basis for the development of this area of action. The report indicated that in situ monitoring of ambient air black carbon in the Arctic is restricted by a number of factors such as intermittent station/measurement operations, lack of stations (particularly in Russia), and insufficient data sharing and coordination.
The four actions identified within this area of action identify opportunities through which black carbon monitoring in the Arctic can be improved. From an Arctic perspective, the ultimate long-term goal to be strived for is: Regular sharing/reporting of black carbon measurement data from an adequate number of Arctic monitoring stations which apply: consistent maintenance and calibration programmes, consistent/ comparable measurement techniques, and data quality control routines.
Action 1.1 highlights paths along which sustainability of existing Arctic stations can be enhanced and through which new stations can be established and sustained. Actions 1.2 to 1.4 have been developed to improve international coordination of black carbon measurements and increase sharing of observation data.
