Summary
The Antarctic ice cap is a unique vantage point from which to observe the global background of black carbon aerosol (BC). Far removed from sources, BC in the Antarctic atmosphere is largely due to biomass burning at low- to mid-latitudes modulated by upper tropospheric (and perhaps stratospheric) transport, climate variability and human activity. BC aerosols have been investigated at several locations in Antarctica including the coastal stations Halley, Syowa and Neumayer, Amundsen-Scott at the South Pole and the South Shetland islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Beyond these time series little is known regarding the history of BC over Antarctica. Pioneering research by Petr Chylek demonstrated that it was possible to develop BC records from Antarctic ice cores, albeit with great difficulty and at low temporal resolution. We have recently developed an extremely sensitive analytical method capable of determining BC in Antarctic ice cores at sub annual resolution. This method has allowed us to build upon the research of Chylek and reconstruct BC deposition to Antarctica over the past 200 years at ~ monthly time scales. These "newgeneration" records will be presented and the extent of which they reflect large scale BC aerosol variability discussed.