Summary
Bromine explosion events that occur over first year sea ice in the polar spring cause mercury deposition and dramatically alter the oxidative capacity of the polar boundary layer. Atmospheric chemical measurements made during the Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystems eXperiment (SIPEX II), a multidisciplinary science voyage of the RV Aurora Australis during the polar spring of 2012 are presented here. Targeted with a UV-Vis Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer (MAX-DOAS) were vertical BrO, NO2, HCHO profile concentrations. These were combined with in situ halocarbon (i.e. CH2CH2, CHBr3) observations made using a GC-ECD micro-Dirac, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) observations made using a Tekran instrument, in-situ ozone and aerosol new particle observations. In addition, snow-sea-ice and ocean samples were made at several 'ice stations' between 62- 65°S and 115-121°E to analyze for total mercury and methylmercury. Several GEM depletion events were observed. This suite of observations provides the most complete suite of observations to date to improve our understanding of the implications of BrO explosion events in the Antarctic.
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