E. Weingartner et al., Seasonal and diurnal variation of aerosol size distributions (10 < D < 750nm) at a high-alpine site (Jungfraujoch 3580 m asl), J GEO RES-A, 104(D21), 1999, pp. 26809-26820
During an extended Field campaign at a high-alpine site (Jungfraujoch; 3580
m asl, Switzerland) from March 1997 to May 1998, the particle number size
distribution (diameter D = 18-750 nm) and number concentration N (D > 10 nm
) were measured on a continuous basis. The number size distribution was dom
inated by particles with D < 100 nm, while most of the surface area was in
the accumulation mode size range (0.1-1 mu m). Average size distributions e
xhibited a distinct bimodal shape which is generated and maintained by clou
d processes and is less distinct in the free troposphere. Fitted modal diam
eters and standard deviations most of the Aitken (20-100 nm) and accumulati
on modes were surprisingly constant throughout the year (D-Ait = 43 +/- 3 n
m; D-Acc = 140 +/- 6 nm; sigma(Air) = 2.13 +/- 0.11; sigma(Acc) = 161 +/- 0
.03). The relative number concentrations in both modes are responsible for
the seasonality observed in the shape of the size distribution. The high se
asonality of N-Acc with summer and winter values of similar to 260 and simi
lar to 40 cm(-3), respectively, is mainly due to transport of planetary bou
ndary layer air to the station. In contrast, new particle formation is resp
onsible for the high concentrations of nucleation mode particles (D < 20 nm
) which exhibited a maximum during the winter months. The relatively low se
asonality found for N-Ait (summer, winter values: similar to 530, similar t
o 310 cm(-3)) is due to gas-to-particle conversion as well as transport pro
cesses. An analysis showed that a significant fraction of nucleation mode p
articles were formed by photochemical reactions.