Concentration of bioaerosols and ice nucleating particles at Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard, 2017 – 2020

Gabriel Pereira Freitas, Franz Conen, Kouji Adachi, Karl Espen Yttri, Radovan Krejci, Paul Zieger

Using a single-particle online optical instrument we measured the coarse particle concentration (optical diameter bigger than 0.8 µm) at the Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard from June 2019 to January 2021. Using ultra-violet laser-induced fluorescence, we further categorised these particles into non-fluorescent, fluorescent, highly-fluorescent and fluorescent primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP). PBAP accounts for particles such as bacteria and fungal spores. This is accompanied by transmission electronic microscopy images of PBAP sampled at the same site.

PBAP are known to be efficient ice nucleating particles (INP), which facilitate the growth of ice particles in the atmosphere. Here, we also provide the concentration of INP at the Zeppelin observatory active at -12 °C along with their proteinaceous (heat-labile) fraction. Which was measured for the years 2017 – 2020.

This dataset thus provide insights on the relationship between PBAP and INP in the Arctic and a valuable source for parametrisation of high-temperature Arctic INP.

Citation

Gabriel Pereira Freitas, Franz Conen, Kouji Adachi, Karl Espen Yttri, Radovan Krejci, Paul Zieger (2023) Concentration of bioaerosols and ice nucleating particles at Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard, 2017 – 2020. Dataset version 1. Bolin Centre Database. https://doi.org/10.17043/zeppelin-freitas-2023-bioaerosols-1

References

Freitas, G., Adachi, K., Conen, F., Heslin-Rees, D., Krejci, R., Tobo, Y., Yttri, K. E., Zieger, P. (2023). Regionally sourced bioaerosols drive high-temperature ice nucleating particles in the Arctic. Nature Comm. (accepted in principle)

Freitas, G. P., Stolle, C., Kaye, P. H., Stanley, W., Herlemann, D. P. R., Salter, M. E., & Zieger, P. (2022). Emission of primary bioaerosol particles from Baltic seawater. Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 2(5), 1170–1182. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ea00047d

Linn Karlsson, Radovan Krejci, Paul Zieger (2023) Equivalent black carbon concentration in- and outside low-level Arctic clouds at Zeppelin Observatory, Svalbard, 2015⁠ – ⁠2019. Dataset version 1. Bolin Centre Database. https://doi.org/10.17043/zeppelin-ebc-2015-2019-1

Data description

This dataset is divided into four categories:

1. Microscopy images
2. Concentration of coarse particles, fluorescent particles, highly fluorescent particles, primary biological aerosol particles and equivalent black carbon
3. Single-particle data of bioaerosols
4. Concentration of ice nucleating particles and their proteinaceous fraction

1. Microscopy images

PBAP_TEM_IMAGES folder: 19 transmission electron microscopy images of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) sampled at three different days with corresponding date folder. Each file is in jpg format and contains its own scale. For one of the PBAP images, additional 4 images are provided of elemental composition (Carbon C, Potassium K, Nitrogen N and Phosphorous P). These are named PBAPx.jpg and are contained in a date folder within the PBAP_TEM_IMAGES folder.

TEM_PBAP_20200807_sizes_by_ead.xlsx: Their equivalent area diameters in micro meter (μm) are provided within an Excel sheet (xlsx) file.

2. Concentrations

concentrations.csv: At a daily resolution, the concentration of coarse particles, fluorescent particles, highly fluorescent particles and primary biological particles measured by the MBS and analysed following the work of Freitas et al. (2022 and 2023) are given in liters per minute (1/L). Complimentarily, following the work by Karlsson et al. (2023), the equivalent black carbon concentration follows and is given in nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m³).

3. Single particle data

pbap_single_particle_properties.csv: PBAP data, single particle data. This file contains information such as Size, fluorescence intensity, morphological parameters and spectral grouping.

scattering.csv: For particles measured on the 7th of August, the complete scattering signal is given in the file. Where the columns CA1_0 through CA1_511 represent the scattering signal at the left 512 pixel detector, and CA2-0 through CA2_511 represent the scattering signal at the right 512 pixel detector. For a complete explanation of all single particle parameters, please refer to Freitas et al. (2022).

4. Concentration of ice nucleating particles and their proteinaceous fraction

bacterial_fungal_INP_data_Zeppelin_2017_2020.xlsx: The concentration of ice nucleating particles active at temperature T = -12 °C along with their proteinaceous fraction (bacterial + fungal fraction).

Comments

Please cite and consult Freitas et al. (2023) when using the data.