Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Sources of carbonaceous aerosol in the Amazon basin

Abstract. The quantification of sources of carbonaceous aerosol is important to understand their atmospheric concen-trations and regulating processes and to study possible effects on climate and air quality, in addition to develop mitigation strategies. In the framework of the European Integrated Project on Aerosol Cloud Climate Interactions (EUCAARI) fine (Dp < 2.5 µm) and coarse (2.5 µm<Dp < 10 µm) aerosol particles were sampled from February to June (wet season) and from August to September (dry season) 2008 in the central Ama-zon basin. The mass of fine particles averaged 2.4 µg m−3 during the wet season and 4.2 µg m−3 during the dry season. The average coarse aerosol mass concentration during wet and dry periods was 7.9 and 7.6 µg m−3, respectively. The overall chemical composition of fine and coarse mass di