Chemical Composition of Large and Giant Aerosols at Syowa Station, Antarctica

Atmospheric large and giant aerosol particles collected at Syowa Station, Antarctica were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. A large part of the total mass concentration of aerosol particles could be attributed to sea salt particles, both in winter and summer. The weight ratio Cl/Na for giant particles was larger than the bulk sea water ratio, whereas for large particles in summer it was smaller than that of bulk sea water. It can be explained that giant particles in the present study were blowing snow or drifting snow which was chlorine-enriched, and that large particles in summer were attacked by sulfuric acid droplets to release gaseous Cl to the atmosphere