Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry

Abstract Despite the cleanest conditions, haze phenomena were observed at Syowa Station, Antarctica. During our measurements period of 1997–2022, 113 haze events were identified. General characteristics of Antarctic haze such as duration and horizontal scale were obtained from haze event analyses. A...

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Main Authors: Keiichiro Hara, Kano Osato, Masanori Yabuki, Kazuo Osada, Naohiko Hirasawa, Masataka Shiobara, Takashi Yamanouchi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01176-9
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author Keiichiro Hara
Kano Osato
Masanori Yabuki
Kazuo Osada
Naohiko Hirasawa
Masataka Shiobara
Takashi Yamanouchi
author_facet Keiichiro Hara
Kano Osato
Masanori Yabuki
Kazuo Osada
Naohiko Hirasawa
Masataka Shiobara
Takashi Yamanouchi
author_sort Keiichiro Hara
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Despite the cleanest conditions, haze phenomena were observed at Syowa Station, Antarctica. During our measurements period of 1997–2022, 113 haze events were identified. General characteristics of Antarctic haze such as duration and horizontal scale were obtained from haze event analyses. Antarctic haze near the surface was identified mostly during May–October. Seasonal features of the Antarctic haze appearance were that they were maximal in August and were associated with strong wind conditions and sea-ice extent. Aerosol enhanced layers (AELs) appeared in the surface – free troposphere (ca. 4 km). AELs were identified also in mid-April – October. Furthermore, surface ozone (O3) was depleted during the Antarctic haze. The O3 depletion amount was maximal during August and minimal during polar night (June). Findings suggest that Antarctic haze phenomena make important contributions to atmospheric oxidative capacity and cloud processes in the Antarctic troposphere.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2397-3722
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
spelling doaj-art-b8aef5a15b1a46288cf26ce5361b28f02025-08-20T03:45:51ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-08-018111110.1038/s41612-025-01176-9Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistryKeiichiro Hara0Kano Osato1Masanori Yabuki2Kazuo Osada3Naohiko Hirasawa4Masataka Shiobara5Takashi Yamanouchi6Department of Earth System Science, Faculty of Science, Fukuoka UniversityDepartment of Earth System Science, Faculty of Science, Fukuoka UniversityResearch Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto UniversityGraduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya UniversityNational Institute of Polar ResearchNational Institute of Polar ResearchNational Institute of Polar ResearchAbstract Despite the cleanest conditions, haze phenomena were observed at Syowa Station, Antarctica. During our measurements period of 1997–2022, 113 haze events were identified. General characteristics of Antarctic haze such as duration and horizontal scale were obtained from haze event analyses. Antarctic haze near the surface was identified mostly during May–October. Seasonal features of the Antarctic haze appearance were that they were maximal in August and were associated with strong wind conditions and sea-ice extent. Aerosol enhanced layers (AELs) appeared in the surface – free troposphere (ca. 4 km). AELs were identified also in mid-April – October. Furthermore, surface ozone (O3) was depleted during the Antarctic haze. The O3 depletion amount was maximal during August and minimal during polar night (June). Findings suggest that Antarctic haze phenomena make important contributions to atmospheric oxidative capacity and cloud processes in the Antarctic troposphere.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01176-9
spellingShingle Keiichiro Hara
Kano Osato
Masanori Yabuki
Kazuo Osada
Naohiko Hirasawa
Masataka Shiobara
Takashi Yamanouchi
Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
title_full Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
title_fullStr Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
title_full_unstemmed Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
title_short Antarctic haze phenomena at Syowa Station, Antarctica: seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
title_sort antarctic haze phenomena at syowa station antarctica seasonal features and impacts on atmospheric chemistry
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01176-9
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