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Black carbon footprint of human presence in Antarctica

Author

Listed:
  • Raúl R. Cordero

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins)

  • Edgardo Sepúlveda

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins)

  • Sarah Feron

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins
    University of Groningen)

  • Alessandro Damiani

    (Chiba University)

  • Francisco Fernandoy

    (Universidad Andrés Bello)

  • Steven Neshyba

    (University of Puget Sound, Department of Chemistry)

  • Penny M. Rowe

    (NorthWest Research Associates)

  • Valentina Asencio

    (Select Carbon Pty Ltd)

  • Jorge Carrasco

    (University of Magallanes)

  • Juan A. Alfonso

    (Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC), Apartado)

  • Pedro Llanillo

    (Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI))

  • Paul Wachter

    (German Aerospace Center (DLR), German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD))

  • Gunther Seckmeyer

    (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

  • Marina Stepanova

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins)

  • Juan M. Carrera

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins)

  • Jose Jorquera

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Av. Bernardo O’Higgins)

  • Chenghao Wang

    (Stanford University)

  • Avni Malhotra

    (University of Zurich)

  • Jacob Dana

    (Western Washington University)

  • Alia L. Khan

    (Western Washington University
    University of Colorado—Boulder)

  • Gino Casassa

    (University of Magallanes)

Abstract

Black carbon (BC) from fossil fuel and biomass combustion darkens the snow and makes it melt sooner. The BC footprint of research activities and tourism in Antarctica has likely increased as human presence in the continent has surged in recent decades. Here, we report on measurements of the BC concentration in snow samples from 28 sites across a transect of about 2,000 km from the northern tip of Antarctica (62°S) to the southern Ellsworth Mountains (79°S). Our surveys show that BC content in snow surrounding research facilities and popular shore tourist-landing sites is considerably above background levels measured elsewhere in the continent. The resulting radiative forcing is accelerating snow melting and shrinking the snowpack on BC-impacted areas on the Antarctic Peninsula and associated archipelagos by up to 23 mm water equivalent (w.e.) every summer.

Suggested Citation

  • Raúl R. Cordero & Edgardo Sepúlveda & Sarah Feron & Alessandro Damiani & Francisco Fernandoy & Steven Neshyba & Penny M. Rowe & Valentina Asencio & Jorge Carrasco & Juan A. Alfonso & Pedro Llanillo & , 2022. "Black carbon footprint of human presence in Antarctica," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28560-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28560-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew Gray & Monika Krolikowski & Peter Fretwell & Peter Convey & Lloyd S. Peck & Monika Mendelova & Alison G. Smith & Matthew P. Davey, 2020. "Remote sensing reveals Antarctic green snow algae as important terrestrial carbon sink," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Joseph R. McConnell & Nathan J. Chellman & Robert Mulvaney & Sabine Eckhardt & Andreas Stohl & Gill Plunkett & Sepp Kipfstuhl & Johannes Freitag & Elisabeth Isaksson & Kelly E. Gleason & Sandra O. Bru, 2021. "Hemispheric black carbon increase after the 13th-century Māori arrival in New Zealand," Nature, Nature, vol. 598(7879), pages 82-85, October.
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