An evolving history of arctic aerosols

The Fourth International Polar Year (IPY) will run from March 2007 to March 2009. The event will involve scientists to work in over 200 projects, involving 60 nations this time around. The event is different from its predecessors in that it will concentrate on how and why Arctic climate is changing and will involve ground, air, and space-based platforms for the investigation of the transport from midlatitudes of trace aerosol and gas plumes into the Arctic. Meanwhile, the study of the Arctic dates back to the first International Polar Year in 1881-84. Scientists at that time already witnessed the phenomenon of Arctic haze, which is now known to be produced because of anthropogenic activities.