Characteristics and source of black carbon aerosols at Akedala station, Central Asia

Black carbon concentration and weather data were online monitored continuously from March 2008 to February 2009 at the Akedala regional atmosphere station in the arid region of Central Asia. We present the daily, monthly and seasonal variations of BC concentration in the atmosphere and discuss the possible emission sources. Black carbon concentration in this region varies in the range of 43.7–1,559.2 ng/m3. A remarkable seasonal variation of BC in the aerosol was observed in the order of winter > spring > autumn > summer. The peak value of BC appeared at 10:00–13:00 while the lowest one at 7:00–9:00 each day. Air masses backward trajectories show the potential emission sources in the northwest from spring to autumn. Through back trajectory also revealed that BC in winter might be attributed to the emission from the anthropogenic activities, including domestic heating, cooking, combustion of oil and natural gas, and the medium-range transport from those cities in northern slope of Tianshan Mountains and Siberia. Some BC aerosols from the arid region of Central Asia were transported to the Pacific Ocean by the Westerlies.