Development of an autonomous aerosol sampler for ocean buoys and land sites

Abstract

The authors have successfully designed, built and tested an aerosol sampler which is capable of collecting, in an unattended manner, a time-series set of aerosol samples (aerosol-embedded filters) from moored ocean buoys and remote areas on land. Research on aerosols, in particular, and atmospheric chemistry, in general, has not been previously attempted from buoys. Aerosols entering and leaving the ocean play an important role in climate change, ocean productivity, pollutant transport and atmospheric optics. This report discusses (1) the scientific applications of a buoy-mounted aerosol sampler, (2) the advantages of using buoys as research platforms and (3) the authors' new instrument. Also discussed are the results of a four month test of the aerosol sampler on the AEROCE (Atmosphere/Ocean Chemistry Experiment) tower in Bermuda and the results of a three month test on a buoy moored in Vineyard Sound off Woods Hole, MA USA. The direct comparison between WHOI filters and AEROCE filters from the Bermuda tower is very encouraging as the Fe concentrations of aerosols compare to within 10-15% over a wide range of values. Aerosol sampling from a buoy moored in coastal waters was successfully tested under a variety of atmospheric and oceanic conditions.