The origin and composition of aerosols in the Alaskan airshed

Abstract

Since the Alaskan airshed north of the Alaska Range receives a substantial portion of its anthropogenic aerosol and gaseous pollutants through long-range transport, Alaskan air quality is influenced to an unusually high degree by the political and economic events of other countries. An understanding of the political and economic forces at work in the various circumpolar nations is key to an understanding of the observed decline in Arctic haze, the present state of Arctic air pollution, and likely future developments. It is shown in this thesis that Arctic haze has declined in Interior Alaska over the last decade and a half. This decline appears to be driven by the widespread emission reductions which have occurred in North America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union (FSU) between 1988 and 1998. If true, this linkage indicates that the story of Arctic haze is not yet a post-mortem. EMEP projections for 2005 foresee a continuing decline in emissions across Europe and a leveling off in North America, but emissions in the European FSU are expected to double by 2005. Events in the FSU, and perhaps Asia as well, threaten to abrogate any further progress made by Europe and North America and could perhaps revive the phenomenon.