Katabatic Wind and Sea-Ice Dynamics Drive Isotopic Variations of Total Gaseous Mercury on the Antarctic Coast

Clarifying the sources and fates of atmospheric mercury (Hg) in the Antarctic is crucial to understand the global Hg circulation and its impacts on the fragile ecosystem of the Antarctic. Herein, the annual variations in the isotopic compositions of total gaseous Hg (TGM), with 5-22 days of sampling duration for each sample, were presented for the first time to provide isotopic evidence of the sources and environmental processes of gaseous Hg around the Chinese Great Wall Station (GWS) in the western Antarctic. Different from the Arctic tundra and lower latitude areas in the northern hemisphere, positive delta Hg-202 (0.58 +/- 0.21 parts per thousand, mean +/- 1SD) and negative Delta Hg-199 (-0.30 +/- 0.10 parts per thousand, mean +/- 1SD) in TGM at the GWS indicated little impact from the vegetation-air exchange in the Antarctic. Correlations among TGM Delta Hg-199, air temperature, and ozone concentrations suggested that enhanced katabatic wind that transported inland air masses to the continental margin elevated TGM Delta Hg-199 in the austral winter, while the surrounding marine surface emissions controlled by sea-ice dynamics lowered TGM Delta Hg-199 in the austral summer. The oxidation of Hg(0) might elevate Delta Hg-199 in TGM during atmospheric Hg depletion events but have little impact on the seasonal variations of atmospheric Hg isotopes. The presented atmospheric Hg isotopes were essential to identify the transport and transformation of atmospheric Hg and further understand Hg cycling in the Antarctic.

Automated summary

This study presents annual variations in the isotopic compositions of total gaseous mercury (TGM) around the Chinese Great Wall Station in the Antarctic, revealing the influence of wind patterns and sea-ice dynamics on atmospheric mercury isotopes in the region.