Effect of Model Resolution on Black Carbon Transport from Siberia to the Arctic Associated with the Well-Developed Low-Pressure Systems in September

Atmospheric transport of aerosols such as black carbon (BC) affects the absorption/scattering of solar radiation, precipitation, and snow/ice cover, especially in areas of low human activity such as the Arctic. The resolution dependency of simulated BC transport from Siberia to the Arctic, related to the well-developed low-pressure systems in September, was evaluated using the Nonhydrostatic Icosahedral Atmospheric Model-Spectral Radiation Transport Model for Aerosol Species (NICAM-SPRINTARS) with fine (similar to 56 km) and coarse (similar to 220 km) horizontal resolutions. These low-pressure systems have a large horizontal scale (similar to 2000 km) with the well-developed central pressure located on the transport pathway from East Asia to the Arctic through Siberia. In recent years, the events analysis of the most developed low-pressure system indicated that the high-BC area in the Bering Sea observed by the Japanese research vessel Mirai on September 26 - 27, 2016, moved to the Arctic with a filamental structure from the low's center to the behind of the cold front and ahead of the warm front in relation to its ascending motion on September 27 - 28, 2016. The composite analysis for the developed low-pressure events in September from 2015 to 2018 indicated that the high-BC area was located eastward of the low's center in relation to the ascending motion over the low's center and northward/eastward area. Since the area of the maximum ascending motion has a small horizontal scale, this was not well simulated by the 220-km experiment. The study identified that the BC transport to the Arctic in September is enhanced by the well-developed low-pressure systems. The results of the transport model indicate that the material transport processes to the Arctic by the well-developed low-pressure systems are enhanced in the fine horizontal resolution (similar to 56 km) models relative to the coarse horizontal resolution (similar to 220 km) models.

Automated summary

The atmospheric transport of aerosols, such as black carbon, has a significant impact on the Arctic region, affecting solar radiation, precipitation, and snow/ice cover. The study evaluated the resolution dependency of simulated black carbon transport from Siberia to the Arctic using a model, and found that the transport to the Arctic in September is enhanced by well-developed low-pressure systems. Results suggest that finer horizontal resolutions models are more effective in enhancing material transport processes to the Arctic through these low-pressure systems compared to coarser resolutions.