Arctic Aerosols - Key Science Questions

The IASOA working group on Black Carbon has summarized the key science questions as follows:

1. What are the major source regions for Black Carbon entering the Arctic?

2. What is the impact of Black Carbon on the surface albedo of snow and ice covered surfaces?  Does it strongly accelerate melt?

3. How does Black Carbon affect the persistence and radiative affect of clouds in the Arctic?

4. How does the vertical distribution of Black Carbon affect the magnitude of its impact?

5. How do boreal forest fires contribute to Arctic Black Carbon?

6. How does internal mixing and aging of the Black Carbon particle affect its radiative impact and its interaction with cloud droplets?

7. Dry deposition