Global distribution of gaseous mercury in the troposphere |
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| Authors: | W Seiler C Eberling F Slemr |
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| Institution: | (1) Max-Planck-Institute for Chemistry, Saarstraße 23, 65 Mainz, GFR |
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| Abstract: | Atmospheric mercury concentrations were measured during a nautical expedition on the Atlantic Ocean between Hamburg (54°N, 10°E) and Santo Domingo (20°N, 67°W). In addition, samples were taken during flights on a commerical aircraft in the upper and middle troposphere between 60°N and 55°S, mostly over the Pacific Ocean. The data obtained in the lower troposphere over the Northern Atlantic show considerable variation in the Hg concentrations, with values ranging between 1 and 11 ng/m3; the average concentration was found to be 2.8 ng/m3. The upper tropospheric data show an interhemispheric difference with average values of 1.45 ng/m3 and 1.08 ng/m3 in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. This suggests that mercury production occurs predominantly over the continents both by natural and anthropogenic processes. The mercury content in aerosols was found to be  0.3 ng/m3, or one-tenth of the atmospheric concentration. The data indicate a mean residence time of mercury in the atmosphere of a few months to one year. |
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| Keywords: | Atmospheric chemistry Interhemispheric differences Mercury |
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