Abstract
Sde Boker, in the Negev Desert of Israel, is a long-term station for investigating anthropogenic and natural aerosols in the eastern Mediterranean in the framework of the Aerosol, Radiation and Chemistry Experiment (ARACHNE). Ground-level measurements of physical and chemical properties of aerosols and supporting trace gases were performed during an intensive campaign in summer 1996 (ARACHNE-96). Fine non sea salt (nss)-SO4(2-) averaged 8 +/- 3 micro-g/cu m and fine black carbon averaged 1.4 +/- 0.5 micro-g/cu m, comparable to values observed off the east coast of the U.S. Optical parameters relevant for radiative forcing calculations were determined. The lack of correlation between SO2 and nss-SO4(2-) indicates that the conversion of regional SO2 into the particulate phase is not an efficient process in summerm, and that aged pollution dominates the accumulation mode particle concentrations. (Author)