Denis Valentinovich Simonenkov

Atmospheric sounding using the Tu-134 Optik aircraft-laboratory was conducted in September 2020 over the seas of the Russian sector of the Arctic Ocean, namely the Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi and Bering seas. Unique samples of atmospheric aerosols at altitudes from 200 and up to 10,000 m were taken, including samples for the identification of cultivated microorganisms and their genetic analysis. Data on the concentration and diversity of bacteria and fungi isolated from 24 samples of atmospheric aerosols are presented; the main phenotypic and genomic characteristics were obtained for 152 bacterial cultures; and taxonomic belonging was determined. The concentration of cultured microorganisms detected in aerosols of different locations was similar, averaging 5.5 × 10³ CFU/m³. No dependence of the number of isolated microorganisms on the height and location of aerosol sampling was observed. The presence of pathogenic and condto shitionally pathogenic bacteria, including those referred to in the genera Staphylococcus, Kocuria, Rothia, Comamonas, Brevundimonas, Acinetobacter, and others, as well as fungi represented by the widely spread genera Aureobasidium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Penicillium, capable of causing infectious and allergic diseases were present in most analyzed samples. Obtained data reveal the necessity of systematic studies of atmospheric microbiota composition to combat emerging population diseases.

The average monthly profiles of the dust extinction coefficient (ε) were analyzed according to the CALIOP lidar data from 2006–2021 for 24 cells (size of 2° × 5°) in the Aral-Caspian arid region (ACAR; 38–48°N, 50–70°E). Using the NOAA HYSPLIT_4 trajectory model and the NCEP GDAS1 gridded (resolution of 1° × 1°) archive of meteorological data, the array of >1 million 10-day forward trajectories (FTs) of air particles that started from the centers of the ACAR cells was calculated. On the basis of the FT array, the average seasonal heights of the mixed layer (ML) for the ACAR cells were reconstructed. Estimates of the average seasonal dust optical depth (DOD) were obtained for ACAR’s lower troposphere, for ACAR’s ML (“dust emission layer” (EL)), and for the lower troposphere above the ML (“dust transit layer” (TL)) above each of the ACAR cells. Using the example of ACAR, it is shown that the analysis of DOD for the EL, TL and the surface layer (SL; the first 200 m AGL) makes it possible to identify dusty surfaces that are not detected on DOD diagrams for the entire atmospheric column, as well as regions where the regular transport of aged dust from remote sources can generate false sources. Based on FT array, the fields of the potential contribution of both the ACAR’s dust transit and the ACAR’s dust emission layers as well as of the entire ACAR’s lower troposphere into the DOD of the surrounding and remote regions are retrieved using the original method of potential impact of a three-dimensional source (3D-PSI). It has been found out that ACAR dust spreads over almost the entire Northern Hemisphere; the south and southeast regions of the ACAR are subject to the maximum impact of the ACAR dust. Quantitative estimates of the potential contribution of ACAR dust to the regional DODs are given for a number of control sites in the Northern Hemisphere. The results could be useful for climatological studies.

The purpose of this study was to compare the concentration of total protein, as well as the composition and abundance of culturable microorganisms in atmospheric aerosols collected over the Vasyugan marshes and the Karakan pine forest during a flight in September 2018 at altitudes from 500 to 7000 m. The determined concentrations of total protein in Karakan samples were on average much less than those for the same area in September of other years. The concentration and composition of microorganisms in aerosol samples were determined by cultural methods and isolate genotyping. Altitude dependences of concentrations of total protein and culturable microorganisms were revealed. A rather stable altitude profile of culturable microorganism concentration was found over the Vasyugan marshes. No microorganisms were found at altitudes 4000 and 5500 m over the Karakan pine forest. Non-spore-bearing and spore-forming bacteria, as well as molds and yeast-like fungi, were isolated from aerosol samples. A high concentration of cosmopolitan psychrotolerant yeast Aureobasidium, capable of causing severe mycoses, and opportunistic bacteria Acinetobacter were found. A great similarity of composition and an atypically high abundance of non-spore-bearing bacteria and psychrotolerant yeast-like fungi were revealed in samples taken at altitudes of 1000 and 500 m in both studied regions, which may be a consequence of large-scale horizontal transport of layers of atmospheric air contaminated with microorganisms.

лов В. И., Бучельников В. С. Геохимическая активность снега и послойная изменчивость изотопного состава кислорода ( 18 О) в снежной толще в условиях разной запыленности приземной атмосферы // Вестник геонаук. 2022. 10(334). C. 49-62.

We analyze the results of the laser granulometry of a nanosized fraction of settled aerosol substance and UV spectrometry of water washouts from the surfaces of different-age needles of four forest-forming plant species. The activity of efflorescence of phenolic compounds onto different–age needle surfaces is estimated for the period of winter dormancy of plants. A possibility is shown for the secondary organic aerosol production as a result of photoactivated reactions between phenolic compounds and deposited aerosol substance. It is discussed how secondary organic aerosols can enter the winter forest canopy under the influence of the radiometric photophoresis. The secondary aerosol photophoresis in the field of IR radiation, leaving the snow cover surface (“snow” photophoresis), is speculated to affect significantly the vertical transport of the secondary organic aerosols in the winter coniferous forest canopy.

Background: Biological components of atmospheric aerosol affect the quality of atmospheric air. Long-term trends in changes of the concentrations of total protein (a universal marker of the biogenic component of atmospheric aerosol) and culturable microorganisms in the air are studied. Methods: Atmospheric air samples are taken at two locations in the south of Western Siberia and during airborne sounding of the atmosphere. Sample analysis is carried out in the laboratory using standard culture methods (culturable microorganisms) and the fluorescence method (total protein). Results: Negative trends in the average annual concentration of total protein and culturable microorganisms in the air are revealed over more than 20 years of observations. For the concentration of total protein and culturable microorganisms in the air, intra-annual dynamics is revealed. The ratio of the maximum and minimum values of these concentrations reaches an order of magnitude. The variability of concentrations does not exceed, as a rule, two times for total protein and three times for culturable microorganisms. At the same time, for the data obtained in the course of airborne sounding of the atmosphere, a high temporal stability of the vertical profiles of the studied concentrations was found. The detected biodiversity of culturable microorganisms in atmospheric air samples demonstrates a very high variability at all observation sites. Conclusions: The revealed long-term changes in the biological components of atmospheric aerosol result in a decrease in their contribution to the atmospheric air quality index.

The stratosphere and troposphere are the main layers that define a significant part of the atmospheric processes of our planet. They are demarcated by the tropopause - a layer that has a stable stratification and makes it difficult to exchange air between them. As a consequence, the composition of the air differs slightly in the stratosphere and troposphere. However, the tropopause is not a fully material impermeable surface and therefore the exchange of impurities between both layers occurs. Under the conditions of a changing climate, the composition of the air in the troposphere has also noticeably changed. Therefore, it is important to study the processes of air exchange between the troposphere and stratosphere in a warming climate, especially if we take into account that one of the proposed geoengineering methods assumes to affect climate-forming factors by means of spraying sulphate particles into the stratosphere.Here, we present the results of airborne measurements of the size distribution and chemical composition of aerosols carried out at the tropopause level and in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) using the 'Optik' Tu-134 aircraft laboratory as a research platform. For the analysis, we have chosen 14 flight segments when the aircraft crossed the tropopause, which level was determined by the temperature gradient (up to 2°C/ km). All the selected profiles of atmospheric constituents were measured over the Russian Arctic seas or coastal areas, since the tropopause in the northern latitudes is much lower than in the middle ones.Significant differences in the elemental composition of aerosol particles were revealed in the UTLS. Si was dominated in the composition of stratospheric particles, and Fe or Al in the tropospheric ones. The ionic composition of the LS aerosols was predominantly represented by sulfates (SO42-), while tropospheric ones by a group of different ions.The particle number size distributions (PNSD) in both UT and LS were dominated by the Aitken mode (20-50 nm). At the same time, there were some differences in PNSD – in the stratosphere, the distribution curve was shifted towards larger sizes that suggests the older age of particles measured there. It is also important to note that the nucleation mode particles (3–20 nm) were also detected during some flights in the lower stratosphere. This indicates that, despite the low humidity and the very low content of ammonia here, the processes of the new particle formation (NPF) in the stratosphere were taking place. Taking into account the dominance of SO42- in the ionic composition, one can be assumed that sulfuric acid played a dominant role in the lower stratospheric NPF.This work was supported by the grant of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Agreement No 075-15-2021-934).

Aerosols play an important role in radiation processes in the atmosphere, as well as they have a significant impact on global and regional air quality. The process of the atmospheric nanoparticle formation starts from in situ conversion of condensable vapors. Then, the freshly formed nanometer-size clusters begin to grow due to the condensation of nucleating vapours on them and a self-coagulation as well, thus reaching the optically active size ranges. The relative contribution of the above mechanisms can be estimated by the chemical composition of size-segregated particles. Here, we present preliminary results of the analysis of aerosol samples characterizing the inorganic chemical composition of particles ranging from a few nm to 10 mm. The sampling was performed at Fonovaya Observatory (West Siberia) in October 2021 by means of the Model 125R Nano-MOUDI Impactor.The analysis showed that in the lowest size range (<10 nm), only five ions were detected: SO42-, Cl-, K+, Na+, H+. The growth of the nucleation mode particles to the size range of 60-100 nm was accompanied by increasing content of SO42-, Na+, H+ ions to 50, 37 and 13%, respectively, suggesting the condensation of H2SO4 vapours or the coagulation of particles contained mainly Na2SO4. A content of ammonium ions (NH4+) appeared to be significant only in the accumulation mode size range (0.1-1.0 mm). Nitrates (NO3-) were detected mainly in the Aitken mode particles and then their contribution increases in accumulation and coarse mode ranges.This work was supported by the RFBR grant No. 19-05-50024 (Microparticles in the atmosphere: formation and transformation in the atmospheric surface layer and in the free troposphere, radiation effects and impact on public health).

We describe a method of ultraviolet radiation dosimetry based on recording the photostimulated transition Mn³⁺ + e⁻ → Мn²⁺ in ultrafine magnesium oxide with a periclase crystal structure. It is shown that this photoeffect can be recorded using the method of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The passive integrating ultraviolet detector (UV detector) is suggested to be developed on the basis of tubes with ultrafine magnesium oxide and through recording EPR lines of Mn²⁺ ions after these tubes are exposed to light. This new UV detector was tested in comparative estimation of layer-by-layer variations in the ultraviolet transparency of snow cover. It is discussed how the powder UV detector can be used in a passive monitoring of ultraviolet radiation incident on the Earth’s surface in the framework of studying the stability of tundra ecosystems under the conditions of stratospheric ozone depletion in the Arctic.