IMPact of ArCtic permafrost Thawing on atmospheric composition – IMPACT

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and atmospheric oxidants have critical roles in the troposphere by notably ubiquitously forming organic particles that have major impacts on climate change and air quality. Of primary importance, ultrafine particles are believed to occur through the condensation of oxygenated volatile organic compounds and inorganic species. While physical processes yielding new particles are more and more constrained, we are unable to predict fine atmospheric aerosol concentrations and spatial distribution, particularly in remote places such as the Arctic. This lack of knowledge is notably due to existing shortcomings in VOC sources. IMPACT aims to quantify the reactive gaseous species released by permafrost thawing and their impact on particles formation in the Arctic.

IMPACT focuses on the emissions of gaseous species from permafrost thawing, where this extensive source of organic and inorganic materials is anticipated to have consequences on the atmospheric composition. By exploiting recent instrumental developments and using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry techniques, IMPACT will provide an understanding of the chemical processes occurring over the Arctic in the present and future times. To do so, field, laboratory, and modeling experiments will be performed to establish the central role of the permafrost in VOC emissions and its impact on the formation of new particles over the Arctic.

In summary, by investigating a disregarded source of VOC in the Arctic, IMPACT will provide critical insights to support more accurate predictions of the permafrost carbon feedback to climate, thereby decreasing the uncertainties in assessing the magnitude of aerosol effects on climate.