Arctic Atmospheric VOC Measurements from the ASCOS Expedition

Continuous one-minute time series of volatile organic compounds measured in the central Arctic during the 2008 ASCOS expedition. Data was collected via Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry from August 1 to September 9, 2008 by the SCIOPS organization. The dataset focuses on compounds including dimethyl sulfide, acetonitrile, acetone, benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends in dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentrations to study marine biological activity's influence on Arctic atmosphere.
• Correlate pollution markers like benzene, toluene, and xylene with meteorological data to trace anthropogenic influence in the Arctic.
• Use full mass scans (m/z < 317) for untargeted analysis to discover previously unmonitored VOCs present above the detection limit.
• Model the relationship between acetone and acetonitrile concentrations as tracers for different atmospheric processes and sources.

Strengths

• High temporal resolution with continuous one-minute measurements.
• Full mass spectral scans up to m/z 317 for broad chemical characterization.
• Data collected during a focused, interdisciplinary Arctic expedition (ASCOS).

Limitations

• Specific row count, column details, and sample size are unknown.
• Data is from a single expedition in 2008, limiting temporal generalizability.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to the central Arctic cruise track of the IB Oden.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS organization via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Continuous measurement using Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight (PTR-TOF) mass spectrometry.

Time Range

August 1 to September 9, 2008.

Freshness

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Geography

Central Arctic Ocean, along the icebreaker Oden expedition track.