The concentration of ice nucleating particles (INPs) in the atmosphere is critical for understanding cloud microphysics and predicting the climate system. In this study, we collected surface snow samples along a traverse route from the coastal to the inland of East Antarctica to analyze INP concentrations and identify their spatial variations using a drop-let freezing device. The overall concentration of INPs was found to be considerably low along the route, averaging at 0.8 & PLUSMN; 0.8 x 105 L-1 in water and 4.2 & PLUSMN; 4.8 x 10-3 L-1 in air at -20 & DEG;C. Although coastal areas had higher levels of sea salt species compared to inland regions, the concentration of INPs remained consistent along the route suggesting less important origination of INPs from the around ocean. Additionally, the heating experiment revealed the important contribution of proteinaceous INPs indicating the presence of biological INPs (bio-INPs). The fraction of bio-INPs was 0.52 on average at -20 & DEG;C and ranged from 0.1 to 0.7 from -30 & DEG;C to -15 & DEG;C. Finally, we parameterize the atmo-spheric INP concentrations as a function of freezing temperature which can be useful for modeling INP concentrations in this region.

Aerosols and clouds play important roles in the Arctic climate. Conversely, aerosol emissions and cloud formation are affected by changes in the Arctic climate. This paper reviews studies of aerosols and clouds performed during the Arctic Challenge for Sustainability (ArCS) project carried out by the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) in Japan and collaborating institutions. The ArCS project included intensive studies of black carbon aerosols (BC). We installed Continuous Soot Monitoring System (COSMOS) instruments to measure atmospheric BC at four locations in the Arctic, establishing the Arctic BC COSMOS Measurement Network (ABCMnet). We also measured BC concentrations in snowpack in extensive areas of the Arctic and showed that previous studies have greatly overestimated BC in snowpack. We developed and improved new aerosol models that achieved better agreements with measurements of BC in the Arctic atmosphere, snowpack, and falling snow. We made new estimates of radiative forcing of BC in the Arctic atmosphere and snow/ice surfaces that lower their albedo. In addition to these researches on BC, we made accurate measurements of ice nucleating particles (INPs) at Ny-?lesund, Svalbard, showing that their concentrations increased in summer as a result of dust particle emissions from glacial outwash sediments. This high ice nucleating ability was likely due to the presence of organic substances mixed with the dust particles. We also made continuous cloud radar measurements and the first continuous in-situ measurements of cloud microphysical properties in the Arctic at Ny-?lesund. Results from these cloud measurements and their relationship with aerosols are described.