We have demonstrated during the GLWF2012 round-the-world campaign that a lightweight aircraft can provide valuable information on BC concentrations, their regional heterogeneity and vertical profiles with a minor payload and for a fraction of the cost associated with large airborne platforms (Moènik 2012). In late spring 2013 during the flight to the North Pole the same measurements will be carried out. We have modified the aircraft to include an aerosol inlet and a prototype Aethalometer will be used to measure BC. Additional auxiliary measurements will be carried out onboard. We will attempt to measure the effect of the shipping on the BC concentrations in the Arctic during the flight, and analyze the spectral dependence of aerosol absorption to determine the sources (Sandradewi 2008). During flight plumes of pollution might be encountered and using back trajectories possible source regions will be identifed. |