IDENTIFICATION OF MARINE AEROSOL COMPONENT BY COMBINED NAA AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY WITH X—RAY ANALYSIS

The concentrations of 30 elements in aerosol particles collected in western Pacific ocean have been determined by INAA. The crustal element concentrations decrease with increasing distance from land over the remote area close to Asia land and fluctuate around its average value over the remote ocean area. The volatile elements exhibite average atmospheric concentrations that are higher than those expected from the flux of seasalt or the continental dust. In order to identify marine aerosol component originating from the continent or ocean, the aerosol particles are examined by scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Particle phase structure shows that the crustal aerosol particles are not present internal mixtures with seasalt aerosol, and it also proves the long-range transport of crustal elements from continent to ocean.