ESTIMATION OF PREINDUSTRIAL OPTICAL DEPTH OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN POLAR HAZE IN THE ARCTIC AND RECENT CONTRIBUTION TO ANTHROPOGENIC EMISSIONS

E. N. Rusina and V. F. Radionov

The results of studies confirming the influence of the emission reduction in Russia and other countries of the Northern Hemisphere for the period from 1985 to 1995 on the Arctic atmospheric transparency are dealt with. An approach is proposed and a quantitative estimate is obtained for the optical depth of the Arctic atmosphere τ2 in a period of polar haze in the preindustrial epoch, i.e., in the absence of anthropogenic emissions. This estimate enables one to control contribution of anthropogenic emissions using observed data on τ2 in the spring.