Molecular Distributions and Compound-Specific Stable Carbon Isotopic Compositions of Plant Wax n-Alkanes in Marine Aerosols along a North–South Transect in the Arctic–Northwest Pacific Region

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper gives a good detail of composition and compound specific isotopic information of biogenic alkanes from an aerosol chemistry filter set from a single voyage and some significant differences based on back-trajectory analyses. For the most part it is clearly written and well presented.  I suggest publication with minor revision. 

  Whilst there are limited other data to compare with it would be useful for the reader to include a bit more discussion of other studies done in coastal regions - e.g. Tao et al. 10.3390/atmos8020033

In the methods, there is no discussion of analytical blanks and recovery efficiency for the extraction methods in Section 2.3.  Can some information be added?  

In Figure 2, the map scales are small. is it possible to use a common lat lon grid for easier comparison between the maps? I realize scale may be an issue overall, improved axes labels are required at least.

Other minor changes and suggestions are made to improve the English"

Li35 insert "of" after typical
Li40 change "the continent" to "continental land"
Li 44 remove "a" before "long-range transport
Li 52 change "with those of the" to "by"
Li 72 change "100 to each" to "100 degrees to each" if correctly interpreted
Li 79 change "arrived to" to "that arrived at"
Li 85 change "retention time" to "residence time"
Li 89 Add capitalisation "Snow"
Li 95 "under a gently N2" is not clear
Li 107 change "pristine" to "pristane" if correct
Li 161 remove the from "showing the" to "showing"
Li 175 change "concentrations measurable" to "concentrations to be measurable"
Li 200, 215, 224, 253 and 281 change "cusmbustions" to "combustion"
Li 244 change "studies reported" to "studies that reported"
Li 249 remove "further"
Li 250 Remove "Nonetheless," -not needed
Li 254 change "in oppose" to "contrary to" ?
Li 255 change "mean" to "means"
Li 268 change "not only involved with" to "related to"
Li 297 change "were as a" to "were a"
Li 298 change "wind systems" to "wind and hence source regions"

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

One note: there are no synoptic conditions during sampling. Were they almost homogeneous or could precipitation be observed in the study region during periods of sampling? Or were periods of severe weather heterogeneity immediately excluded from the presentation of the results? I think that authors should include at least a little clarification on this issue in order to remove doubts about the final results.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx