We have studied the vertical distributions of combustion-generated graphitic carbon particles and their associated absorption coefficients in the Arctic. These distributions show substantial concentrations of graphitic particles throughout the Arctic troposphere. Vertical profiles in the Norwegian Arctic can show both a strongly layered structure and an almost uniform distribution. Concentrations of graphitic particles within layers can be as large as those found in typical urban areas in the United States. The absorption optical depths associated with these vertical profiles are large enough to cause a substantial change in the solar radiation balance over a highly reflecting surface.