Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Harris, J. M.
• Dlugokencky, E. J.
• Oltmans, S. J.
• Tans, P. P.
• Conway, T. J.
• Novelli, P. C.
• Thoning, K. W.
• Kahl, J. D. W.

Titel

An interpretation of trace gas correlations during Barrow, Alaska, winter dark periods, 1986-1997

Ist Teil von

• Journal of Geophysical Research, Washington, DC, 2000-07, Vol.105 (D13), p.17267-17278

Ort / Verlag

Washington, DC: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2000

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley Online Library Journals Frontfile Complete

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Positive correlations among CO, CO2, and CH4 during winter–spring have been observed at Barrow, Alaska, for many years. We examine these, as well as negative correlations between O3 and these gases, during the winter dark period. Because biogenic and photochemical processes are limited within this environment, we believe that pollution is driving these relationships. The dearth of mixing processes within the Arctic basin, the strong stability of the winter boundary layer, and lack of sunlight (and hence low OH) contribute to the winter–spring maxima in CO, CO2, and CH4. We hypothesize that the negative correlation of O3 with these gases is the result of O3 titration by NO and NO2 (NOx) in industrial plumes, which leads to the destruction of one to two molecules of O3 per NO emitted. Using the empirical slopes of O3/CO2 and O3/CO determined from 12 years of Barrow data, we derived emission factors, ΔNOx/ΔCO2 and ΔNOx/ΔCO, assuming −1.5 O3/NO because of titration. Comparing these with published emission factors for NOx, CO2, and CO from industrial processes, we found good agreement. This pollution signature is regionally widespread, although air parcels transported from the direction of Siberia have the highest mixing ratios of pollutant gases. Possible scenarios leading to these trace gas relationships are explored.