Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry

, Volume 9, Issue 1–3, pp 383–397 | Cite as

Surface measurements of carbon dioxide and methane at Alert during an Arctic haze event in April, 1986

  • Neil B. A. Trivett
  • Douglas E. J. Worthy
  • Kenneth A. Brice
Article
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Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been measured at Alert by grab flask sampling since 1975 as part of the World Meteorological Organization's Background Air Pollution Monitoring Program. Deviations of CO2 concentration from the mean annual cycle have previously been attributed to air masses arriving at Alert from the source regions of the industrialized parts of Europe and the Soviet Union. In situ measurements of ambient CO2 and methane (CH4) were made at Alert using an automated gas chromatograph, as part of the Arctic Haze Study during April 1986. The temporal behaviour of CO2 and CH4 during this period was found to be highly correlated with measurements of particulate sulphate and other atmospheric trace species of anthropogenic origin. Examination of calculated air mass back-trajectories provided further evidence that the observed short-term increases in CO2 and CH4 mixing ratios were due to long-range transport from anthropogenic source regions.

Keywords

Source Region World Meteorological Organization Particulate Sulphate Trace Species Haze Event 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 1989

Authors and Affiliations

  • Neil B. A. Trivett
    • 1
  • Douglas E. J. Worthy
    • 1
  • Kenneth A. Brice
    • 2
  1. 1.Atmospheric Environment ServiceDownsviewCanada
  2. 2.Concord Scientific CorporationDownsviewCanada

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