Abstract
Background CO2 mole fraction and seasonal variations, measured at Zhongshan station, Antarctica, for 2010 through 2013, exhibit the expected lowest mole fraction in March with a peak in November. Irrespective of wind direction, the mole fraction of CO2 distributes evenly after polluted air from station operations is removed from the data sets. The daily range of average CO2 mole fraction in all four seasons is small. The monthly mean CO2 mole fraction at Zhongshan station is similar to that of other stations in Antarctica, with seasonal CO2 amplitudes in the order of 384–392 µmol∙mol−1. The annual increase in recent years is about 2 µmol∙mol−1∙yr−1. There is no appreciable difference between CO2 mole fractions around the coast of Antarctica and in the interior, showing that CO2 observed in Antarctica has been fully mixed in the atmosphere as it moves from the north through the southern hemisphere.
Highlights
CO2 is a greenhouse gas with a long life span that absorbs infrared radiation in the 12 μm to 17 μm waveband and contributes ~60% global of the greenhouse gas warming potential in the atmosphere [1,2,3]
The mole fraction of CO2 observed at Zhongshan Station is only slightly affected by wind direction and speed
The seasonal variation of CO2 mole fraction at Zhongshan Station reaches the minimum in March after which it begins to rise constantly to the peak in November
Summary
CO2 is a greenhouse gas with a long life span (hundreds of years) that absorbs infrared radiation in the 12 μm to 17 μm waveband and contributes ~60% global of the greenhouse gas warming potential in the atmosphere [1,2,3]. The continuous increase in the mole fraction of all greenhouse gases has elevated atmospheric radiative forcing (climate warming potential) by 34% from 1990 to 2013 [8,9,10,11,12]. This increase is mainly caused by human activities and has attracted the attention of governments and the scientific community around the world [13,14]. Flask sampling and lab analyses have a long history in the monitoring of greenhouse gases at Antarctic stations. An analysis of CO2 mole fractions, measured continuously from 2010 through 2013, along with associated surface meteorological observations at Zhongshan Station, are presented and discussed
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