Distribution of CO 2 in Western Pacific, Studied Using Isotope Data Made in Taiwan, OCO-2 Satellite Retrievals, and CarbonTracker Products

• Published in: Earth and space science (Hoboken, N.J.) N.J.), 2018-11, Vol.5 (11), p.827-842
• Main Authors: Laskar, Amzad H, Lin, Li-Ching, Jiang, Xun, Liang, Mao-Chang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air masses; Anthropogenic factors; Atmosphere; Biomass; Carbon dioxide; Emissions; Fossil fuels; Isotopes; Photosynthesis; Pollutants; Ratios; Satellites; Urban areas; Weather forecasting; Wind; Winter
• ISSN: 2333-5084; 2333-5084
• DOI: 10.1029/2018EA000415

To assess sources and processes that affect the variability of CO at local to regional scales, we have analyzed the mixing ratio [CO ] and stable isotopic compositions (δ C and δ O) of atmospheric CO for three years (2014-2016) in urban and sub-urban areas in Taipei, Taiwan. The data are compared with those from some background sites, viz., Lulin, Mauna Loa, and Minamitorishima, to evaluate how local emissions affect CO level regionally. [CO ] over the urban and sub-urban stations are significantly higher than that observed at the three aforementioned remote sites mainly due to local emissions, which partly mask the seasonal cycle caused by photosynthesis and respiration. Likewise, significantly low δ C and δ O values observed at two Taipei stations also point to anthropogenic emissions. The seasonal cycles in [CO ] and in the isotopic compositions are retrieved using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition method. Regional impact is assessed using CO products from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite, the NOAA/EARL CarbonTracker project, and meteorological data from European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecast-Interim. We found that besides local emissions, Taiwan is largely affected by external CO in winter and spring originated from north, west and southwest landmasses. In winter air masses with elevated CO concentrations, originated in eastern China influence Taipei. In spring season, about 2 ppmv enhancement in CO observed at the top of Lulin, a high mountain station (2.8 km), could be linked to CO produced by biomass burning in the southeast Asian countries and transported to the region by easterly winds.