Publication Date:
2013-03-21
Description:
Emissions of CO, CH 4 and CO 2 in East Asia were estimated using the atmospheric concentration of 222 Rn measured at Minamitorishima (MNM) and Yonagunijima (YON) with a high-precision 222 Rn measuring system. The 222 Rn measurements showed a distinct seasonal variation, as well as enhanced 222 Rn (ERN) events associated with high-frequency synoptic variations. The enhancements of CO, CH 4 and CO 2 coincided with the ERN events at MNM and YON. The enhancement ratios ΔCH 4 /ΔRn, ΔCO 2 /ΔRn and ΔCO/ΔRn calculated for the ERN events and corrected for the radioactive decay of 222 Rn during the transport were used to estimate the emissions of CO, CH 4 and CO 2 by multiplying a constant 222 Rn exhalation rate of 1.0 atom cm −2 s −1 and the associated catchment area estimated by a 3D transport model. By modifying the categorisation of the sources, the 222 Rn-derived emissions of CO 2 and CH 4 were found to be in agreement with the published emission databases. As for the CO emission, results of our study were consistent with the REAS CO emission database but showed that the EDGAR database underestimates the CO emission over East Asia by about 44%. It is demonstrated that the 222 Rn tracer method used in this study could provide a useful and independent tool to verify the trace gas emissions in East Asia. Keywords: East Asian pollution, trace gas emission, radon tracer method, atmospheric radon measurement (Published: 20 March 2013) Citation: Tellus B 2013, 65 , 18037, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v65i0.18037
Print ISSN:
0280-6509
Electronic ISSN:
1600-0889
Topics:
Geography
,
Physics
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