Atmospheric Sulfur Hexafluoride: Measurements and Emission Estimates from 1970 - 2008

We present an air history of atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) from the early 1970s through 2008. During this period, concentrations of this extremely potent and long-lived greenhouse gas have increased by more than an order of magnitude, and its growth has accelerated in recent years. In this study, historical concentrations are determined from archived air samples measured on the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) ‘Medusa’ gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system. These data are combined with modern high-frequency measurements from the AGAGE and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in situ networks and ∼weekly samples from the NOAA flask network, to produce a unique time series with increasing global coverage spanning almost four decades. Using the three-dimensional chemical transport Model for Ozone and Related Tracers (MOZART v4.5) and a discrete Kalman filter, we derive estimates of the annual emission strength of SF6 on hemispheric scales from 1970 - 2004 and on continental scales from 2004 - 2008. Our emission estimates are compared to the recently compiled Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR v4), and emissions reported under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The cause of the recent growth rate increase is also investigated, indicating that the origin of the required emissions rise is likely to be South-East Asia.