Monitoring Troposphere Carbon Dioxide Spatial and Temporal Distribution Changes over China

Carbon dioxide is an important component of the Earth's atmosphere because it absorbs and emits infrared radiation at wavelengths of 4.26 μm and 14.99 μm, thereby playing a role in the greenhouse effect. The concentration of the carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has reached 391 ppm (parts per million) as of October 2012 and rose by 2.0 ppm/yr during 2000-2009. Global carbon dioxide emissions are widely seen as a major factor responsible for an increase in world temperatures. The carbon dioxide emissions in China have grown strongly in the past decade. It overtakes the United States and has become the world's largest energy consumer. In this work we analyze atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration variability on both temporal and spatial scale over China. AIRS mid-tropospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO_2) Level 3 Monthly Gridded data showed that the average distribution of carbon dioxide concentration in the middle troposphere over China from January 2003 to December 2011 was extremely uneven showing a great seasonal component. High consistency of the seasonal variation characteristics was observed between the AIRS data and Waliguan close ground station data from 2003 to 2011. High concentrations were observed over the northeast plain, Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region March to May as compared to the lower values over the southern region. Over the 35°N-45°N range there were significant enhancements, yet Tibetan plateau and Yunan showed lower carbon dioxide concentration. In summer, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang Uygur and northern Gansu showed high concentrations, yet in September and October, the high value was still concentrated in the north area about latitude 40°N. During the winter season high carbon dioxide concentrations fluctuated between eastern regions in December and the western Xinjiang, Qinghai province and in most parts of the eastern area during January and February. Hence, we have found that spring concentrations are highest while the winter ones are the lowest. Further analysis is undergoing between the carbon dioxide concentrations and the surface average temperature. Preliminary results show that the carbon dioxide average concentration has linear rising trend over the past 9 years and have an obvious seasonal variability.