AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Editors' Highlight

Monitoring urban CO₂ emissions on small spatial and time scales

Monitoring the amounts and patterns of fossil fuel emissions will be critical to estimating future carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in the atmosphere. Seeking to improve the spatial and temporal resolution fossil fuel emissions monitoring, Pataki et al. (2006) used a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer to measure CO₂ mixing ratios and associated carbon isotope compositions in the atmosphere over Salt Lake City, Utah, between 15 December 2004 and 20 January 2005. They found a pronounced diurnal pattern that reflected the contribution of gasoline versus natural gas combustion to atmospheric CO₂, where natural gas combustion varied from 30 to 40% of total anthropogenic CO₂ released during evening rush hour and from 60 to 70% during predawn hours. They also observed that during a brief warming period, the proportional contribution of natural gas combustion decreased as air temperatures rose, indicating changes in residential heating patterns. These data show for the first time that atmospheric measurements can be used to infer patterns of energy and fuel usage on hourly to daily timescales.

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