Preliminary study of CO 2 variations at Amsterdam Island (Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises)

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research
• Main Authors: Gaudry, A., Ascencio, J., M, Lambert, G.
• Other Authors: Centre des Faibles Radioactivités, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 1983
• Subjects: [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces; environment; Amsterdam Island; Antarc*; Antarctique*
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03514043; https://hal.science/hal-03514043/document; https://hal.science/hal-03514043/file/Journal%20of%20Geophysical%20Research%20Oceans%20-%2020%20February%201983%20-%20Gaudry%20-%20Preliminary%20study%20of%20CO2%20variations%20at%20Amsterdam.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/JC088iC02p01323

International audience The preliminary measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentrations performed at Amsterdam Island between April and the end of 1980 showed two kinds of short-term variations. The first one, attributed to local effects of the photosynthesis of the island vegetation, does not seem considerably to affect the monthly mean CO 2 concentrations. The second one has been attributed to long range transport phenomena. That corresponds to large scale meteorological perturbations and generally is correlated with variations of the atmospheric radon concentrations. Therefore, the existence of regional CO2 sources and sinks in the southern hemisphere can be felt at a very large distance. Consequently, isolated measurements of geographical gradients, could correspond to a transitory situation and should not be utilized for the determination of these sources and sinks.