Atmospheric trace gases in antarctica.

ABSTRACT

Trace gases have been measured, by electron-capture gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques, at the South Pole (SP) in Antarctica and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) ( approximately 45 degrees N) during January of each year from 1975 to 1980. These measurements show that the concentrations of CCl(3)F, CCl(2)F(2), and CH(3)CCl(3) have increased exponentially at substantial rates. The concentration of CCl(3)F increased at 12 percent per year at the SP and at 8 percent per year in the PNW; CCl(2)F(2) increased at about 9 percent per year at both locations, and CH(3)CCl(3) increased at 17 percent per year at the SP and 11.6 percent per year at the PNW site. There is some evidence that CCl(4) ( approximately 3 percent per year) and N(2)O (0.1 to 0.5 percent per year) may also have increased. Concentrations of nine other trace gases of importance in atmospheric chemistry are also being measured at these two locations. Results of the measurements of CHClF(2)(F-22), C(2)Cl(3)F(3)(F-113), SF(6), C(2)-hydrocarbons, and CH(3)Cl are reported here.