Atmospheric carbonyl sulfide sources from anthropogenic activity: Implications for carbon cycle constraints

Journal Article · Tue Apr 28 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Geophysical Research Letters, 42(8):3004-3010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063445· OSTI ID:1182865

Campbell, Elliott; Whelan, Mary; Seibt, U.; Smith, Steven J.; Berry, Joe; Hilton, Timothy W.

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) has recently emerged as an atmospheric tracer of gross primary production. All modeling studies of COS air-monitoring data rely on a climatological anthropogenic inventory that does not reflect present conditions or support interpretation of ice core and firn trends. Here we develop a global anthropogenic inventory for the years 1850 to 2013 based on new emission measurements and material-specific data. By applying methods from a recent regional inventory to global data, we find that the anthropogenic source is similar in magnitude to the plant sink, confounding carbon cycle applications. However, a material-specific approach results in a current anthropogenic source that is only one-third of plant uptake and is concentrated in Asia, supporting carbon cycle applications of global air-monitoring data. Furthermore, the source alone cannot explain the century-scale mixing ratio growth, which suggests that ice and firn data may provide the first global history of gross primary production.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1182865
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-107980; KP1703020
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters, 42(8):3004-3010, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters, 42(8):3004-3010
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English