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Quantifying aluminum and semiconductor industry perfluorocarbon emissions from atmospheric measurements
Author(s) -
Kim Jooil,
Fraser Paul J.,
Li Shanlan,
Mühle Jens,
Ganesan Anita L.,
Krummel Paul B.,
Steele L. Paul,
Park Sunyoung,
Kim SeungKyu,
Park MiKyung,
Arnold Tim,
Harth Christina M.,
Salameh Peter K.,
Prinn Ronald G.,
Weiss Ray F.,
Kim KyungRyul
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2014gl059783
Subject(s) - greenhouse gas , semiconductor industry , environmental science , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric emissions , atmospheric research , atmospheric sciences , aluminium , meteorology , materials science , metallurgy , engineering , geology , physics , manufacturing engineering , oceanography
The potent anthropogenic perfluorocarbon greenhouse gases tetrafluoromethane (CF 4 ) and hexafluoroethane (C 2 F 6 ) are emitted to the atmosphere mainly by the aluminum and semiconductor industries. Global emissions of these perfluorocarbons (PFCs) calculated from atmospheric measurements are significantly greater than expected from reported national and industry‐based emission inventories. In this study, in situ measurements of the two PFCs in the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment network are used to show that their emission ratio varies according to the relative regional presence of these two industries, providing an industry‐specific emission “signature” to apportion the observed emissions. Our results suggest that underestimated emissions from the global semiconductor industry during 1990–2010, as well as from China's aluminum industry after 2002, account for the observed differences between emissions based on atmospheric measurements and on inventories. These differences are significant despite the large uncertainties in emissions based on the methodologies used by these industries.