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A long‐term record of carbonyl sulfide (COS) in two hemispheres from firn air measurements
Author(s) -
Sturges William T.,
Penkett Stuart A.,
Barnola JeanMarc,
Chappellaz Jerome,
Atlas Elliot,
Stroud Verity
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.1029/2001gl013958
Subject(s) - firn , carbonyl sulfide , dimethyl sulfide , atmospheric sciences , carbon disulfide , arctic , sulfate , aerosol , sulfide , environmental science , stratosphere , atmospheric chemistry , ozone , geology , climatology , chemistry , sulfur , physical geography , snow , oceanography , geography , geomorphology , organic chemistry
Carbonyl sulfide (COS) was measured in polar firn air from one Arctic and two Antarctic locations. The air samples represent atmospheric composition from the early to mid‐20 th century up to the present day. This provides the longest record to date of atmospheric COS. Southern Hemispheric (SH) concentrations appear to have been almost constant at 482±13 ppt over this period, apart from a slight rise in the earliest part of the record. Northern Hemispheric (NH) concentrations also showed relatively little variation with a mean of 525±17 ppt. Over the last ten years, however, NH concentrations appear to have declined by about 8±5%. Such a decline might be due to decreased carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) emissions by the viscose‐rayon industry. The absence of any large trend in COS concentrations over the last fifty or more years argues against COS being the origin of reported increases in stratospheric sulfate aerosol.