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Carbon tetrachloride lifetimes and emissions determined from daily global measurements during 1978–1985

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Abstract

Seven years of daily gas chromatographic measurements of CCl4 at the five globally distributed ALE/GAGE surface sites are reported. It is determined that CCl4 has been accumulating in the atmosphere at a rate of 1.3±0.1%/yr over the period 1978–1985 and that the releases of CCl4 into the atmosphere have remained fairly constant, with the smallest releases in 1981–1982. Using an inversion scheme based on a nine box model of the atmosphere, we infer a CCl4 lifetime of approximately 40 yr, an inventory on 1 July 1978 of (2.08±0.07)×109 kg and an average rate of release over the period 1978–1985 of (0.9±0.9)×107 kg/yr. These results produce excellent agreement with a release scenario derived from global production estimates for CCl4 and the major CCl4 byproduct, the chlorofluorocarbons. However, to obtain this consistency, it is necessary that our current ALE/GAGE absolute calibration standard be reduced approximately 25% thus bringing it into agreement with measurements by Yokohata et al. (1985) and Hanst et al. (1975).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, England

    P. G. Simmonds

  2. School of Geophysical Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 30332, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.

    D. M. Cunnold, F. N. Alyea & C. A. Cardelino

  3. Oregon Graduate Center, Institute of Atmospheric Science, 97005, Beaverton, OR, U.S.A.

    A. J. Crawford & R. A. Rasmussen

  4. Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 02139, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.

    R. G. Prinn

  5. Division of Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, 3195, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia

    P. J. Fraser

  6. Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., 02139, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.

    R. D. Rosen

Authors
  1. P. G. Simmonds
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  2. D. M. Cunnold
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  3. F. N. Alyea
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  4. C. A. Cardelino
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  5. A. J. Crawford
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  6. R. G. Prinn
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  7. P. J. Fraser
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  8. R. A. Rasmussen
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  9. R. D. Rosen
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Simmonds, P.G., Cunnold, D.M., Alyea, F.N. et al. Carbon tetrachloride lifetimes and emissions determined from daily global measurements during 1978–1985. J Atmos Chem 7, 35–58 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048253

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048253

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