OBSERVATION AND INVESTIGATION OF VARIABILITIES OF BASELINE CO2 CONCENTRATION OVER WALIGUAN MOUNTAIN IN QINGHAI PROVINCE OF CHINA*

In-situ measurement of atmospheric CO₂ was made at the top of the Waliguan Mountain(36°17'N,100°54'E,3816 m asl).where the air is not directly affected by the local anthropogenic and natural sources,by using a nondispersive infrared(NDIR)analyzer and following the procedures proposed by WMO.The CO₂ in the flask samples collected on the mountain was also analyzed in a laboratory.The measurements uncover the daily,monthly and seasonal variabilities and the baseline level of the CO₂ in the air over the "clean" area of Chinese hinterland.Results suggest that the CO₂ concentration over the East Asia continent has evident periodical variation,similar to that of global distribution.In 1992,an annual mean baseline CO₂ concentration of 356.4 ppm over the continent was obtained.The annual mean value was 357.2 ppm for 1993.Some relationships between the CO₂ concentration at Waliguan and the weather conditions,especially,wind speed and direction are found through the observation.