Surface measurements of carbon dioxide and methane at Alert during an Arctic haze event in April, 1986

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been measured at Alert by grab flask sampling since 1975 as part of the World Meteorological Organization's Background Air Pollution Monitoring Program. Deviations of CO₂ concentration from the mean annual cycle have previously been attributed to air masses arriving at Alert from the source regions of the industrialized parts of Europe and the Soviet Union. In situ measurements of ambient CO₂ and methane (CH₄) were made at Alert using an automated gas chromatograph, as part of the Arctic Haze Study during April 1986. The temporal behaviour of CO₂ and CH₄ during this period was found to be highly correlated with measurements of particulate sulphate and other atmospheric trace species of anthropogenic origin. Examination of calculated air mass back-trajectories provided further evidence that the observed short-term increases in CO₂ and CH₄ mixing ratios were due to long-range transport from anthropogenic source regions.