Author(s)

Lingen Bian^1,2*, Zhiqiu Gao^2*, Yulong Sun², Minghu Ding¹, Jie Tang¹, Russell C. Schnell³

¹Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China.
²Climate and Weather Disasters Collaborative Innovation Center, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China.
³NOAA ESRL Global Monitoring Division, R/GMD, Boulder, CO, USA.

Background CH₄ concentration and seasonal variations measured at Zhongshan Station (69°22'2''S, 76°21'49''E, 18.5 m) in Antarctica from 2008 through 2013 are presented and discussed. From 2008-2013 CH₄ was measured in weekly flask samples and started on line measurement by Picarro CO₂/CH₄/H₂O analyzer from March, 2010-2013. These CH₄ measurements show the expected growth period of CH₄ concentration during February (Antarctic spring) with a peak in September (fall). Irrespective of wind direction, CH₄ concentrations distribute evenly after the removal of polluted air from station operations, accounting for 1% of the data. The mean daily cycle of CH₄ concentration in all four seasons is small. The monthly mean CH₄ concentration at Zhongshan station is similar to those at other stations in Antarctica showing that CH₄ observed in Antarctica is fully mixed in the atmosphere as it is transported from the northern through the southern hemisphere. The annual CH₄ increase in recent years at Zhongshan station is 4.8 ppb·yr^-1.

Antarctica, Zhongshan Station, CH₄, Background CH₄, Characteristics

Bian, L. , Gao, Z. , Sun, Y. , Ding, M. , Tang, J. and Schnell, R. (2016) CH₄ Monitoring and Background Concentration at Zhongshan Station, Antarctica. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, 6, 135-144. doi: 10.4236/acs.2016.61012.