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Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2016

Abstract

With the majority of the world population residing in urban areas, attempts to monitor and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions must necessarily center on cities. However, existing carbon dioxide observation networks are ill-equipped to resolve the specific intra-city emission phenomena targeted by regulation. Here we describe the design and implementation of the BErkeley Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> Observation Network (BEACO<sub>2</sub>N), a distributed CO<sub>2</sub> monitoring instrument that utilizes low-cost technology to achieve unprecedented spatial density throughout and around the city of Oakland, California. We characterize the network in terms of four performance parameters - cost, reliability, precision, and systematic uncertainty - and find the BEACO<sub>2</sub>N approach to be sufficiently cost-effective and reliable while nonetheless providing high-quality atmospheric observations. First results from the initial installation successfully capture hourly, daily, and seasonal CO<sub>2</sub> signals relevant to urban environments on spatial scales that cannot be accurately represented by atmospheric transport models alone, demonstrating the utility of high-resolution surface networks in urban greenhouse gas monitoring efforts.

Details

Title
The BErkeley Atmospheric CO2 Observation Network: initial evaluation
Author
Shusterman, Alexis A; Teige, Virginia E; Turner, Alexander J; Newman, Catherine; Kim, Jinsol; Cohen, Ronald C
Pages
13449-13463
Publication year
2016
Publication date
2016
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
ISSN
16807316
e-ISSN
16807324
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1833966196
Copyright
Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2016