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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L14810, doi:10.1029/2006GL026152, 2006

Law Dome CO2, CH4 and N2O ice core records extended to 2000 years BP

C. MacFarling Meure

Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


D. Etheridge

Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


C. Trudinger

Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


P. Steele

Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


R. Langenfelds

Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


T. van Ommen

Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Antarctic Division, and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia


A. Smith

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Menai, New South Wales, Australia


J. Elkins

NOAA, Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Abstract

New measurements of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations in ice from Law Dome, Antarctica reproduce published Law Dome CO2 and CH4 records, extend them back to 2000 years BP, and include N2O. They have very high air age resolution, data density and measurement precision. Firn air measurements span the past 65 years and overlap with the ice core and direct atmospheric observations. Major increases in CO2, CH4 and N2O concentrations during the past 200 years followed a period of relative stability beforehand. Decadal variations during the industrial period include the stabilization of CO2 and slowing of CH4 and N2O growth in the 1940s and 1950s. Variations of up to 10 ppm CO2, 40 ppb CH4 and 10 ppb N2O occurred throughout the preindustrial period. Methane concentrations grew by 100 ppb from AD 0 to 1800, possibly due to early anthropogenic emissions.

Received 26 February 2006; accepted 16 May 2006; published 21 July 2006.

Index Terms: 0490 Biogeosciences: Trace gases; 0724 Cryosphere: Ice cores (4932); 1616 Global Change: Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513); 4930 Paleoceanography: Greenhouse gases.

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Citation: MacFarling Meure, C., D. Etheridge, C. Trudinger, P. Steele, R. Langenfelds, T. van Ommen, A. Smith, and J. Elkins (2006), Law Dome CO2, CH4 and N2O ice core records extended to 2000 years BP, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L14810, doi:10.1029/2006GL026152.