Urban CO2 Concentration and Isotope Measurements in Chicago Region

Approximately 2 million paired measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) and stable carbon isotope values (δ13C) were collected in Evanston, IL from August 2011 to February 2012. The dataset, created by Joel Moore using a wavelength scanned-cavity ringdown spectrometer, provides one of the longest urban records of its kind. It includes local meteorological data and background site comparisons to examine seasonal and daily controls on urban carbon sources.

Use Cases

• Analyze seasonal shifts in CO2 sources by correlating δ13C values with meteorological data to differentiate between ecosystem respiration and fossil fuel combustion.
• Model the influence of wind speed and direction on hourly [CO2] and δ13C values, particularly for conditions under 3 m s−1.
• Compare urban [CO2] and δ13C measurements from Evanston against background data from Park Falls, WI and Mauna Loa, HI to quantify local excess contributions.
• Investigate the reported winter dominance (80%–94%) of natural gas combustion in excess CO2 using the paired [CO2] and δ13C measurements.

Strengths

• Contains approximately 2 million paired measurements for [CO2] and δ13C.
• Represents one of the longest reported urban records of [CO2] and δ13C values.
• Includes complementary meteorological data and background site comparisons for context.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to a 7-month period from August 2011 to February 2012.
• Spatial coverage is focused on a single urban measurement site in Evanston, IL.
• The dataset's structure, including specific columns and file formats, is not detailed in the input.

Provenance

Source

Dryad, authored by Joel Moore.

Collection Method

Collected using a wavelength scanned-cavity ringdown spectrometer.

Time Range

August 2011 through February 2012.

Freshness

Last updated in June 2020; data collection ended in February 2012.

Geography

Primary site: Evanston, IL, USA. Background sites: Park Falls, WI and Mauna Loa, HI, USA.