Climate variation and the stable carbon isotope composition of tree ring cellulose: an intercomparison of Quercus robur, Fagus sylvatica and Pinus silvestris

Tellus B ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. HEMMING ◽  
V. R. SWITSUR ◽  
J. S. WATERHOUSE ◽  
T. H. E. HEATON ◽  
A. H. C. CARTER
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Quercus Robur ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Carbon Isotope Composition ◽  
Pinus Silvestris ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Tree Ring Cellulose

scholarly journals High time-resolved measurement of stable carbon isotope composition in water-soluble organic aerosols: method optimization and a case study during winter haze in East China

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqi Zhang ◽  
Yan-Lin Zhang ◽  
Fang Cao ◽  
Yankun Xiang ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Organic Aerosols ◽  
Carbon Isotope Composition ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
High Time ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Air Mass

Abstract. Water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) is a significant fraction of organic carbon (OC) in atmospheric aerosols. WSOC is of great interest due to its significant effects on atmospheric chemistry, the Earth’s climate and human health. Stable carbon isotope (δ13C) can be used to track the potential sources and investigate atmospheric processes of organic aerosols. In this study, a method of simultaneously measuring the mass concentration and δ13C values of WSOC from aerosol samples is established by coupling the Gas Bench II preparation device with isotopic ratio mass spectrometry. The precision and accuracy of isotope determination is better than 0.17 ‰ and 0.5 ‰, respectively, for samples containing carbon larger than 5 μg. This method is then applied for the high time-resolution aerosol samples during a severe wintertime haze period in Nanjing, East China. WSOC varies between 3–32 μg m−3, whereas δ13C-WSOC ranges from −26.24 ‰ to −23.35 ‰. Three different episodes (e.g., namely the Episode 1, the Episode 2, the Episode 3) are identified in the sampling period, showing a different tendency of δ13C-WSOC with the accumulation process of WSOC aerosols. The increases in both the WSOC mass concentrations and the δ13C-WSOC values in the Episode 1 indicate that WSOC is subject to a substantial photochemical aging during the air mass transport. In the Episode 2, the decline of the δ13C-WSOC is accompanied by the increase in the WSOC mass concentrations, which is associated with regional-transported biomass burning emissions. In the Episode 3, heavier isotope (13C) is exclusively enriched in total carbon (TC) compares to WSOC aerosols. This suggests that water-insoluble carbon may contain 13C-enriched components such as dust carbonate which is supported by the enhanced Ca2+ concentrations and air mass trajectories analysis. The present study provides a novel method to determine stable carbon isotope composition of WSOC and it offers a great potential to better understand the source emission, the atmospheric aging and the secondary production of water soluble organic aerosols.

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