Radiocarbon observations in atmospheric CO2:: Determining fossil fuel CO2 over Europe using Jungfraujoch observations as background

Monthly mean (CO2)-C-14 observations at two regional stations in Germany (Schauinsland observatory, Black Forest, and Heidelberg, upper Rhine valley) are compared with free tropospheric background measurements at the High Alpine Research Station Jungfraujoch (Swiss Alps) to estimate the regional fossil fuel CO2 surplus at the regional stations. The long-term mean fossil fuel CO2 surplus at Schauinsland is 1.31 +/- 0.09 ppm while it is 10.96 +/- 0.20 ppm in Heidelberg. No significant trend is observed at both sites over the last 20 years. Strong seasonal variations of the fossil fuel CO2 offsets indicate a strong seasonality of emissions but also of atmospheric dilution of ground level emissions by vertical mixing. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.