Spatio-Temporal Variability of Carbon Monoxide Over South America Using Satellite-Sensed Data from 2003 to 2012

Abstract

Using the information of the Earth Observation System/AQUA (EOS/AQUA) satellite during the 2003-2012 period, the present work investigates the tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) behavior over the central South American region, and its spatiotemporal variability. The results show a well-defined seasonal behavior of the CO concentration, with decrease during the wet season and increase during dry season, due to the biomass burning increase during this period. Since the biomass burning is directly associated with the climate variability, through the rainfall decrease/increase in the central and eastern South American sector, the CO possesses high variability in central Brazil, the region with the largest number of burning focus. The results also show that the CO variability in the interanual time scale is related to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, such that rainfall reduction (increase) in the central and eastern part of South America during the La Niña (El Niño) onset phase contributes to increase (reduce) the biomass burning and in consequence the CO emission in this region. On the other hand, during the ENSO mature stage, the great rainfall and CO concentration variabilities occur in the northern and northeastern South American regions. The results presented in this paper might be useful for monitoring activities. © 2017, Sociedade Brasileira de Meteorologia. All rights reserved.