CO The biomass burning problem

CO is primarily emitted through incomplete combustion processes (biomass burning, domestic combustion and traffic) and is likely to be biogenically produced from soils as well as being an important secondary product from NMVOC oxidation in the atmosphere. It has a lifetime of about 2-3 months, strongly depending on the OH concentration and thereby shows inversely correlated seasonal concentration 

Published total vertical column amounts of CO deduced from infrared solar spectra recorded during 1950/1951 in the Swiss Alps have been reanalyzed based on improved spectroscopic parameters for CO and a curve of growth. From a comparison of the 1950/1951 results and modem measurements, an average increase of 2% yr in the free tropospheric concentration of CO above Europe is estimated for 1950-1977 (Curtis et al. 1985). 

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