Characterization of pollution events observed at Schauinsland, Germany, using CO and its stable isotopes

CO concentration and its isotopic composition (13C, 14C, 17O and 18O) are used to characterize air pollution events observed at Schauinland, Germany, in August 2000. After determination of the background signal, we could identify and characterize five pollution events. Particularly, 14CO and δ18O variations help to determine the nature of the pollution source (fossil fuel or biomass combustion) and its origin (local or regional/continental). By using a box model, further information about the age of the polluted air mass is derived. We particularly establish that one polluted air mass was about 10 days old and that this event was due to long-range transport of products emitted from forest fires in Canada.