OBSERVATION AND INVESTIGATION OF VARIABILITIES OF BASELINE CO₂ CONCENTRATION OVER WALIGUAN MOUNTAIN IN QINGHAI PROVINCE OF CHINA^*

In-situ measurement of atmospheric CO2 was made at the top of the Waliguan Mountain(36°17'N,100°54'E,3816 m asl).where the air is not directly affected by the local anthropogenic and natural sources,by using a nondispersive infrared(NDIR)analyzer and following the procedures proposed by WMO.The CO2 in the flask samples collected on the mountain was also analyzed in a laboratory.The measurements uncover the daily,monthly and seasonal variabilities and the baseline level of the CO2 in the air over the "clean" area of Chinese hinterland.Results suggest that the CO2 concentration over the East Asia continent has evident periodical variation,similar to that of global distribution.In 1992,an annual mean baseline CO2 concentration of 356.4 ppm over the continent was obtained.The annual mean value was 357.2 ppm for 1993.Some relationships between the CO2 concentration at Waliguan and the weather conditions,especially,wind speed and direction are found through the observation.