Spatial Distribution of Multi-Fractal Scaling Behaviours of Atmospheric XCO2 Concentration Time Series during 2010–2018 over China

Abstract

Exploring the spatial distribution of the multi-fractal scaling behaviours in atmospheric CO2 concentration time series is useful for understanding the dynamic mechanisms of carbon emission and absorption. In this work, we utilise a well-established multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis to examine the multi-fractal scaling behaviour of a column-averaged dry-air mole fraction of carbon dioxide (XCO2) concentration time series over China, and portray the spatial distribution of the multi-fractal scaling behaviour. As XCO2 data values from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) are insufficient, a spatio-temporal thin plate spline interpolation method is applied. The results show that XCO2 concentration records over almost all of China exhibit a multi-fractal nature. Two types of multi-fractal sources are detected. One is long-range correlations, and the other is both long-range correlations and a broad probability density function; these are mainly distributed in southern and northern China, respectively. The atmospheric temperature and carbon emission/absorption are two possible external factors influencing the multi-fractality of the atmospheric XCO2 concentration. Highlight: (1) An XCO2 concentration interpolation is conducted using a spatio-temporal thin plate spline method. (2) The spatial distribution of the multi-fractality of XCO2 concentration over China is shown. (3) Multi-fractal sources and two external factors affecting multi-fractality are analysed.