Methane and Carbon Dioxide Concentration Patterns over Washington State University's PACCAR Building

Measurements were made from a 10-meter tall meteorological tower atop the roof of Washington State University’s PACCAR Environmental Technology Building from June 28 to July 5, 2016.  Meteorological quantities, including wind speed and direction, were measured along with methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations.  CH₄ and CO₂ concentrations were analyzed to understand diurnal patterns and determine if there are any wind direction dependencies.  The Grimes Way Steam Plant is located 0.25 kilometers east of the measurement site and it is a potential source for CH₄ emissions.  Five-minute averaged data from the period were analyzed to relate CH₄ and CO₂ concentrations to wind speed and direction and determine the correlation between CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations.  The primary goal of this study is to compare the variations between the concentrations of CH₄ and CO₂ in relation to wind direction, wind speed, and turbulence.