Analysis of carbon dioxide concentration skewness at a rural site

• 15 skewness coefficients were compared and the Yule coefficient was selected.
• A relationship between skewness, concentration, and meteorological variables was considered.
• CO2 skewness was related with sources and dispersive processes.
• Symmetric distributions were linked to an urban plume or summer features.

This paper provides evidence that symmetry of CO2 concentration distribution may indicate sources or dispersive processes. Skewness was calculated by different procedures with CO2 measured at a rural site using a Picarro G1301 analyser over a two-year period. The usual skewness coefficient was considered together with fourteen robust estimators. A noticeable contrast was obtained between day and night, and skewness decreased linearly with the logarithm of the height. One coefficient was selected from its satisfactory relationship with the median concentration in daily evolution. Three analyses based on the kernel smoothing method were conducted with this coefficient to investigate its response to yearly and daily evolutions, wind direction, and wind speed. Left-skewed distributions were linked to thermal turbulence during midday, especially in spring–summer, or with high wind speeds. Almost symmetric distributions were associated with sources, such as the Valladolid City plume reinforced with spring emissions and the lack of emissions in summer in the remaining directions. Finally, right-skewed distributions were related to low wind speeds and stable stratification at night, furthered by strong emissions in spring. Skewness intervals were proposed and their average median concentrations were calculated such that the relationship between skewness and concentration depends on the analysis performed. Since some skewness coefficients may also be negative, they provide better information about sources or dispersive processes than concentration.