During the field campaign POPCORN (Photo oxidant formation by plant emitted
compounds and OH radicals in North-eastern Germany) in Pennewitt (Mecklenb
urg-Vorpommern, Germany) in August 1994, carbon monoxide and nonmethane hyd
rocarbons were measured over a large maize held by in-situ gas chromatograp
hy. Throughout the campaign CO and NMHC showed, even for a remote rural are
a, unexpectedly low mixing ratios. Except a few episodes, CO mixing ratios
were around 120 ppb. Ethane was the only hydrocarbon showing mixing ratios
exceeding 1 ppb. The mixing ratios of all other NMHC ranged between several
hundred ppt and the lower limit of detection which was between 20 and 5 pp
t depending on the compound. During three frontal passages CO and NMHC mixi
ng ratios increased significantly, while between August 13 and 16, 1994, po
lar air masses were encountered with CO and NMHC mixing ratios dropping to
values which are typical for North Atlantic background air. During this per
iod average CO mixing ratios were 85 ppb and ethane as the most abundant hy
drocarbon decreased to 650 ppt. The large-scale meteorological situation is
reflected in an unusual frequency distribution of CO. The distribution sho
ws three maxima which can be assigned to the periods of the frontal passage
s, to the observation of polar air masses and the rest of the campaign. Two
-day backward trajectories were calculated in order to obtain information a
bout the origin of the air masses transported to the site. The observed NMH
C and CO data can be attributed to the origin of the air masses and the air
mass trajectories. NMHC and CO mixing ratios were well correlated indicati
ng that these compounds originated from similar mostly anthropogenic source
s. An exception was isoprene which showed no correlation with CO, With valu
es below 100 ppt the mixing ratio of isoprene, which is emitted by terrestr
ial vegetation, was also unexpectedly low during the first half of the camp
aign although the maximum temperatures were around 35 degrees C.