Spatial and Temporal Variability of Near-Surface CO<sub>2</sub> and Influencing Factors in Urban Communities

CO<sub>2</sub> is the primary contributor to global warming, and also the most significant anthropogenic emission gas in cities. This study investigates near-surface CO<sub>2</sub> spatiotemporal variability patterns at the community scale to address the critical gap in urban...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yueyue Wu, Yi Zheng, Jialei Liu, Qingxin Yang, Beixiang Shi, Chenghe Guan, Wanxin Deng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/888
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Summary:CO<sub>2</sub> is the primary contributor to global warming, and also the most significant anthropogenic emission gas in cities. This study investigates near-surface CO<sub>2</sub> spatiotemporal variability patterns at the community scale to address the critical gap in urban CO<sub>2</sub> high-resolution measurement and promote urban carbon neutrality. Combining fixed and mobile monitoring across five representative communities (1-km<sup>2</sup> coverage) with two-hour temporal precision and 20 m spatial resolution, results revealed average CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations of 440–480 ppm, exhibiting bimodal diurnal cycles and highlighting spatiotemporal divergent emission behaviors. Three communities peaked during 17:00–19:00 LT, while two peaked during 08:00–10:00 LT. Spatial correlation analysis identified two dominant patterns: road-adjacent “externally dominated” hotspots and “internally dominated” zones with elevated intra-community levels. Spearman correlation analysis, Random Forest, and Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression models quantified spatial morphology and element contributions, demonstrating that building morphology exerted time-varying impacts across communities. Meanwhile, external traffic contributed 18–39% to concentration variability, while internal traffic and energy consumption drove localized peaks. The findings indicated that apart from the emission sources, the micro-scale urban spatial design elements also regulate the near-surface CO<sub>2</sub> distribution. This high-resolution approach provides actionable insights for optimizing community layouts and infrastructure to mitigate localized emissions, advancing carbon neutrality targeted urban planning.
ISSN:2073-445X