Abstract
This study investigates the impact of ENSO on the CO2 variability over the Indian subcontinent for the period 2003-2011 based on the relationships between NINO indices derived from the sea surface temperature (SST) and AIRS-retrieved mid-tropospheric CO2 concentrations. The NINO4 region, exhibits positive influence on the variability of CO2 almost during the entire year except for the post-monsoon/winter months (October through December; OND). Significant positive relationship (correlation coefficient r = +0.68) between NINO4 index and CO2 levels is observed for the month of June, while negative relationship (r = -0.73) for the month of October, and the negative relationship tends to continue till November with decreasing magnitudes (r = -0.41). The spatial distribution of mid-tropospheric CO2 concentrations during El Nino and La Nina periods also indicate large-scale impact over the Indian subcontinent with positive (negative) anomalies of about 1-2 ppm during El Nifio (La Nina). (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.