In:
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 16, No. 11 ( 2023-06-09), p. 2851-2863
Abstract:
Abstract. The radiative balance of the upper atmosphere is dependent on the
magnitude and distribution of greenhouse gases and aerosols in that region.
Climate models predict that with increasing surface temperature, the primary
mechanism for transporting tropospheric air into the stratosphere (known as
the Brewer–Dobson circulation) will strengthen, leading to changes in the
distribution of atmospheric water vapor, other greenhouse gases, and
aerosols. Stratospheric relationships between greenhouse gases and other
long-lived trace gases with various photochemical properties (such as
N2O, SF6, and chlorofluorocarbons) provide a strong constraint for
tracking changes in the stratospheric circulation. Therefore, a
cost-effective approach is needed to monitor these trace gases in the
stratosphere. In the past decade, the balloon-borne AirCore sampler
developed at NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory has been routinely used to
monitor the mole fractions of CO2, CH4, and CO from the ground to
approximately 25 km above mean sea level. Our recent development work
adapted a gas chromatograph coupled with an electron capture detector
(GC-ECD) to measure a suite of trace gases (N2O, SF6, CFC-11,
CFC-12, H-1211, and CFC-113) in the stratospheric portion of AirCores. This
instrument, called the StratoCore-GC-ECD, allows us to retrieve vertical
profiles of these molecules at high resolution (5–7 hPa per measurement). We
launched four AirCore flights and analyzed the stratospheric air samples for
these trace gases. The results showed consistent and expected tracer–tracer
relationships and good agreement with recent aircraft campaign measurements.
Our work demonstrates that the StratoCore-GC-ECD system provides a low-cost
and robust approach to measuring key stratospheric trace gases in AirCore
samples and for evaluating changes in the stratospheric circulation.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1867-8548
DOI:
10.5194/amt-16-2851-2023
Language:
English
Publisher:
Copernicus GmbH
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2505596-3
