Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net 1867-8610 1 1 2008 10.5194/amtd-1-281-2008 http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/1/281/2008/ http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/1/281/2008/amtd-1-281-2008.html http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/1/281/2008/amtd-1-281-2008.pdf 281 320 2008-11-28 Methodology and calibration for continuous measurements of biogeochemical trace gas and O₂ concentrations from a 300-m tall tower in central Siberia E. A. Kozlova e.kozlova@uea.ac.uk A. C. Manning Y. Kisilyakhov T. Seifert M. Heimann Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, Krasnoyarsk, Russia University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich, UK We present an integrated system for measuring atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, O₂, CH₄, CO, and N₂O in central Siberia. Our project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing long-term, continuous, high precision atmospheric measurements to elucidate greenhouse gas processes from a very remote mid-continental boreal environment. Air is sampled from five heights on a custom-built 300-m tower. Common features to all species' measurements include air intakes, an air drying system, flushing procedures, and data processing methods. Calibration standards are shared among all five measured species as a result of extending and optimising a proven methodology for long-term O₂ calibration. Our system achieves the precision and accuracy requirements specified by the European Union's "CarboEurope" and "ICOS" (Integrated Carbon Observing System) programmes in the case of CO₂, O₂, and CH₄, while CO and N₂O require some further improvements. 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