Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions
www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net
1867-8610
2
3
2009
10.5194/amtd-2-1321-2009
http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/1321/2009/
http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/1321/2009/amtd-2-1321-2009.html
http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/1321/2009/amtd-2-1321-2009.pdf
1321
1349
2009-05-18
A single gas chromatograph for accurate atmospheric mixing ratio measurements of CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>O, SF<sub>6</sub> and CO
S. van der Laan
s.van.der.laan@rug.nl
R. E. M. Neubert
H. A. J. Meijer
Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
We present an adapted gas chromatograph capable of measuring
simultaneously and semi-continuously the atmospheric mixing ratios of
the greenhouse gases CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>O and
SF<sub>6</sub> and the trace gas CO with high precision and
long-term stability. The novelty of our design is that all species are
measured with only one device, making it a very cost-efficient
system. No time lags are introduced between the measured mixing
ratios. The system is designed to operate fully autonomously which
makes it ideal for measurements at remote and unmanned stations. Only
a small amount of sample air is needed, which makes this system also
highly suitable for flask air measurements. In principle, only two
reference cylinders are needed for daily operation and only one
calibration per year against international WMO standards is sufficient
to obtain high measurement precision and accuracy.
<br><br>
The system described in this paper is in use since May 2006 at our
atmospheric measurement site Lutjewad near Groningen, The Netherlands
at 6°21' E, 53°24' N, 1 m a.s.l. Results show
the long-term stability of the system. Observed measurement precisions
at our remote research station Lutjewad were: ±0.04 ppm
for CO<sub>2</sub>, ±0.8 ppb for CH<sub>4</sub>, ±0.8 ppb for CO, ±0.3 ppb for
N<sub>2</sub>O, and ±0.1 ppt for SF<sub>6</sub>. The ambient
mixing ratios of all measured species as observed at station Lutjewad
for the period of May 2007 to August 2008 are presented as well.
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