Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net 1867-8610 2 2 2009 10.5194/amtd-2-915-2009 http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/915/2009/ http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/915/2009/amtd-2-915-2009.html http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/2/915/2009/amtd-2-915-2009.pdf 915 950 2009-03-23 Greenhouse gas analysis of air samples collected onboard the CARIBIC passenger aircraft T. J. Schuck schuck@mpch-mainz.mpg.de C. A. M. Brenninkmeijer F. Slemr I. Xueref-Remy A. Zahn Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie (MPI), Air Chemistry Division, Mainz, Germany Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (CNRS), CEA Saclay Orme des Merisiers, Gif sur Yvette, France Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK), Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the Atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) is a long-term atmospheric measurement program based on the use of a comprehensive scientific instrument package aboard a passenger aircraft. In addition to real time measurements, whole air sampling is performed regularly at cruising altitude in the upper troposphere and the extra-tropical UT/LS region. Air samples are analysed for greenhouse gases, NMHCs, halocarbons, and isotopic composition. The routinely performed greenhouse gas analysis comprises gas chromatography measurements of CO₂, CH₄, N₂O and SF₆. <br><br> The sampling procedure, the GC system used for greenhouse gas analysis and its performance are described. Comparisons with other laboratories have shown good agreement of results as has a comparison with results from a CO₂ in-situ analyser that is also part of the CARIBIC instrumentation. <br><br> The timeseries of CO₂ obtained from the collection of 684 samples at latitudes between 30&deg; N and 56&deg; N on 21 roundtrips out of Germany to different destinations in Asia between November 2005 and October 2008 is shown. A timeshift in the seasonal cyle of about one month was observed between the upper troposphere and the tropopause region. <br><br> For two sets of return flights from Germany to the Philippines the relations between the four greenhouse gases CO₂, CH₄, N₂O and SF₆ are discussed in more detail. 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