Effects of biomass burning on CO, HCN, C2H6, C2H2 and H2CO during long-term FTIR measurements in Hefei, China

High-resolution solar absorption spectra were continuously collected by a ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to retrieve the total column of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), ethane (C2H6), acetylene (C2H2), and formaldehyde (H2CO). The time series and variation characteristics of these gases were analyzed. The biomass combustion process is identified by using the correlations between the monthly mean deviations of HCN, C2H6, C2H2 and H2CO versus CO and satellite fire point data. The months with high correlation coefficients (R > 0.8) and peaks of fire point number are considered to be with biomass combustion occurrence. The emissions of HCN, C2H6, C2H2 and H2CO in Anhui were estimated using the enhancement ratios of gases to CO in these months when biomass combustion was the main driving factor of gas concentration change. The study proved the ability of FTIR system in inferring the period during biomass combustion and estimating emissions of the trace gases concerning biomass combustion.

Development of a laser heterodyne spectroradiometer for high-resolution measurements of CO2, CH4, H2O and O2 in the atmospheric column

We have developed a portable near-infrared laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) for quasi-simultaneous measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), water vapor (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂) column absorption by using three distributed-feedback diode lasers as the local oscillators of the heterodyne detection. The developed system shows good performance in terms of its high spectral resolution of 0.066 cm^-1 and a low solar power detection noise which was about 2 times the theoretical quantum limit. Its measurement precision of the column-averaged mole fraction for CO₂ and CH₄ is within 1.1%, based on the standard deviation from the mean value of the retrieved results for a clean sky. The column abundance information of the O₂ is used to correct for the variations and uncertainties of atmosphere pressure, the solar altitude angle, and the prior profiles of pressure and temperature. Comparison measurements of daily column-averaged atmospheric mole fractions of CO₂, CH₄ and H₂O, between our developed LHR and a greenhouse gas observing satellite, show a good agreement, which proves the reliability of our developed system.

Spectral Aerosol Optical Depth Retrievals by Ground-Based Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and the Ångström Exponent (AE) have been calculated in the near infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions over a period of one year (May 2019–May 2020) at the high-mountain Izaña Observatory (IZO) from Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) solar spectra. The high-resolution FTIR measurements were carried out coincidentally with Cimel CE318-T photometric observations in the framework of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). A spectral FTIR AOD was generated using two different approaches: by means of the selection of seven narrow FTIR micro-windows (centred at 1020.90, 1238.25, 1558.25, 1636.00, 2133.40, 2192.00, and 2314.20 nm) with negligible atmospheric gaseous absorption, and by using the CE318-AERONET’s response function in the near-coincident bands (1020 nm and 1640 nm) to degrade the high-resolution FTIR spectra. The FTIR system was absolutely calibrated by means of a continuous Langley–Plot analysis over the 1-year period. An important temporal drift of the calibration constant was observed as a result of the environmental exposure of the FTIR’s external optical mirrors (linear degradation rate up to 1.75% month−1). The cross-validation of AERONET-FTIR databases documents an excellent agreement between both AOD products, with mean AOD differences below 0.004 and root-mean-squared errors below 0.006. A rather similar agreement was also found between AERONET and FTIR convolved bands, corroborating the suitability of low-resolution sunphotometers to retrieve high-quality AOD data in the NIR and SWIR domains. In addition, these results demonstrate that the methodology developed here is suitable to be applied to other FTIR spectrometers, such as portable and low-resolution FTIR instruments with a potentially higher spatial coverage. The spectral AOD dependence for the seven FTIR micro-windows have been also examined, observing a spectrally flat AOD behaviour for mineral dust particles (the typical atmospheric aerosols presented at IZO). A mean AE value of 0.53 ± 0.08 for pure mineral dust in the 1020–2314 nm spectral range was retrieved in this paper. A subsequent cross-validation with the MOPSMAP (Modeled optical properties of ensembles of aerosol particles) package has ensured the reliability of the FTIR dataset, with AE values between 0.36 to 0.60 for a typical mineral dust content at IZO of 100 cm−3 and water-soluble particle (WASO) content ranging from 600 to 6000 cm−3. The new database generated in this study is believed to be the first long-term time series (1-year) of aerosol properties generated consistently in the NIR and SWIR ranges from ground-based FTIR spectrometry. As a consequence, the results presented here provide a very promising tool for the validation and subsequent improvement of satellite aerosol products as well as enhance the sensitivity to large particles of the existing databases, required to improve the estimation of the aerosols’ radiative effect on climate.

Accurate Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric acid (HNO3) calibrated with synthetic spectra

A novel method for determining the accuracy of laboratory-based measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric acid (HNO3) mole fractions using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy 1 cm(-1) resolution instruments calibrated with synthetic spectra has been developed. The traceability of these measurement results is to the reference line strength data contained within the high-resolution transmission molecular absorption (HITRAN) database. Incorporating a proper estimate of the uncertainty of this data into the measurement results will ensure that the SI traceable values are encompassed within the uncertainty of the measurement results. The major contributors to the uncertainties of the results are, in descending order of importance, the uncertainty in the line strength values (HITRAN 2004), the uncertainty attributed to the generation of reference spectra (including knowledge of the optical path length of the FT-IR gas cell), and temperature measurements of the gas. The stability of the FT-IR instrument itself is only a minor contributor to the overall uncertainty of the measurements. FT-IR measurements of NO2 mole fractions at nominal values of 10 μmol mol(-1) calibrated with synthetic spectra lead to standard uncertainties of 0.34 μmol mol(-1) (3.4% relative). In contrast, calibration of the FT-IR instrument with SI traceable gas standards generated by a dynamic weighing system resulted in measurements results with standard uncertainties of 0.04 μmol mol(-1) (0.4% relative). When comparing the consistency of measurement results based on the synthetic calibration method against those obtained by calibrations with SI traceable gas standards, the existence of a potential bias of ~5% was observed, although this was within the stated uncertainties of the results. The FT-IR measurements of HNO3 mole fractions at nominal values of 200 nmol mol(-1) calibrated with synthetic spectra resulted in values with standard uncertainties of 23 nmol mol(-1) (11% relative) with the dominating uncertainty in this case arising from the stabilization of the mole fraction value within the FT-IR gas cell.

On the sources of methane to the Los Angeles atmosphere

We use historical and new atmospheric trace gas observations to refine the estimated source of methane (CH(4)) emitted into California's South Coast Air Basin (the larger Los Angeles metropolitan region). Referenced to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) CO emissions inventory, total CH(4) emissions are 0.44 ± 0.15 Tg each year. To investigate the possible contribution of fossil fuel emissions, we use ambient air observations of methane (CH(4)), ethane (C(2)H(6)), and carbon monoxide (CO), together with measured C(2)H(6) to CH(4) enhancement ratios in the Los Angeles natural gas supply. The observed atmospheric C(2)H(6) to CH(4) ratio during the ARCTAS (2008) and CalNex (2010) aircraft campaigns is similar to the ratio of these gases in the natural gas supplied to the basin during both these campaigns. Thus, at the upper limit (assuming that the only major source of atmospheric C(2)H(6) is fugitive emissions from the natural gas infrastructure) these data are consistent with the attribution of most (0.39 ± 0.15 Tg yr(-1)) of the excess CH(4) in the basin to uncombusted losses from the natural gas system (approximately 2.5-6% of natural gas delivered to basin customers). However, there are other sources of C(2)H(6) in the region. In particular, emissions of C(2)H(6) (and CH(4)) from natural gas seeps as well as those associated with petroleum production, both of which are poorly known, will reduce the inferred contribution of the natural gas infrastructure to the total CH(4) emissions, potentially significantly. This study highlights both the value and challenges associated with the use of ethane as a tracer for fugitive emissions from the natural gas production and distribution system.

Observations of long-lived anthropogenic halocarbons at the high-Alpine site of Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) for assessment of trends and European sources

Anthropogenic halocarbons, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), bromocarbons (halons) and long-lived chlorinated solvents have been measured continuously at the high-Alpine site of Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) since January 2000. Chloro- and bromo-containing halocarbons are responsible for the stratospheric ozone depletion and will be globally banned from usage within the next years. With the exception of the stable CFC-12 (CF2 Cl2), all major CFCs and chlorinated solvents show a negative trend in recent years in their background concentrations at Jungfraujoch. HCFCs, as their first-generation substitute, are still increasing with a few percent per year. However, the frequency and the strength of HCFCs pollution events, which are caused by regional European emissions, are already declining. This can be seen as a sign of the impending ban of these gases within the next years in Europe. On the other hand, HFCs as the second-generation substitutes, are increasing with relative rates of at least 10% per year (e.g. almost 5 ppt per year for HFC-134a). An allocation of European sources was attempted by combining measured concentrations with trajectories of air masses reaching the Jungfraujoch during pollution events. Potential source regions could be detected in Italy, France, Spain and Germany.

Our changing atmosphere: evidence based on long-term infrared solar observations at the Jungfraujoch since 1950

The Institute of Astrophysics of the University of Liège has been present at the High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, since the late 1940s, to perform spectrometric solar observations under dry and weakly polluted high-mountain conditions. Several solar atlases of photometric quality, extending altogether from the near-ultra-violet to the middle-infrared, were produced between 1956 and 1994, first with grating spectrometers then with Fourier transform instruments. During the early 1970s, scientific concerns emerged about atmospheric composition changes likely to set in as a consequence of the growing usage of nitrogen-containing agricultural fertilisers and the industrial production of chlorine-bearing compounds such as the chlorofluorocarbons and hydro-chlorofluorocarbons. Resulting releases to the atmosphere with ensuing photolysis in the stratosphere and catalytic depletion of the protective ozone layer prompted a worldwide consortium of chemical manufacturing companies to solicit the Liège group to help in clarifying these concerns by undertaking specific observations with its existing Jungfraujoch instrumentation. The following pages evoke the main steps that led from quasi full sun-oriented studies to priority investigations of the Earth's atmosphere, in support of both the Montreal and the Kyoto Protocols.

Geophysical validation of MIPAS-ENVISAT operational ozone data

Abstract. The Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS), on-board the European ENVIronmental SATellite (ENVISAT) launched on 1 March 2002, is a middle infrared Fourier Transform spectrometer measuring the atmospheric emission spectrum in limb sounding geometry. The instrument is capable to retrieve the vertical distribution of temperature and trace gases, aiming at the study of climate and atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, and at applications to data assimilation and weather forecasting. MIPAS operated in its standard observation mode for approximately two years, from July 2002 to March 2004, with scans performed at nominal spectral resolution of 0.025 cm−1 and covering the altitude range from the mesosphere to the upper troposphere with relatively high vertical resolution (about 3 km in the stratosphere). Only reduced spectral resolution measurements have been performed subsequently. MIPAS data were re-processed by ESA using updated versions of the Instrument Processing Facility (IPF v4.61 and v4.62) and provided a complete set of level-2 operational products (geo-located vertical profiles of temperature and volume mixing ratio of H2O, O3, HNO3, CH4, N2O and NO2) with quasi continuous and global coverage in the period of MIPAS full spectral resolution mission. In this paper, we report a detailed description of the validation of MIPAS-ENVISAT operational ozone data, that was based on the comparison between MIPAS v4.61 (and, to a lesser extent, v4.62) O3 VMR profiles and a comprehensive set of correlative data, including observations from ozone sondes, ground-based lidar, FTIR and microwave radiometers, remote-sensing and in situ instruments on-board stratospheric aircraft and balloons, concurrent satellite sensors and ozone fields assimilated by the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting. A coordinated effort was carried out, using common criteria for the selection of individual validation data sets, and similar methods for the comparisons. This enabled merging the individual results from a variety of independent reference measurements of proven quality (i.e. well characterized error budget) into an overall evaluation of MIPAS O3 data quality, having both statistical strength and the widest spatial and temporal coverage. Collocated measurements from ozone sondes and ground-based lidar and microwave radiometers of the Network for the Detection Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) were selected to carry out comparisons with time series of MIPAS O3 partial columns and to identify groups of stations and time periods with a uniform pattern of ozone differences, that were subsequently used for a vertically resolved statistical analysis. The results of the comparison are classified according to synoptic and regional systems and to altitude intervals, showing a generally good agreement within the comparison error bars in the upper and middle stratosphere. Significant differences emerge in the lower stratosphere and are only partly explained by the larger contributions of horizontal and vertical smoothing differences and of collocation errors to the total uncertainty. Further results obtained from a purely statistical analysis of the same data set from NDACC ground-based lidar stations, as well as from additional ozone soundings at middle latitudes and from NDACC ground-based FTIR measurements, confirm the validity of MIPAS O3 profiles down to the lower stratosphere, with evidence of larger discrepancies at the lowest altitudes. The validation against O3 VMR profiles using collocated observations performed by other satellite sensors (SAGE II, POAM III, ODIN-SMR, ACE-FTS, HALOE, GOME) and ECMWF assimilated ozone fields leads to consistent results, that are to a great extent compatible with those obtained from the comparison with ground-based measurements. Excellent agreement in the full vertical range of the comparison is shown with respect to collocated ozone data from stratospheric aircraft and balloon instruments, that was mostly obtained in very good spatial and temporal coincidence with MIPAS scans. This might suggest that the larger differences observed in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere with respect to collocated ground-based and satellite O3 data are only partly due to a degradation of MIPAS data quality. They should be rather largely ascribed to the natural variability of these altitude regions and to other components of the comparison errors. By combining the results of this large number of validation data sets we derived a general assessment of MIPAS v4.61 and v4.62 ozone data quality. A clear indication of the validity of MIPAS O3 vertical profiles is obtained for most of the stratosphere, where the mean relative difference with the individual correlative data sets is always lower than ±10%. Furthermore, these differences always fall within the combined systematic error (from 1 hPa to 50 hPa) and the standard deviation is fully consistent with the random error of the comparison (from 1 hPa to ~30–40 hPa). A degradation in the quality of the agreement is generally observed in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere, with biases up to 25% at 100 hPa and standard deviation of the global mean differences up to three times larger than the combined random error in the range 50–100 hPa. The larger differences observed at the bottom end of MIPAS retrieved profiles can be associated, as already noticed, to the effects of stronger atmospheric gradients in the UTLS that are perceived differently by the various measurement techniques. However, further components that may degrade the results of the comparison at lower altitudes can be identified as potentially including cloud contamination, which is likely not to have been fully filtered using the current settings of the MIPAS cloud detection algorithm, and in the linear approximation of the forward model that was used for the a priori estimate of systematic error components. The latter, when affecting systematic contributions with a random variability over the spatial and temporal scales of global averages, might result in an underestimation of the random error of the comparison and add up to other error sources, such as the possible underestimates of the p and T error propagation based on the assumption of a 1 K and 2% uncertainties, respectively, on MIPAS temperature and pressure retrievals. At pressure lower than 1 hPa, only a small fraction of the selected validation data set provides correlative ozone data of adequate quality and it is difficult to derive quantitative conclusions about the performance of MIPAS O3 retrieval for the topmost layers.