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Airborne gas chromatograph for in situ measurements of long‐lived species in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere
Author(s) -
Elkins J. W.,
Fahey D. W.,
Gilligan J. M.,
Dutton G. S.,
Baring T. J.,
Volk C. M.,
Dunn R. E.,
Myers R. C.,
Montzka S. A.,
Wamsley P. R.,
Hayden A. H.,
Butler J. H.,
Thompson T. M.,
Swanson T. H.,
Dlugokencky E. J.,
Novelli P. C.,
Hurst D. F.,
Lobert J. M.,
Ciciora S. J.,
McLaughlin R. J.,
Thompson T. L.,
Winkler R. H.,
Fraser P. J.,
Steele L. P.,
Lucarelli M. P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/96gl00244
Subject(s) - stratosphere , troposphere , trace gas , altitude (triangle) , environmental science , ozone , atmospheric sciences , nitrous oxide , environmental chemistry , chemistry , meteorology , geology , physics , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry
A new instrument, the Airborne Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species IV (ACATS‐IV), for measuring long‐lived species in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is described. Using an advanced approach to gas chromatography and electron capture detection, the instrument can detect low levels of CFC‐11 (CCl 3 F), CFC‐12 (CCl 2 F 2 ), CFC‐113 (CCl 2 F‐CClF 2 ), methyl chloroform (CH 3 CCl 3 ), carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ), Halon‐1211 (CBrClF 2 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), and methane (CH 4 ) acquired in ambient samples every 180 or 360 s. The instrument operates fully‐automated onboard the NASA ER‐2 high‐altitude aircraft on flights lasting up to 8 hours or more in duration. Recent measurements include 24 successful flights covering a broad latitude range (70°S–61°N) during the Airborne Southern Hemisphere Ozone Experiment/Measurements for Assessing the Effects of Stratospheric Aircraft (ASHOE/MAESA) campaign in 1994.