Articles | Volume 16, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2851-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2851-2023
Research article
 | 
09 Jun 2023
Research article |  | 09 Jun 2023

A novel, cost-effective analytical method for measuring high-resolution vertical profiles of stratospheric trace gases using a gas chromatograph coupled with an electron capture detector

Jianghanyang Li, Bianca C. Baier, Fred Moore, Tim Newberger, Sonja Wolter, Jack Higgs, Geoff Dutton, Eric Hintsa, Bradley Hall, and Colm Sweeney

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Cited articles

Andrews, A. E., Boering, K. A., Daube, B. C., Wofsy, S. C., Loewenstein, M., Jost, H., Podolske, J. R., Webster, C. R., Herman, R. L., and Scott, D. C.: Mean ages of stratospheric air derived from in situ observations of CO2, CH4, and N2O, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 106, 32295–32314, 2001. 
Aris, R.: On the dispersion of a solute in a fluid flowing through a tube, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 235, 67–77, 1956. 
Baier, B., Sweeney, C., Andrews, A. E., Fleming, E. L., Higgs, J., Hedelius, J., Kiel, M., Parker, H. A., Newberger, T., and Tans, P. P.: AirCore profiles of greenhouse and trace gas species for sites within the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TC- CON) and comparisons to models and ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) retrievals, AGU Fall Mee7ng Abstracts, A34C-02, 2018AGUFM.A34C..02B, 2018. 
Baier, B. C., Sweeney, C., and Chen, H.: Chapter 8 – The AirCore atmospheric sampling system, in: Field Measurements for Passive Environmental Remote Sensing, edited by: Nalli, N. R., Elsevier, 139–156, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-8239537.00014-9, 2023. 
Butchart, N.: The Brewer-Dobson circulation, Rev. Geophys., 52, 157–184, 2014. 
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Short summary
Monitoring a suite of trace gases in the stratosphere will help us better understand the stratospheric circulation and its impact on the earth's radiation balance. However, such measurements are rare and usually expensive. We developed an instrument that can measure stratospheric trace gases using a low-cost sampling platform (AirCore). The results showed expected agreement with aircraft measurements, demonstrating this technique provides a low-cost and robust way to observe the stratosphere.
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