Abstract
Researchers investigating global climate change need measurements of greenhouse gases with extreme precision and accuracy to enable the development and benchmarking of better climate models. Existing atmospheric monitors based on non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors have known problems – they are non-linear, sensitive to water vapor concentration, and susceptible to drift. Many cannot easily be simultaneously calibrated across different sites to the level of accuracy required for use in atmospheric studies. We present results from field trials by Pennsylvania State University and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of a newly available analyzer, based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), capable of measuring the concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O). In addition, we present data from a new analyzer which measures CO2, methane (CH4), and H2O.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, http://www.ipcc.ch
T. Conway, P. Tans, L. Waterman, K. Thoning, D. Kitzis, K. Masarie, N. Zhang, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 22831 (1994)
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/, Accessed 29 July 2008
http://www.licor.com/env/Products/GasAnalyzers/7000/7000.jsp, Accessed 29 July 2008
E.R. Crosson, K.J. Davis, Cavity Ringdown analyzer for atmospheric inversion and eddy-covariance flux measurements, The 51st Annual Symposium of The Analysis Division of ISA, Anaheim, CA, ISA Publication (2006)
K.W. Busch, M.A. Busch, Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy: An Ultratrace Absorption Measurement Technique, American Chemical Society Symposium Series, Vol. 720 (Oxford University Press, New York, 1999)
G. Berden, R. Peeters, G. Meijer, Int. Rev. Phys. Chem. 19, 565 (2000)
U.S. Patent 5,912,740
U.S. Patent Application No.: 11/651372 – ID:3254
L.S. Rothman, C.P. Rinsland, A. Goldman, S.T. Massie, D.P. Edwards, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 96, 139 (2005)
P.S. Bakwin, P.P. Tans, D.F. Hurst, C. Zhao, Tellus B 50, 401 (1998)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
PACS
07.88.+y
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Crosson, E. A cavity ring-down analyzer for measuring atmospheric levels of methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Appl. Phys. B 92, 403–408 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-008-3135-y
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-008-3135-y