scholarly journals Airborne DOAS measurements in Arctic: vertical distributions of aerosol extinction coefficient and NO<sub>2</sub> concentration

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 13525-13574
Author(s):  
A. Merlaud ◽  
M. Van Roozendael ◽  
N. Theys ◽  
C. Fayt ◽  
C. Hermans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Scattered Light ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
The North ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Vertical Distributions

Abstract. We report airborne differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements of aerosol extinction and NO2 tropospheric profiles performed off the North coast of Norway in April 2008. The DOAS instrument was installed on the Safire ATR-42 aircraft during the POLARCAT-France spring campaign and recorded scattered light spectra in near-limb geometry using a scanning telescope. We use O4 slant column measurements to derive the aerosol extinction at 360 nm. Regularization is based on the maximum a posteriori solution, for which we compare a linear and a logarithmic approach. The latter inherently constrains the solution to positive values and yields aerosol extinction profiles more consistent with independently measured size distributions. Two soundings are presented, performed on 8 April 2008 above 71° N, 22° E and on 9 April 2008 above 70° N, 17.8° E. The first profile shows aerosol extinction and NO2 in the marine boundary layer with respective values of 0.04±0.005 km−1 and 1.9±0.3 × 109 molec cm−3. A second extinction layer of 0.01±0.003 km−1 is found at 4 km altitude. During the second sounding, clouds prevented us to retrieve profile parts under 3 km altitude but a layer with enhanced extinction (0.025±0.005 km−1) and NO2 (1.95±0.2 × 109 molec cm−3) is clearly detected at 4 km altitude. From CO and ozone in-situ measurements complemented by back-trajectories, we interpret the measurements in the free troposphere as, for the first sounding, a mix between stratospheric and polluted air from Northern Europe and for the second sounding, polluted air from Central Europe containing NO2. Considering the boundary layer measurements of the first flight, modeled source regions indicate closer sources, especially the Kola Peninsula smelters, which can explain the NO2 enhancement not correlated with a CO increase at the same altitude.

scholarly journals Airborne DOAS measurements in Arctic: vertical distributions of aerosol extinction coefficient and NO<sub>2</sub> concentration

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 9219-9236 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Merlaud ◽  
M. Van Roozendael ◽  
N. Theys ◽  
C. Fayt ◽  
C. Hermans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Scattered Light ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
The North ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Vertical Distributions

Abstract. We report on airborne Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements of aerosol extinction and NO2 tropospheric profiles performed off the North coast of Norway in April 2008. The DOAS instrument was installed on the Safire ATR-42 aircraft during the POLARCAT-France spring campaign and recorded scattered light spectra in near-limb geometry using a scanning telescope. We use O4 slant column measurements to derive the aerosol extinction at 360 nm. Regularization is based on the maximum a posteriori solution, for which we compare a linear and a logarithmic approach. The latter inherently constrains the solution to positive values and yields aerosol extinction profiles more consistent with independently measured size distributions. We present results from two soundings performed on 8 April 2008 above 71° N, 22° E and on 9 April 2008 above 70° N, 17.8° E. The first profile shows aerosol extinction and NO2 in the marine boundary layer with respective values of 0.04 ± 0.005 km−1 and 1.9 ± 0.3 × 109 molec cm−3. A second extinction layer of 0.01 ± 0.003 km−1 is found at 4 km altitude where the NO2 concentration is 0.32 ± 0.2 × 109 molec cm−3. During the second sounding, clouds prevent retrieval of profile parts under 3 km altitude but a layer with enhanced extinction (0.025 ± 0.005 km−1) and NO2 (1.95 ± 0.2 × 109 molec cm−3) is clearly detected at 4 km altitude. From CO and ozone in-situ measurements complemented by back-trajectories, we interpret the measurements in the free troposphere as, for the first sounding, a mix between stratospheric and polluted air from Northern Europe and for the second sounding, polluted air from Central Europe containing NO2. Considering the boundary layer measurements of the first flight, modeled source regions indicate closer sources, especially the Kola Peninsula smelters, which can explain the NO2 enhancement not correlated with a CO increase at the same altitude.

scholarly journals Night-time radical chemistry during the NAMBLEX campaign

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 587-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sommariva ◽  
M. J. Pilling ◽  
W. J. Bloss ◽  
D. E. Heard ◽  
J. D. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Chemical Mechanism ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Peroxy Radicals ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Measured Concentration ◽  
Light Alkenes ◽  
The North ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Abstract. Night-time chemistry in the Marine Boundary Layer has been modelled using a number of observationally constrained zero-dimensional box-models. The models were based upon the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) and the measurements were taken during the North Atlantic Marine Boundary Layer Experiment (NAMBLEX) campaign at Mace Head, Ireland in July–September 2002. The model could reproduce, within the combined uncertainties, the measured concentration of HO2 (within 30–40%) during the night 31 August–1 September and of HO2+RO2 (within 15–30%) during several nights of the campaign. The model always overestimated the NO3 measurements made by Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) by up to an order of magnitude or more, but agreed with the NO3 Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) measurements to within 30–50%. The most likely explanation of the discrepancy between the two instruments and the model is the reaction of the nitrate radical with inhomogeneously distributed NO, which was measured at concentrations of up to 10 ppt, even though this is not enough to fully explain the difference between the DOAS measurements and the model. A rate of production and destruction analysis showed that radicals were generated during the night mainly by the reaction of ozone with light alkenes. The cycling between HO2/RO2 and OH was maintained during the night by the low concentrations of NO and the overall radical concentration was limited by slow loss of peroxy radicals to form peroxides. A strong peak in [NO2] during the night 31 August–1 September allowed an insight into the radical fluxes and the connections between the HOx and the NO3 cycles.

scholarly journals Night-time radical chemistry during the NAMBLEX campaign

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 7715-7745 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sommariva ◽  
M. J. Pilling ◽  
W. J. Bloss ◽  
D. E. Heard ◽  
J. D. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Chemical Mechanism ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Peroxy Radicals ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Measured Concentration ◽  
Light Alkenes ◽  
The North ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Abstract. Night-time chemistry in the Marine Boundary Layer has been modelled using a number of observationally constrained zero-dimensional box-models. The models were based upon the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) and the measurements were taken during the North Atlantic Marine Boundary Layer Experiment (NAMBLEX) campaign at Mace Head, Ireland in July–September 2002. The model could reproduce, within the combined uncertainties, the measured concentration of HO2 (within 30–40%) during the night 31 August–1 September and of HO2+RO2 (within 15–30%) during several nights of the campaign. The model always overestimated the NO3 measurements made by Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) by up to an order of magnitude or more, but agreed with the NO3 Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) measurements to within 30–50%. The most likely explanation of the discrepancy between the two instruments and the model is reaction of the nitrate radical with inhomogeneously distributed NO, which was measured at concentrations of up to 10 ppt, even though this is not enough to fully explain the difference between the DOAS measurements and the model. A rate of production and destruction analysis showed that radicals were generated during the night mainly by the reaction of ozone with light alkenes. The cycling between HO2/RO2 and OH was maintained during the night by the low concentrations of NO and the overall radical concentration was limited by slow loss of peroxy radicals to form peroxides. A strong peak in [NO2] during the night 31 August–1 September allowed an insight into the radical fluxes and the connections between the HOx and the NO3 cycles.

scholarly journals Two-years of NO<sub>3</sub> radical observations in the boundary layer over the Eastern Mediterranean

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vrekoussis ◽  
N. Mihalopoulos ◽  
E. Gerasopoulos ◽  
M. Kanakidou ◽  
P. J. Crutzen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Heterogeneous Reaction ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Data Set ◽  
East Europe ◽  
Dinitrogen Pentoxide ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
The North

Abstract. This is the first study that investigates the seasonal variability of nitrate (NO3) radicals in the marine boundary layer over the East Mediterranean Sea. An extensive data set of NO3 radical observations on the north coast of Crete for more than two years (June 2001–September 2003) is presented here. NO3 radicals follow a distinct seasonal dependency with the highest seasonally average mixing ratios in summer (5.6±1.2 pptv) and the lowest in winter (1.2±1.2 pptv). Episodes with high NO3 mixing ratios have been encountered mainly in polluted air masses originating from mainland Greece, Central and East Europe, and Turkey. Ancillary measurements of ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and meteorological parameters have been conducted and used to reveal possible relationship with the observed NO3 variability. The acquired NO2 nighttime observations provide the up-to-date most complete overview of NO2 temporal variability in the area. The data show correlations of the NO3 nighttime mixing ratios with temperature (positive), relative humidity (negative) and to a lesser extend with O3 (positive). As inferred from these observations, on average the major sink of NO3 radicals in the area is the heterogeneous reaction of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) on aqueous particles whereas the homogeneous gas phase reactions of NO3 are most important during spring and summer. These observations support a significant contribution of NO3 nighttime chemistry to the oxidizing capacity of the troposphere.

scholarly journals Two-years of NO<sub>3</sub> radical observations in the boundary layer over the Eastern Mediterranean

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 9517-9544
Author(s):  
M. Vrekoussis ◽  
N. Mihalopoulos ◽  
E. Gerasopoulos ◽  
M. Kanakidou ◽  
P. Crutzen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Heterogeneous Reaction ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Peroxy Radicals ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
The North

Abstract. This is the first study that investigates the seasonal variability of nitrate (NO3) radicals in the marine boundary layer over the East Mediterranean Sea. An extensive data set of NO3 radical observations on the north coast of Crete for more than two years (June 2001–September 2003) is presented here. NO3 radicals follow a distinct seasonal dependency with maximum mixing ratios in summer (5.6±1.2 pptv) and minimum in winter (1.2±1.2 pptv). Episodes with high NO3 mixing ratios have been encountered mainly in polluted air masses originating from mainland Greece, Central and East Europe, and Turkey. Ancillary measurements of ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO2 and meteorological parameters have been conducted and used to explain the observed NO3 variability. The acquired NO2 nighttime observations provide the up-to-date most complete overview of NO2 temporal variability in the area. The data show that the NO3 nighttime mixing ratios are primarily dependent on NO2 (positive correlation) and relative humidity (negative correlation) and to a lesser extend on temperature (positive correlation). As inferred from these observations, on average the major sink of NO3 radicals in the area is the heterogeneous reaction of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) on aqueous particles whereas the homogeneous gas phase reactions of NO3 are most important during spring and summer. NO 3 chemistry in the area significantly contributes to VOC oxidation and to the nighttime formation of peroxy radicals, nitric acid and particulate nitrate.

scholarly journals Atmospheric bromoform at Mace Head, Ireland: seasonality and evidence for a peatland source

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 2927-2934 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Carpenter ◽  
D. J. Wevill ◽  
S. O'Doherty ◽  
G. Spain ◽  
P. G. Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Wind Direction ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Land Breeze ◽  
Peat Bogs ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
The North ◽  
Prevailing Wind Direction ◽  
Atmospheric Observations ◽  
Summer Minimum

Abstract. In situ atmospheric observations of bromoform (CHBr3) made over a 2.5 year period at Mace Head, Ireland from May 2001- Dec 2003, including during the NAMBLEX (North Atlantic Marine Boundary Layer Experiment) campaign, show broad maxima from spring until autumn and winter minima, with mixing ratios of 5.3+1.0 pptv (mid March - mid October) and 1.8+0.8 pptv (December-February). This indicates that, unlike CHCl3, which has a summer minimum and winter maximum at Mace Head, local biological sources of CHBr3 have a greater influence on the atmospheric data than photochemical decay during long-range transport. The emission sources are predominantly macroalgal, but we find evidence for a small terrestrial flux from peatland ecosystems, which so far has not been accounted for in the CHBr3 budget. Sharp increases in CHCl3 and CHBr3 concentrations and decreases in O3 concentrations occurred at night when the wind direction switched from an ocean- to a land-based sector (land breeze) and the wind speed dropped to below 5 ms-1. These observations infer a shallow atmospheric boundary layer with increased O3 deposition and concentration of local emissions of both CHCl3 and CHBr3. The ratio of ΔCHCl3/ΔCHBr3 varied strongly according to the prevailing wind direction; from 0.60+0.15 in south-easterly (100-170° and northerly (340-20°) air to 2.5+0.4 in north-easterly (40-70°) air. Of these land-sectors, the south-easterly air masses are likely to be strongly influenced by macroalgal beds along the coast and the emission ratios probably reflect those from seaweeds in addition to land sources. The north-easterly airmasses however had an immediate fetch inland, which locally is comprised of coastal peatland ecosystems (peat bogs and coastal conifer plantations), previously identified as being strong sources of atmospheric CHCl3 under these conditions. Although we cannot entirely rule out other local land or coastal sources, our observations also suggest peatland ecosystem emissions of CHBr3. We use correlations between CHCl3 and CHBr3 during the north-easterly land breeze events in conjunction with previous estimates of local wetland CHCl3 release to tentatively deduce a global wetland CHBr3 source of 20.4(0.4-948) Gg yr-1, which is approximately 7% of the total global source.

scholarly journals A broadband cavity ringdown spectrometer for in-situ measurements of atmospheric trace gases

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 3491-3532 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bitter ◽  
S. M. Ball ◽  
I. M. Povey ◽  
R. L. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Water Vapour ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Thermal Dissociation ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Integration Time ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Absorption Bands ◽  
Optical Extinction ◽  
Cavity Ringdown

Abstract. This paper describes a broadband cavity ringdown spectrometer and its deployment during the 2002 North Atlantic Marine Boundary Layer Experiment (NAMBLEX) to measure ambient concentrations of NO3, N2O5, I2 and OIO at the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station, Co. Galway, Ireland. The effective absorption path lengths accessible with the spectrometer generally exceeded 10 km, enabling sensitive localised ''point'' measurements of atmospheric absorbers to be made adjacent to the other instruments monitoring chemically related species at the same site. For the majority of observations, the spectrometer was used in an open path configuration thereby avoiding surface losses of reactive species. A subset of observations targeted the N2O5 molecule by detecting the additional NO3 formed by the thermal dissociation of N2O5. In all cases the concentrations of the atmospheric absorbers were retrieved by fitting the differential structure in the broadband cavity ringdown spectra using a methodology adapted from long path differential optical absorption spectroscopy. The uncertainty of the retrieval depends crucially on the correct treatment and fitting of the absorption bands due to water vapour, a topic that is discussed in the context of analysing broadband cavity ringdown spectra. The quality of the measurements and the retrieval method are illustrated with representative spectra acquired during NAMBLEX in spectral regions around 660 nm (NO3 and N2O5) and 570 nm (I2 and OIO). Typical detection limits were 1 pptv for NO3 in an integration time of 100 s, 4 pptv for OIO and 20 pptv for I2 in an integration time of 10 min. Additionally, the concentrations of atmospheric water vapour and the aerosol optical extinction were retrieved in both spectral regions. A companion paper in this issue presents the time series of the measurements and discusses their significance for understanding the variability of short lived nitrogen and iodine compounds in the marine boundary layer.

scholarly journals Measuring the Vertical Profiles of Aerosol Extinction in the Lower Troposphere by MAX-DOAS at a Rural Site in the North China Plain

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Siyang Cheng ◽  
Junli Jin ◽  
Jianzhong Ma ◽  
Xiaobin Xu ◽  
Liang Ran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Rural Site ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
The North

Ground-based multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) measurements were performed during the summer (13 June–20 August) of 2014 at a rural site in North China Plain. The vertical profiles of aerosol extinction (AE) in the lower troposphere were retrieved to analyze the temporal variations of AE profiles, near-surface AE, and aerosol optical depth (AOD). The average AOD and near-surface AE over the period of study were 0.51 ± 0.26 and 0.33 ± 0.18 km−1 during the effective observation period, respectively. High AE events and elevated AE layers were identified based on the time series of hourly AE profiles, near-surface AEs and AODs. It is found that in addition to the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and relative humidity (RH), the variations in the wind field have large impacts on the near-surface AE, AOD, and AE profile. Among 16 wind sectors, higher AOD or AE occur mostly in the directions of the cities upstream. The diurnal variations of the AE profiles, AODs and near-surface AEs are significant and influenced mainly by the source emissions, PBLH, and RH. The AE profile shape from MAX-DOAS measurement is generally in agreement with that from light detection and ranging (lidar) observations, although the AE absolute levels are different. Overall, ground-based MAX-DOAS can serve as a supplement to measure the AE vertical profiles in the lower troposphere.

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