scholarly journals Maïdo observatory: a new altitude station facility at Reunion Island (21° S, 55° E) for long-term atmospheric remote sensing and in-situ measurements

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 6371-6408
Author(s):  
J.-L. Baray ◽  
Y. Courcoux ◽  
P. Keckhut ◽  
T. Portafaix ◽  
P. Tulet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Remote Sensing ◽  
Réunion Island ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). The location of Reunion Island presents a great interest because there are very few multi-instrumented stations in the tropics and particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2012, a new observatory was commissioned in Maïdo at 2200 m a.s.l.: it hosts various instruments for atmospheric measurements, including LiDAR systems, spectro-radiometers and in situ gases and aerosols measurements. This new high-altitude Maïdo station allows: 1. To improve the performance of the optical instruments above the marine boundary layer, and to open new perspectives on upper troposphere and lower stratosphere studies. 2. To develop in-situ measurements of the atmospheric composition for climate change survey, in a reference site in the tropical/subtropical region of the Southern Hemisphere. 3. To offer trans-national access to host experiments or measurement campaigns for focused process studies.

scholarly journals Maïdo observatory: a new high-altitude station facility at Reunion Island (21° S, 55° E) for long-term atmospheric remote sensing and in situ measurements

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 2865-2877 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-L. Baray ◽  
Y. Courcoux ◽  
P. Keckhut ◽  
T. Portafaix ◽  
P. Tulet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Remote Sensing ◽  
Réunion Island

Abstract. Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). The location of Reunion Island presents a great interest because there are very few multi-instrumented stations in the tropics and particularly in the southern hemisphere. In 2012, a new observatory was commissioned in Maïdo at 2200 m above sea level: it hosts various instruments for atmospheric measurements, including lidar systems, spectro-radiometers and in situ gas and aerosol measurements. This new high-altitude Maïdo station provides an opportunity: 1. to improve the performance of the optical instruments above the marine boundary layer, and to open new perspectives on upper troposphere and lower stratosphere studies; 2. to develop in situ measurements of the atmospheric composition for climate change surveys, in a reference site in the tropical/subtropical region of the southern hemisphere; 3. to offer trans-national access to host experiments or measurement campaigns for focused process studies.

scholarly journals Ultraviolet Radiation modelling from ground based and satellite measurements at Reunion Island, Southern Tropics

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kévin Lamy ◽  
Thierry Portafaix ◽  
Colette Brogniez ◽  
Sophie Godin-Beekmann ◽  
Hassan Bencherif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ultraviolet Radiation ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Montreal Protocol ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Phytoplankton Productivity ◽  
Future Evolution ◽  
The Future ◽  
Réunion Island ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. Surface ultraviolet radiation (SUR) is not an increasing concern after the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the recovery of the ozone layer (Morgenstern et al., 2008). However large uncertainties remain in the prediction of the future changes of SUR (Bais et al., 2015). It has long been known that its variability depends on ozone levels and also on clouds, aerosol and albedo. It is therefore essential to monitor its evolution in the context of global change. Unfortunately, there are few ground-based stations measuring surface UV irradiance in the southern tropics and particularly in the Indian Ocean, and long-term time series are required to study SUR variability and its relationship to ozone and to detect trends. Reunion Island is located in the tropics (21° S, 55° E), in a part of the world where the amount of ozone in the ozone column is naturally low. In addition, this island is mountainous and the marine atmosphere is often clean with low aerosol concentrations. Thus, measurements show much higher SUR than at other sites at the same latitude or at mid-latitudes. Several studies pointed out that UV-B impacts the biosphere (Erickson III et al., 2015), especially aquatic system, which plays a central part in biogeochemical cycle (Hader et al., 2007). It can affect phytoplankton productivity (Smith and Cullen, 1995). This influence can result in either positive or negative feedback on climate (Zepp et al., 2007). In order to quantify the future evolution of SUR in the tropics, it is necessary to validate a model against present observations. This study is designed to be a preliminary parametric and sensitivity study of SUR modelling in the tropics. Ground-based measurements of SUR have been performed at Reunion Island by a BENTHAM DTMc300 spectroradiometer since 2009. This instrument is part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). In this study, we used the UltraViolet Index in order to quantify SUR radiation integratively.

scholarly journals In situ measurements of molecular iodine in the marine boundary layer: the link to macroalgae and the implications for O<sub>3</sub>, IO, OIO and NO<sub>x</sub>

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 4823-4833 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.-J. Huang ◽  
K. Seitz ◽  
J. Buxmann ◽  
D. Pöhler ◽  
K. E. Hornsby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Algal Species ◽  
Molecular Iodine ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Inorganic Iodine

Abstract. Discrete in situ atmospheric measurements of molecular iodine (I2) were carried out at Mace Head and Mweenish Bay on the west coast of Ireland using diffusion denuders in combination with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. I2, IO and OIO were also measured by long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy (LP-DOAS). The simultaneous denuder and LP-DOAS I2 measurements were well correlated (R2=0.80) but the denuder method recorded much higher concentrations. This can be attributed to the fact that the in situ measurements were made near to macroalgal sources of I2 in the intertidal zone, whereas the LP-DOAS technique provides distance-averaged mixing ratios of an inhomogeneous distribution along the light-path. The observed mixing ratios of I2 at Mweenish Bay were significantly higher than that at Mace Head, which is consistent with differences in local algal biomass density and algal species composition. Above algal beds, levels of I2 were found to correlate inversely with tidal height and positively with the concentrations of O3 in the surrounding air, indicating a role for O3 in the production of I2 from macroalgae, as has been previously suggested from laboratory studies. However, measurements made ~150 m away from the algal beds showed a negative correlation between O3 and I2 during both day and night. We interpret these results to indicate that the released I2 can also lead to O3 destruction via the reaction of O3 with I atoms that are formed by the photolysis of I2 during the day and via the reaction of I2 with NO3 radicals at night. The results show that the concentrations of daytime IO are correlated with the mixing ratios of I2, and suggest that the local algae sources dominate the inorganic iodine chemistry at Mace Head and Mweenish Bay.

scholarly journals Ground-based FTIR retrievals of SF<sub>6</sub> on Reunion Island

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 651-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minqiang Zhou ◽  
Bavo Langerock ◽  
Corinne Vigouroux ◽  
Pucai Wang ◽  
Christian Hermans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Michelson Interferometer ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Annual Growth Rate ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Individual Layer ◽  
Infrared Measurements ◽  
Réunion Island

Abstract. SF6 total columns were successfully retrieved from FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) measurements (Saint Denis and Maïdo) on Reunion Island (21∘ S, 55∘ E) between 2004 and 2016 using the SFIT4 algorithm: the retrieval strategy and the error budget were presented. The FTIR SF6 retrieval has independent information in only one individual layer, covering the whole of the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The trend in SF6 was analysed based on the FTIR-retrieved dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XSF6) on Reunion Island, the in situ measurements at America Samoa (SMO) and the collocated satellite measurements (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding, MIPAS, and Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer, ACE-FTS) in the southern tropics. The SF6 annual growth rate from FTIR retrievals is 0.265±0.013 pptv year−1 for 2004–2016, which is slightly weaker than that from the SMO in situ measurements (0.285±0.002 pptv year−1) for the same time period. The SF6 trend in the troposphere from MIPAS and ACE-FTS observations is also close to the ones from the FTIR retrievals and the SMO in situ measurements.

scholarly journals First ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer observations of HFC-23 at Rikubetsu, Japan, and Syowa Station, Antarctica

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 5955-5976
Author(s):  
Masanori Takeda ◽  
Hideaki Nakajima ◽  
Isao Murata ◽  
Tomoo Nagahama ◽  
Isamu Morino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Fourier Transform Infrared ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Syowa Station ◽  
Spectroscopic Parameters ◽  
Dry Air ◽  
Systematic Uncertainties ◽  
Ftir Spectrometer

Abstract. We have developed a procedure for retrieving atmospheric abundances of HFC-23 (CHF3) with a ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and analyzed the spectra observed at Rikubetsu, Japan (43.5∘ N, 143.8∘ E), and at Syowa Station, Antarctica (69.0∘ S, 39.6∘ E). The FTIR retrievals were carried out with the SFIT4 retrieval program, and the two spectral windows of 1138.5–1148.0 cm−1 and 1154.0–1160.0 cm−1 in the overlapping ν2 and ν5 vibrational–rotational transition bands of HFC-23 were used to avoid strong H2O absorption features. We considered O3, N2O, CH4, H2O, HDO, CFC-12 (CCl2F2), HCFC-22 (CHClF2), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) (CH3C(O)OONO2), HCFC-141b (CH3CCl2F), and HCFC-142b (CH3CClF2) to be interfering species. Vertical profiles of H2O, HDO, and CH4 are preliminarily retrieved with other independent spectral windows because these profiles may induce large uncertainties in the HFC-23 retrieval. Each HFC-23 retrieval has only one piece of vertical information with sensitivity to HFC-23 in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. Retrieval errors mainly arise from the systematic uncertainties of the spectroscopic parameters used to obtain HFC-23, H2O, HDO, and CH4 abundances. For comparison between FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 total columns and surface dry-air mole fractions provided by AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment), FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XHFC-23) were calculated. The FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 values at Rikubetsu and Syowa Station have negative biases of −15 % to −20 % and −25 % compared to the AGAGE datasets, respectively. These negative biases might mainly come from systematic uncertainties of HFC-23 spectroscopic parameters. The trend of the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Rikubetsu was derived for December to February (DJF) observations, which are considered to represent the background values when an air mass reaching Rikubetsu has the least influence by transport of HFC-23 emissions from nearby countries. The DJF trend of Rikubetsu over the 1997–2009 period is 0.810 ± 0.093 ppt yr−1 (ppt: parts per trillion), which is in good agreement with the trend derived from the annual global mean datasets of the AGAGE 12-box model for the same period (0.820 ± 0.013 ppt yr−1). The DJF trend of Rikubetsu over the 2008–2019 period is 0.928 ± 0.108 ppt yr−1, which is consistent with the trend in the AGAGE in situ measurements at Trinidad Head (41.1∘ N, 124.2∘ W) for the same period (0.994 ± 0.001 ppt yr−1). The trend of the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Syowa Station over the 2007–2016 period is 0.819 ± 0.071 ppt yr−1, which is consistent with that derived from the AGAGE in situ measurements at Cape Grim (40.7∘ S, 144.7∘ E) for the same period (0.874 ± 0.002 ppt yr−1). Although there are systematic biases in the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 at both sites, these results indicate that ground-based FTIR observations have the capability to monitor the long-term trend of atmospheric HFC-23. If this FTIR measurement technique were extended to other Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) ground-based FTIR sites around world, the measurements reported from these sites would complement the global AGAGE observations by filling spatial and temporal gaps and may lead to improved insights about changes in regional and global emissions of HFC-23 and its role in global warming.

scholarly journals High-precision quasi-continuous atmospheric greenhouse gas measurements at Trainou tower (Orléans forest, France)

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2283-2296 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Schmidt ◽  
M. Lopez ◽  
C. Yver Kwok ◽  
C. Messager ◽  
M. Ramonet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Flame Ionization ◽  
Gas Detector ◽  
Sampling Height ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Drying System ◽  
Gas Measurements ◽  
Television Tower

Abstract. Results from the Trainou tall tower measurement station installed in 2006 are presented for atmospheric measurements of CO2, CH4, N2O, SF6, CO, H2 mole fractions and radon-222 activity. Air is sampled from four sampling heights (180, 100, 50 and 5 m) of the Trainou 200 m television tower in the Orléans forest in France (47°57'53" N, 2°06'45" E, 131 m a.s.l.). The station is equipped with a custom-built CO2 analyser (CARIBOU), which is based on a commercial non-dispersive, infrared (NDIR) analyser (Licor 6252), and a coupled gas chromatography (GC) system equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD) and a flame ionization detector (FID) (HP6890N, Agilent) and a reduction gas detector (PP1, Peak Performer). Air intakes, pumping and air drying system are shared between the CARIBOU and the GC systems. The ultimately achieved short-term repeatability (1 sigma, over several days) for the GC system is 0.05 ppm for CO2, 1.4 ppb for CH4, 0.25 ppb for N2O, 0.08 ppb for SF6, 0.88 ppb for CO and 3.8 for H2. The repeatability of the CARIBOU CO2 analyser is 0.06 ppm. In addition to the in situ measurements, weekly flask sampling is performed, and flask air samples are analysed at the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE) central laboratory for the same species as well for stable isotopes of CO2. The comparison between in situ measurements and the flask sampling showed averaged differences of 0.08 ± 1.40 ppm for CO2, 0.7 ± 7.3 ppb for CH4, 0.6 ± 0.6 ppb for N2O, 0.01 ± 0.10 ppt for SF6, 1.5± 5.3 ppb for CO and 4.8± 6.9 ppb for H2 for the years 2008–2012. At Trainou station, the mean annual increase rates from 2007 to 2011 at the 180 m sampling height were 2.2 ppm yr−1 for CO2, 4 ppb yr−1 for CH4, 0.78 ppb yr−1 for N2O and 0.29 ppt yr−1 for SF6. For all species, the 180 m sampling level showed the smallest diurnal variation. Mean diurnal gradients between the 50 m and the 180 m sampling level reached up to 30 ppm CO2, 15 ppm CH4 or 0.5 ppb N2O during nighttime whereas the mean gradients are smaller than 0.5 ppm for CO2 and 1.5 ppb for CH4 during afternoon.

scholarly journals Observationally constrained analysis of sea salt aerosol in the marine atmosphere

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huisheng Bian ◽  
Karl Froyd ◽  
Daniel M. Murphy ◽  
Jack Dibb ◽  
Mian Chin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Marine Atmosphere

Abstract. Atmospheric sea salt plays important roles in marine cloud formation and atmospheric chemistry. We performed an integrated analysis of NASA GEOS model simulations run with the GOCART aerosol module, in situ measurements from the PALMS and SAGA instruments obtained during the NASA ATom campaign, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements from AERONET Marine Aerosol Network (MAN) sun photometers and from MODIS satellite observations to better constrain sea salt in the marine atmosphere. ATom measurements and GEOS model simulation both show that sea salt concentrations over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans have a strong vertical gradient, varying up to four orders of magnitude from the marine boundary layer to free troposphere. The modeled residence times suggest that the lifetime of sea salt particles with dry diameter less than 3 μm is largely controlled by wet removal, followed next by turbulent process. During both boreal summer and winter, the GEOS simulated sea salt mass mixing ratios agree with SAGA measurements in the marine boundary layer (MBL) and with PALMS measurements above the MBL. However, comparison of AOD from GEOS with AERONET/MAN and MODIS aerosol retrievals indicated that the model underestimated AOD over the oceans where sea salt dominates. The apparent discrepancy of slightly overpredicted concentration and large underpredicted AOD could not be explained by biases in the model RH, which was found to be comparable to or larger than the in-situ measurements. This conundrum is at least partially explained by the sea salt size distribution; where the GEOS simulation has much less sea salt percentage-wise in the smaller particles than was observed by PALMS. Model sensitivity experiments indicated that the simulated sea salt is better correlated with measurements when the sea salt emission is calculated based on the friction velocity and with consideration of sea surface temperature dependence than that parameterized with the 10-m winds.

scholarly journals Six years of high-precision quasi-continuous atmospheric greenhouse gas measurements at Trainou Tower (Orléans Forest, France)

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 569-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Schmidt ◽  
M. Lopez ◽  
C. Yver Kwok ◽  
C. Messager ◽  
M. Ramonet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Gas Detector ◽  
Sampling Height ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Drying System ◽  
Gas Measurements ◽  
Television Tower

Abstract. Results from the Trainou tall tower measurement station installed in 2006, are presented for atmospheric measurements of CO2, CH4, N2O, SF6, CO, H2 mole fractions and Radon-222 activity. Air is sampled from four sampling heights (180 m, 100 m, 50 m and 5 m) of the Trainou 200 m television tower in the Orléans forest in France (47°57'53'' N, 2°06'45'' E, 131 m a.s.l.). The station is equipped with a custom-build CO2 analyzer (CARIBOU), which is based on a commercial NDIR analyser (Licor 6252), and a coupled gas chromatographic GC system equipped with ECD and FID (HP6890N, Agilent) and a reduction gas detector (PP1, Peak Performer). Air intakes, pumping and air drying system are shared between the CARIBOU and the GC systems. After some initial problems, we achieved short-term repeatability (1 sigma, over several days) for the GC system of of 0.05 ppm for CO2, 1.4 ppb for CH4, 0.25 ppb for N2O, 0.08 ppb for SF6, 0.88 ppb for CO and 3.8 for H2. The repeatability of the CARIBOU CO2 analyser is 0.06 ppm. In addition to the in-situ measurements, weekly flask sampling is performed, and flask air samples are analysed at the LSCE central laboratory for the same species as well for stable isotopes of CO2. The comparison between in-situ measurements and the flask sampling showed averaged differences of 0.08 ± 1.4 ppm CO2, 0.69 ± 7.3 ppb CH4, 0.64 ± 0.62 ppb N2O, 0.01 ± 0.1 ppt SF6 and 1.5 ± 5.3 ppb CO for the years 2008–2012. At Trainou station, the mean annual increase rates from 2007 to 2011 at the 180 m sampling height were 2.2 ppm yr−1 for CO2, 4 ppb yr−1 for CH4, 0.78 ppb yr−1 for N2O and 0.29 ppt yr−1 for SF6 respectively. For all species the 180 m sampling level showed the smallest diurnal variation. Mean diurnal gradients between the 50 m and the 180 m sampling level reached up to 30 ppm CO2, 15 ppm CH4 or 0.5 ppb N2O during night whereas the mean gradients are smaller than 0.5 ppm for CO2 and 1.5 ppb for CH4 during afternoon.

scholarly journals Co-located column and in situ measurements of CO<sub>2</sub> in the tropics compared with model simulations

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 3173-3187
Author(s):  
T. Warneke ◽  
A. K. Petersen ◽  
C. Gerbig ◽  
A. Jordan ◽  
C. Rödenbeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Local Source ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Source Component

Abstract. The first ground-based remote sensing measurements of the column averaged volume mixing ratio of CO2 (XCO2) for the inner tropics have been obtained at Paramaribo, Suriname (5.8° N, 55.2° W). The remote sensing observations are complemented by surface air-samples collected at the site, analyzed for CO2 and 13CO2. The surface in-situ measurements are strongly influenced by local sources. From the isotopic composition of the air samples the local source component is suggested to be dominated by the terrestrial biosphere. Using δ13C from the NOAA/ESRL stations Ascension Is. (ASC), 7.9° S, 14.4° W, and Ragged Point (RPB), 7.9° S, 14.4° W, the data has been corrected for the local source component. Due to the migration of the ITCZ over the measurement site the probed air masses belong to the Northern or Southern Hemisphere depending on the time of the year. Comparison to analyzed CO2 fields based on TM3 model simulations using optimized fluxes indicate agreement for XCO2 as well as for the corrected CO2 mixing ratios at the surface for the long dry season, when Paramaribo belongs to the Southern Hemisphere. A slightly worse agreement during the short dry season is attributed to a larger representation error during this time of the year. Overall the comparison demonstrates that the TM3 model is capable to simulate surface concentrations as well as column densities of CO2 correctly at the same location.

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