A modular field system for near-surface, vertical profiling of the atmospheric composition in harsh environments using cavity ring-down spectroscopy
<p>Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) has allowed for increasingly widespread, in situ observations of trace gases, including the stable isotopic composition of water vapor. However, gathering observations in harsh environments still poses challenges, particularly in regard to observing the...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| Online Access: | https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/769/2023/amt-16-769-2023.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) has allowed for increasingly widespread, in situ observations of trace gases, including the stable isotopic composition of water vapor.
However, gathering observations in harsh environments still poses challenges, particularly in regard to observing the small-scale exchanges taking place between the surface and atmosphere.
It is especially important to resolve the vertical structure of these processes.
We have designed the ISE-CUBE system as a modular CRDS deployment system for profiling stable water isotopes in the surface layer, specifically the lowermost 2 <span class="inline-formula">m</span> above the surface. We tested the system during a 2-week field campaign during February–March 2020 in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway, with ambient temperatures down to <span class="inline-formula">−30</span> <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C.
The system functioned suitably throughout the campaign, with field periods exhibiting only a marginal increase in isotopic measurement uncertainty (30 %) as compared to optimal laboratory operation.
Over the 2 <span class="inline-formula">m</span> profiling range, we have been able to measure and resolve gradients on the temporal and spatial scales needed in an Arctic environment.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1867-1381 1867-8548 |