In Situ Measurements of Long-Lived Trace Gases in the Lower Stratosphere by Gas Chromatography

Abstract

Detailed information on the four-channel Airborne Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (ACATS-IV), used to measure long-lived atmospheric trace gases, is presented. Since ACATS-IV was last described in the literature, the temporal resolution of some measurements was tripled during 1997?99, chromatography was significantly changed, and data processing improved. ACATS-IV presently measures CCl3F [chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-11], CCl2FCClF2 (CFC-113), CH3CCl3 (methyl chloroform), CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride), CH4 (methane), H2 (hydrogen), and CHCl3 (chloroform) every 140 s, and N2O (nitrous oxide), CCl2F2 (CFC-12), CBrClF2 (halon-1211), and SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) every 70 s. An in-depth description of the instrument operation, standardization, calibration, and data processing is provided, along with a discussion of precision and uncertainties of ambient air measurements for several airborne missions.