Changes in atmospheric composition discerned from long-term NDACC measurements: trends in direct greenhouse gases derived from infrared solar absorption spectra recorded at the Jungfraujoch station

Poster (2011, October 25)

The University of Liège (ULg) is operating -under clear sky conditions- two state-of-the-art Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers at the high-altitude research station of the Jungfraujoch ... [more ▼]

The University of Liège (ULg) is operating -under clear sky conditions- two state-of-the-art Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers at the high-altitude research station of the Jungfraujoch (Swiss Alps, 46.5ºN, 3580m asl), within the framework of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Changes (NDACC). Routine FTIR operation started in 1984. Since then, it has been continued without disruption, allowing collecting more than 45000 high-resolution broadband IR solar absorption spectra, between 2 and 16 µm, using either HgCdTe or InSb detectors as well as a suite of optical filters. Typically, the spectral resolutions achieved lie in the 0.003 to 0.009 cm-1 interval while signal-to-noise ratios of 1000 and more are reached. Numerous narrow-band IR spectra essentially recorded from 1976 to 1989 with grating instruments are also available. Their analyses with modern tools have recently started [Bader et al., 2011] and will be pursued to consistently extend our datasets back in the 1970s. Geophysical parameters are deduced from the ULg observational database either with the SFIT-1, SFIT-2 or PROFFIT-9 algorithm, allowing producing total column time series of the target gases. In addition, information on their vertical distributions with altitude can generally be derived when using SFIT-2 or PROFFIT-9 which both implement the Optimal Estimation Method of Rodgers [1990]. Presently, more than two dozen atmospheric species are systematically retrieved from the Jungfraujoch observations, allowing the monitoring of key constituents of the Earth's atmosphere which play important roles in stratospheric ozone depletion and/or in global warming. This communication will focus on the direct and major greenhouse gases available from our database, namely water vapor, CO2, CH4, N2O, tropospheric ozone, CFC-11, CFC-12, HCFC-22, CCl4, SF6, as well as CF4 which has recently been added to our targets list [Duchatelet et al., 2011]. Trends and associated uncertainties characterizing the available -and often multi-decadal- time series have been derived or updated with a statistical bootstrap resampling tool [Gardiner et al., 2008], they will be presented and critically compared with data available from the literature. [less ▲]

Advanced exploitation of Ground-Based measurements for Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Applications "AGACC"

Report (2011)

We live in an era in which human activities are causing significant changes to the atmospheric environment which result in local to global consequences on the ecosystems. Changes in the atmospheric ... [more ▼]

We live in an era in which human activities are causing significant changes to the atmospheric environment which result in local to global consequences on the ecosystems. Changes in the atmospheric composition impact our climate via chemical and dynamical feedback mechanisms; in many instances they also affect air quality, and the health of the biosphere. Monitoring and understanding those changes and their consequences is fundamental to establish adequate actions for adaptation to and mitigation of the environmental changes. Furthermore, after implementation of regulatory measures like the Montreal Protocol, it is necessary to verify whether the measures are effective. This can only be achieved if we have adequate detection methods and a reliable long record of a series of key geophysical parameters. Thus the AGACC project contributes to the provision of basic new knowledge regarding the atmospheric composition and its changes, based on advanced groundbased monitoring, in combination with satellite and numerical modelling data. Its results are integrated in ongoing international research programmes. The general objective of AGACC has been to improve and extend the groundbased detection capabilities for a number of climate-related target species and, based hereupon, analyse past and present observations to derive new information about the atmospheric composition, its variability and long-term changes. Despite the advent of a growing and more performant fleet of Earth Observation satellites, ground-based observations are still indispensable to (1) guarantee long-term continuity, homogeneity and high quality of the data, and (2) to underpin the satellite data for calibration and (long-term) validation. A first target gas is atmospheric water vapour. It is the key trace gas controlling weather and climate. It is also the most important greenhouse gas in the Earth’s atmosphere. Its amount and vertical distribution are changing, but how and why? Especially in the upper troposphere - lower stratosphere, the radiative effects of changes in the water vapour are significant and should be quantified. The measurement of water vapour is a hot topic since several years. It is a challenge, because water vapour exhibits a large gradient in its concentration when going from the ground to the stratosphere, and because it is highly variable in time and space. For example, we have found that the time scale of the variations of the total water vapour amount at Jungfraujoch is in the order of minutes. In AGACC, we have therefore investigated various experimental techniques to measure the concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere, focusing on the total column as well as on the vertical distribution in the troposphere up to the lower stratosphere. The retrieval of water vapour vertical profiles and total columns from ground-based FTIR data has been initiated at three very different stations where correlative data for verification are available, namely Ukkel (± sea level, mid-latitude), Ile de La Réunion (± sea level, tropical) and Jungfraujoch (high altitude, mid-latitude), with promising results. In particular, at Jungfraujoch, it has been demonstrated that the precision of the FTIR integrated water vapour (IWV) measurements is of order 2%. The capability to retrieve individual isotopologues of water vapour, and to monitor their daily and diurnal variations, has also been demonstrated. This could open new ways to study in the future the role of water vapour in the radiative balance, the global circulation, precipitation etc. We also started joint exploitation of ground-based FTIR and satellite IASI data for water vapour and its isotopologues, in order to exploit fully the potential of the existing instrumentation. A correction method for the radiosoundings at Ukkel has been successfully implemented, resulting in a homogeneous and reliable time series from 1990 to 2008 from which trends in upper troposphere humidity (UTH) and tropopause characteristics have been derived. One observes a rising UTH until September 2001, followed by a decline, accompanied by a descent and heating of the tropopause up to the turning point and an ascent and cooling afterwards. The changes after September 2001 in the upper troposphere can be explained by surface heating and convective uplift. At Jungfraujoch, one does not observe any significant trend in the total water vapour abundance above the station over the 1988-2010 time period, although significant positive summer and negative winter trends have been detected. We have made a quantitative statistical comparison between ground-based FTIR, CIMEL, GPS and integrated (corrected) radio sounding measurements of the IWV at Ukkel. This work is important to better characterize the different sensors in order to exploit together different observations made by different instruments. A second target species is atmospheric aerosol. There is a very large variety of aerosol both from natural or anthropogenic origin. One of the reasons why they are so important is that they affect the optical properties of the atmosphere. In particular, it has been demonstrated in previous studies that the aerosols have a large impact on the quantity of harmful UV-B radiation received at the Earth’s surface. The latest IPCC Report also stressed that the radiative forcing caused by atmospheric aerosols is one of the largest uncertainties in determining the total radiative forcing in the atmosphere. Better monitoring capabilities of aerosol properties can therefore improve our understanding and forecasting of the atmospheric processes and evolution, and in particular of UV-B and climate changes. Several measurement techniques are now operational in the AGACC consortium for the ground-based monitoring of aerosol properties. These are the Brewer spectrometer and CIMEL observations at Ukkel, the latter contributing also to the AERONET network since July 2006, and the newly developed MAXDOAS observations. Unlike CIMEL and Brewer measurements, that provide the total Aerosol Optical Depth, it has been demonstrated that the MAXDOAS measurements also provide additional information about the vertical distribution of the aerosol extinction in the lowest kilometres of the troposphere. A better understanding of the ultimate capabilities of MAXDOAS aerosol remote sensing has been gained through participation to the international CINDI campaign (Cabauw Intercomparison Campaign of Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments ) in summer 2009. The combination of Brewer, CIMEL and MAXDOAS instruments gives us a remote-sensing dataset that will enable a more comprehensive characterization of the tropospheric aerosol optical properties. The usefulness of these aerosol observations has already been demonstrated in the improvement of the UVindex predictions for the general public. Another application is their use as input data in the retrieval of vertical profiles of tropospheric pollutants from MAXDOAS measurements, like tropospheric NO2 and formaldehyde. Third we have focused on a few climate-related trace gases. Changing greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations directly affect the radiative budget of the atmosphere, and therefore climate. But many species known as pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons, - often related to fossil fuel or biomass burning -, also affect climate through their role in chemical reactions that produce tropospheric ozone, which is a well-known greenhouse gas, or that modify the lifetime of gases like methane, or the oxidation capacity of the atmosphere. Therefore in AGACC, we have focused on the measurement of a number of trace gases that are subject to changing concentrations, that directly or indirectly affect climate, and that are either difficult to monitor or that have not yet been measured from the ground. We have included attempts to observe distinctly some isotopologues, because the isotopic ratios observed in an airmass provide information on its history, and because the FTIR solar absorption measurements provide a rather unique capability hereto. The investigated species are the isotopologues of CH4 and CO, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), as examples of biomass burning tracers, some hydrocarbons like formaldehyde (HCHO), ethylene (C2H4) and acetylene (C2H2), and HCFC-142b, a replacement product for CFCs and a greenhouse gas. In many cases, retrieval strategies had to be adapted when going from one site to another with different atmospheric conditions, especially when the local humidity and abundances are very different as is the case between Jungfraujoch (dry, high altitude, mid-latitude) and Ile de La Réunion (humid, low altitude, low latitude). Still we have been able to show the feasibility of retrieving particular trace gas information even under difficult conditions. Many of our results have been compared to correlative data, to validate the approach and to gain complementary information. It is also important to note that the retrieval strategies developed in AGACC have regularly been presented to the global Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) UV-Vis and Infrared communities and have often been adopted by others or even proposed for adoption as a standard in the community (e.g., for hydrogen cyanide (HCN)). In particular: We have been able to study the seasonal variations of HCN at the Jungfraujoch and at Ile de La Réunion, and to show the dominant impact of biomass burning. Formaldehyde was studied in much detail at Ukkel, Jungfraujoch and Ile de la Réunion. The challenge for detection at Jungfraujoch is the small abundance (about 10 times smaller than at Ukkel and Ile de La Réunion); a particular observation strategy was developed successfully, resulting in a time series that already shows the day-to-day and seasonal variations. At Ile de La Réunion, comparisons of FTIR, MAXDOAS, satellite and model data have (1) shown the good agreement between the various data sets, but also, (2), the variability of HCHO (diurnal, seasonal, day-to-day), and (3), thanks to the complementarities of the various data sets, they have enabled us to learn more about the long-range transport of Non-methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOCS, precursors of HCHO) and deficiencies in the models. It was shown that fast, direct transport of NMVOCS from Madagascar has a significant impact on the HCHO abundance and its variability at Ile de La Réunion, and that this is underestimated in the model. Significant progress was made as to the detection of 13CH4 and CH3D from ground-based FTIR observations, both at Jungfraujoch and Ile de La Réunion. To our knowledge, it is the first time that a d13C data set is derived from ground-based FTIR observations. More work is needed to improve the CH3D retrieval at Ile de La Réunion, and to interpret the results, in combination with models. Also for the first time, 12CO and 13CO have been retrieved individually at Jungfraujoch. The d13C time series shows significant seasonal and interannual changes. As to the hydrocarbon ethylene, it is shown that it can be detected at Jungfraujoch only in spectra at low solar elevation, given its small atmospheric abundance. Regarding acetylene, the observed time series at Jungfraujoch and Ile de La Réunion show clear seasonal variations and enhancements due to the impact of biomass burning events, correlated with enhancements in CO, C2H6 and HCN. It is not clear yet whether we can reliably retrieve the concentration of HCFC- 142b, a replacement product that is increasing strongly in the troposphere. New line parameters for the interfering species HFC-134a are required to confirm/infirm the preliminary results. This highlights again the importance of the laboratory work for providing such parameters. Improved line parameters have been obtained for water vapour and its isotopologues, ethylene and formic acid. These AGACC results have been integrated in the international spectroscopic databases. We also showed that line intensities available around 2096 cm–1 for the 13C16O isotopologue of carbon monoxide in the HITRAN database seem to be accurate to 2%. We failed to improve line intensities for the 13.6 μm region of acetylene. The new data sets that have been derived in AGACC from FTIR and MAXDOAS observations have been archived in the NDACC data centre, where they are available for users (generally modelers and satellite teams). In addition, they are stored locally and are available to users upon request. AGACC results have been reported to the international scientific community, via the literature, via integration in geophysical or spectroscopic databases, and via participation to international research initiatives like the Atmospheric Water Vapour in the Climate System (WAVACS) Cost Action, the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) Working Group on Atmospheric Water Vapour, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) project, the International CINDI campaign, etc. The results have already found important scientific applications. A few examples are worth mentioning: the re-evaluation of methane emissions in the tropics from SCIAMACHY based on the new H2O spectroscopy, and the improved retrievals of HCOOH from the satellite experiments ACE-FTS and IASI, and from the ground. In the longer-term, the AGACC results will no doubt benefit the research in atmospheric sciences –in particular in the monitoring of its composition changes–, which is the fundamental basis of environmental assessment reports for supporting policy makers. [less ▲]

Trend evolution and seasonal variation of tropospheric and stratospheric carbonyl sulfide (OCS) above Jungfraujoch

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2011), 13

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is the most abundant sulfur-containing trace gas in the atmosphere and accounts for a substantial portion of the sulfur in the stratospheric aerosol layer which influences the ... [more ▼]

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is the most abundant sulfur-containing trace gas in the atmosphere and accounts for a substantial portion of the sulfur in the stratospheric aerosol layer which influences the Earth’s radiation budget and stratospheric ozone chemistry. The major identified OCS sources are oceans and anthropogenic emissions, while atmospheric loss and uptake by vegetation and soils constitute the main OCS sinks. The uptake by vegetation strongly influences the distribution and seasonality of OCS throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, just like for CO2. Montzka et al. (2007) pointed that atmospheric OCS measurements have the potential to constrain the biomass Gross Primary Production (GPP). Unfortunately, there remain large uncertainties on some components strengths of the atmospheric OCS budget. A recent work by Suntharalingam et al. (2008) showed that uptake by plants has been strongly underestimated in actual balanced budgets, suggesting that additional significant OCS sources have still to be identified. In order to improve our understanding of the different processes governing seasonal and inter-annual OCS variability, a new approach has been developed and optimized, using the SFIT-2 algorithm, to retrieve atmospheric abundance of OCS from high-resolution ground-based infrared solar spectra. Our observations are recorded on a regular basis with Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers (FTIRs), under clear-sky conditions, at the NDACC site (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, http://www.ndacc.org) of the International Scientific Station of the Jungfraujoch (Swiss Alps, 46.5°N, 8.0°E, 3580m asl). Information content analysis of the retrieved OCS products shows us that we are able to distinguish between tropospheric and stratospheric partial column contributions for this species. Thanks to our unique observational database, we have produced an updated OCS long-term trend from 1995 to 2010, representative for both the troposphere and stratosphere at northern mid-latitudes. In this contribution, we will present and critically discuss the recent OCS trend evolution, in particular the end of the slow decline of its abundance observed in 2002 and the maximum reached in 2008. In addition to the OCS inter-annual variations, we will analyze the OCS seasonal cycle during the 15 last years. We will also compare our results with simulations of seasonal OCS variations issued from a 3D global atmospheric chemical transport model (CTM), in order to try to quantify the individual contribution of the various processes playing a role in the Jungfraujoch OCS variability and influencing its atmospheric abundance. [less ▲]

First retrievals of methyl chloride from ground-based high-resolution FTIR solar observations

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2011), 13

Methyl chloride (CH3Cl) is one of the most abundant chlorine-bearing gas in the Earth’s troposphere and a significant contributor to the organic chlorine budget. Measurements by in situ networks indicate ... [more ▼]

Methyl chloride (CH3Cl) is one of the most abundant chlorine-bearing gas in the Earth’s troposphere and a significant contributor to the organic chlorine budget. Measurements by in situ networks indicate a mean volume mixing ratio of 550 pptv, with a significant seasonal cycle of about 80 pptv, peak to peak. This species also exhibits inter-annual variability, but no long-term trend. Major sources are from tropical and sub-tropical plants and dead leaves, the oceans and biomass burning. Some industrial processes and waste incineration further add to the emissions. Oxidation by the hydroxyl radical is by far the largest CH3Cl sink, followed by soil uptake. Although balanced, its atmospheric budget is still affected by large uncertainties and contributions from unidentified sources and sinks cannot be ruled out. Methyl chloride has an atmospheric lifetime of 1 year, a global warming potential of 13 (100-yr horizon) and an ozone depleting potential of 0.02. The retrieval of methyl chloride from ground-based infrared (IR) spectra is very challenging. Indeed, numerous interferences by strong water vapor and methane lines complicate the detection of small CH3Cl absorptions, close to 1%, near 3 microns. In addition, and although weak, ethane features contribute to the difficulty, in particular since a significant number of ethane branches were absent until very recently from official HITRAN compilations. Therefore, the scientific literature does not report thus far about any investigations of CH3Cl from ground-based remote sensing observations. In this contribution, we will present first CH3Cl total column retrievals, using the SFIT-2 algorithm (v3.94) and high-resolution Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) solar absorption observations recorded with a Bruker 120HR instrument, at the high altitude station of the Jungfraujoch (46.5°N, 8°E, 3580 m asl), within the framework of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC, visit http://www.ndacc.org). In our retrievals, we use new ethane absorption cross sections recorded at the Molecular Spectroscopy Facility of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Harrison et al., 2010). They were calibrated in intensity by using reference low-resolution spectra from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) IR database. These new cross sections were recently released as a HITRAN update (see http://www.hitran.com). Pseudoline parameters fitted to these ethane spectra have been combined with HITRAN 2004 line parameters (including all the 2006 updates) for all other species encompassed in the selected microwindows, including our target CH3Cl. We will evaluate the improvement brought by the new ethane line parameters on the fitting residuals, and characterize the quality, the precision and the reliability of the retrieved product. If successful, a long-term CH3Cl total column time series will be produced using the Jungfraujoch observational database, and we will perform preliminary investigations of the seasonal and inter-annual variations of methyl chloride total columns at northern mid-latitudes. [less ▲]

Formic acid above the Jungfraujoch during 1985–2007: observed variability, seasonality, but no long-term background evolution

in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2010), 10(20), 10047--10065

This paper reports on daytime total vertical column abundances of formic acid (HCOOH) above the Northern mid-latitude, high altitude Jungfraujoch station (Switzerland; 46.5° N, 8.0° E, 3580 m alt.). The ... [more ▼]

This paper reports on daytime total vertical column abundances of formic acid (HCOOH) above the Northern mid-latitude, high altitude Jungfraujoch station (Switzerland; 46.5° N, 8.0° E, 3580 m alt.). The columns were derived from the analysis of infrared solar observations regularly performed with high spectral resolution Fourier transform spectrometers during over 1500 days between September 1985 and September 2007. The investigation was based on the spectrometric fitting of five spectral intervals, one encompassing the HCOOH ν6 band Q branch at 1105 cm−1, and four additional ones allowing to optimally account for critical temperature-sensitive or time-evolving interferences by other atmospheric gases, in particular HDO, CCl2F2 and CHClF2. The main results derived from the 22 years long database indicate that the free tropospheric burden of HCOOH above the Jungfraujoch undergoes important short-term daytime variability, diurnal and seasonal modulations, inter-annual anomalies, but no significant long-term background change. A major progress in the remote determination of the atmospheric HCOOH columns reported here has resulted from the adoption of new, improved absolute spectral line intensities for the infrared ν6 band of trans-formic acid, resulting in retrieved free tropospheric loadings being about a factor two smaller than if derived with previous spectroscopic parameters. Implications of this significant change with regard to earlier remote measurements of atmospheric formic acid and comparison with relevant Northern mid-latitude findings, both in situ and remote, will be assessed critically. Sparse HCOOH model predictions will also be evoked and assessed with respect to findings reported here. [less ▲]

Updating hydrogen fluoride (HF) FTIR time series above Jungfraujoch: comparison of two retrieval algorithms and impact of line shape models

Poster (2010, May)

Fluorine enters the stratosphere mainly in the form of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs; principally CFC-11 and CFC-12) and tetrafluoromethane (CF4), which have been widely emitted at ground level by human ... [more ▼]

Fluorine enters the stratosphere mainly in the form of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs; principally CFC-11 and CFC-12) and tetrafluoromethane (CF4), which have been widely emitted at ground level by human activities over the past few decades. In the lower stratosphere, the photolysis of the long-lived CFC-11 (CCl3F) and CFC-12 (CCl2F2), whose emissions from the ground have been progressively phased out by the Montreal Protocol and its successive Amendments and Adjustments, leads to the formation of the two reservoirs: COClF and COF2. Subsequent photolysis of these two compounds then liberates F atoms, which could quickly react with CH4, H2O or H2 to form the extreme stable hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas. The formation of HF by these reactions is significant, as they make HF the largest fluorine reservoir in the middle and upper stratosphere. Despite the fact that fluorine does not directly participate in ozone depletion, measurements of the concentration of individual F-containing species at different altitude of the atmosphere are important as they reflect the amounts of anthropogenic gases – which also often bear ozone-threatening Cl atoms - transported into the middle atmosphere as well as their decomposition. Since the first detection of hydrogen fluoride in the Earth’s atmosphere by Zander (1975), several studies dealing with HF total column amounts derived from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) observations at several latitudes in both hemispheres have been published. In addition, these last years have seen the emergence of more sophisticated retrieval algorithms (e.g. SFIT-2, PROFFIT) allowing to inverse total or partial columns as well as vertical distribution of the target gas from ground-based FTIR spectra. In this contribution, we propose to compare HF total columns derived from FTIR high-resolution ground-based observations performed at the Jungfraujoch (46.5°N, 8.0°E, 3580 m asl) by using two different retrieval codes: SFIT-2 v.3.91 and PROFFIT v.9.5. The impact of spectroscopic parameters (Voigt line shape model versus Galatry model line shape) on HF retrievals is also analyzed. References: Zander, R.: Présence de HF dans la stratosphère supérieure, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris. Série B., 281, 213-214, 1975. [less ▲]

Long-term trend of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) from ground-based high resolution infrared solar spectra recorded at the Jungfraujoch

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2010), 12(EGU2010-1819-3),

The long-term trend of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has been retrieved from infrared high resolution solar absorption spectra encompassing the 1999 to 2010 time period. The measurements were recorded with ... [more ▼]

The long-term trend of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has been retrieved from infrared high resolution solar absorption spectra encompassing the 1999 to 2010 time period. The measurements were recorded with a Fourier transform spectrometer at the northern mid-latitude, high altitude Jungfraujoch station in Switzerland (46.5°N latitude, 8.0°E longitude, 3580 m altitude). Total columns were derived from the region of the strong CCl4 _3 band at 794 cm􀀀1 accounting for all interfering molecules (e.g. H2O, O3) with significant improvement in the residuals obtained by also taking into account the line mixing in a nearby CO2 Q branch, a procedure not implemented in previous remote sensing CCl4 retrievals though its importance has been noted in several papers. The time series shows a statistically-significant long-term decrease in the CCl4 total atmospheric burden of -1.18_0.10 %/yr, at the 95% confidence level, using 2005 as reference. Furthermore, fit to the total column data set also reveals a seasonal cycle with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 10.2%, with minimum and maximum values found in mid-February and early August, respectively. This seasonal modulation can however be attributed to tropopause height changes throughout the season. The results quantify the continued impact of the regulations implemented by the Montreal Protocol and its strengthening amendments and adjustments for a molecule with high global warming potential. Although a statistically significant decrease in the total column is inferred, the CCl4 molecule remains an important contributor to the stratospheric chlorine budget and burden. [less ▲]

Optimized approach to retrieve information on the tropospheric and stratospheric carbonyl sulfide (OCS) vertical distributions above Jungfraujoch from high-resolution FTIR solar spectra

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2010), 12(EGU2010-3513),

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS), which is produced in the troposphere from both biogenic and anthropogenic sources, is the most abundant gaseous sulfur species in the unpolluted atmosphere. Due to its low chemical ... [more ▼]

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS), which is produced in the troposphere from both biogenic and anthropogenic sources, is the most abundant gaseous sulfur species in the unpolluted atmosphere. Due to its low chemical reactivity and water solubility, a significant fraction of OCS is able to reach the stratosphere where it is converted to SO2 and ultimately to H2SO4 aerosols (Junge layer). These aerosols have the potential to amplify stratospheric ozone destruction on a global scale and may influence Earth’s radiation budget and climate through increasing solar scattering. The transport of OCS from troposphere to stratosphere is thought to be the primary mechanism by which the Junge layer is sustained during nonvolcanic periods. Because of this, long-term trends in atmospheric OCS concentration, not only in the troposphere but also in the stratosphere, are of great interest. A new approach has been developed and optimized to retrieve atmospheric abundance of OCS from high-resolution ground-based infrared solar spectra by using the SFIT-2 (v3.91) algorithm, including a new model for solar lines simulation (solar lines often produce significant interferences in the OCS microwindows). The strongest lines of the nu3 fundamental band of OCS at 2062 cm-1 have been systematically evaluated with objective criteria to select a new set of microwindows, assuming the HITRAN 2004 spectroscopic parameters with an increase in the OCS line intensities of the nu3band main isotopologue 16O12C32S by 15.79% as compared to HITRAN 2000 (Rothman et al., 2008, and references therein). Two regularization schemes have further been compared (deducted from ATMOS and ACE-FTS measurements or based on a Tikhonov approach), in order to select the one which optimizes the information content while minimizing the error budget. The selected approach has allowed us to determine updated OCS long-term trend from 1988 to 2009 in both the troposphere and the stratosphere, using spectra recorded on a regular basis with Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers (FTIRs), under clear-sky conditions, at the NDACC site (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, visit http://www.ndacc.org) of the International Scientific Station of the Jungfraujoch (Swiss Alps, 46.5°N, 8.0°E, 3580m asl). Trends and seasonal cycles deduced from our results will be compared to values published in the literature and critically discussed. In particular, we will confirm the recent change in the OCS total column trend, which has become positive since 2002 before undergoing a slowing down over the last years. [less ▲]

An approach to retrieve information on the carbonyl fluoride (COF2) vertical distributions above Jungfraujoch by FTIR multi-spectrum multi-window fitting

in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2009), 9

We present an original multi-spectrum fitting procedure to retrieve volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles of carbonyl fluoride (COF2) from ground-based high resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) solar ... [more ▼]

We present an original multi-spectrum fitting procedure to retrieve volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles of carbonyl fluoride (COF2) from ground-based high resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) solar spectra. The multi-spectrum approach consists of simultaneously combining, during the retrievals, all spectra recorded consecutively during the same day and with the same resolution. Solar observations analyzed in this study with the SFIT-2 v3.91 fitting algorithm correspond to more than 2900 spectra recorded between January 2000 and December 2007 at high zenith angles, with a Fourier Transform Spectrometer operated at the high-altitude International Scientific Station of the Jungfraujoch (ISSJ, 46.5° N latitude, 8.0° E longitude, 3580 m altitude), Switzerland. The goal of the retrieval strategy described here is to provide information about the vertical distribution of carbonyl fluoride. The microwindows used are located in the ν4 or in the ν4 COF2 infrared (IR) absorption bands. Averaging kernel and eigenvector analysis indicates that our FTIR retrieval is sensitive to COF2 inversion between 17 and 30 km, with the major contribution to the retrieved information always coming from the measurement. Moreover, there was no significant bias between COF2 partial columns, total columns or VMR profiles retrieved from the two bands. For each wavenumber region, a complete error budget including all identified sources has been carefully established. In addition, comparisons of FTIR COF2 17–30 km partial columns with KASIMA and SLIMCAT 3-D CTMs are also presented. If we do not notice any significant bias between FTIR and SLIMCAT time series, KASIMA COF2 17–30 km partial columns are lower of around 25%, probably due to incorrect lower boundary conditions. For each times series, linear trend estimation for the 2000–2007 time period as well as a seasonal variation study are also performed and critically discussed. For FTIR and KASIMA time series, very low COF2 growth rates (0.4±0.2%/year and 0.3±0.2%/year, respectively) have been derived. However, the SLIMCAT data set gives a slight negative trend (−0.5±0.2%/year), probably ascribable to discontinuities in the meteorological data used by this model. We further demonstrate that all time series are able to reproduce the COF2 seasonal cycle, which main seasonal characteristics deduced from each data set agree quite well. [less ▲]

An approach to retrieve information on the carbonyl fluoride (COF2) vertical distributions above Jungfraujoch by FTIR multi-spectrum multi-window fitting

in Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics Discussions (2009)

We present an original multi-spectrum fitting procedure to retrieve volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles of carbonyl fluoride (COF2) from ground-based high resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) solar ... [more ▼]

We present an original multi-spectrum fitting procedure to retrieve volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles of carbonyl fluoride (COF2) from ground-based high resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) solar spectra. The multi-spectrum approach consists of simultaneously combining, during the retrievals, all spectra recorded consecutively during the same day and with the same resolution. Solar observations analyzed in this study with the SFIT-2 v3.91 fitting algorithm correspond to more than 2900 spectra recorded between January 2000 and December 2007 at high zenith angles, with a Fourier Transform Spectrometer operated at the high-altitude International Scientific Station of the Jungfraujoch (ISSJ, 46.5° N latitude, 8.0° E longitude, 3580 m altitude), Switzerland. The goal of the retrieval strategy described here is to provide information about the vertical distribution of carbonyl fluoride. The microwindows used are located in the ν1 or in the ν4 COF2 infrared (IR) absorption bands. Averaging kernel and eigenvector analysis indicates that our FTIR retrieval is sensitive to COF2 inversion between 17 and 30 km, with the major contribution to the retrieved information always coming from the measurement. Moreover, there was no significant bias between COF2 partial columns, total columns or VMR profiles retrieved from the two bands. For each wavenumber region, a complete error budget including all identified sources has been carefully established. In addition, comparisons of FTIR COF2 17–30 km partial columns with KASIMA and SLIMCAT 3-D CTMs are also presented. If we do not notice any significant bias between FTIR and SLIMCAT time series, KASIMA COF2 17–30 km partial columns are lower of around 25%, probably due to incorrect lower boundary conditions. For each times series, linear trend estimation for the 2000–2007 time period as well as a seasonal variation study are also performed and critically discussed. We further demonstrate that all time series are able to reproduce the COF2 seasonal cycle, which main seasonal characteristics deduced from each data set agree quite well. [less ▲]