Atmospheric Measurement Techniques www.atmos-meas-tech.net 1867-1381 1867-8548 2 1 2009 10.5194/amt-2-205-2009 http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/205/2009/ http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/205/2009/amt-2-205-2009.html http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/205/2009/amt-2-205-2009.pdf 205 220 2009-05-26 Methodology and calibration for continuous measurements of biogeochemical trace gas and O₂ concentrations from a 300-m tall tower in central Siberia E. A. Kozlova e.kozlova@uea.ac.uk A. C. Manning Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knoell Strasse 10, Jena 07745, Germany University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK We present an integrated system for measuring atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, O₂, CH₄, CO, and N₂O in central Siberia. Our project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing long-term, continuous, high precision atmospheric measurements to elucidate greenhouse gas processes from a very remote, mid-continental boreal environment. Air is sampled from five heights on a custom-built 300-m tower. Common features to all species' measurements include air intakes, an air drying system, flushing procedures, and data processing methods. Calibration standards are shared among all five measured species by extending and optimising a proven methodology for long-term O₂ calibration. Our system achieves the precision and accuracy requirements specified by the European Union's "CarboEurope" and "ICOS" (Integrated Carbon Observing System) programmes in the case of CO₂, O₂, and CH₄, while CO and N₂O require some further improvements. It was found that it is not possible to achieve these high precision measurements without skilled technical assistance on-site, primarily because of 2–3 month delays in access to data and diagnostic information. We present results on the stability of reference standards in high pressure cylinders. It was also found that some previous methods do not mitigate fractionation of O₂ in a sample airstream to a satisfactory level. % vor jede Referenz Bakwin, P. S., Tans, P. P., Zhao, C. L., Ussler, W., and Quesnell, E.: Measurements of Carbon-Dioxide on a Very Tall Tower, Tellus B, 47, 535–549, 1995. % vor jede Referenz Bakwin, P. S., Hurst, D. F., Tans, P. P., and Elkins, J. W.: Anthropogenic sources of halocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon monoxide, and methane in the southeastern United States, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 102, 15915–15925, 1997. % vor jede Referenz Bakwin, P. S., Tans, P. P., Hurst, D. F., and Zhao, C. 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