High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples
The record of past greenhouse gas composition from ice cores is crucial for our understanding of global climate change. Future ice core projects will aim to extend both the temporal coverage (extending the timescale to 1.5 Myr) and the temporal resolution of existing records. This implies a strongly...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:amt86947 2023-05-15T16:38:49+02:00 High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples Bereiter, Bernhard Tuzson, Béla Scheidegger, Philipp Kupferschmid, André Looser, Herbert Mächler, Lars Baggenstos, Daniel Schmitt, Jochen Fischer, Hubertus Emmenegger, Lukas 2020-11-28 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/13/6391/2020/ eng eng doi:10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/13/6391/2020/ eISSN: 1867-8548 Text 2020 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 2020-11-30T17:22:13Z The record of past greenhouse gas composition from ice cores is crucial for our understanding of global climate change. Future ice core projects will aim to extend both the temporal coverage (extending the timescale to 1.5 Myr) and the temporal resolution of existing records. This implies a strongly limited sample availability, increasing demands on analytical accuracy and precision, and the need to reuse air samples extracted from ice cores for multiple gas analyses. To meet these requirements, we designed and developed a new analytical system that combines direct absorption laser spectroscopy in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) with a quantitative sublimation extraction method. Here, we focus on a high-precision dual-laser spectrometer for the simultaneous measurement of CH 4 , N 2 O , and CO 2 concentrations, as well as δ 13 C(CO 2 ) . Flow-through experiments at 5 mbar gas pressure demonstrate an analytical precision (1 σ ) of 0.006 ppm for CO 2 , 0.02 ‰ for δ 13 C(CO 2 ) , 0.4 ppb for CH 4 , and 0.1 ppb for N 2 O , obtained after an integration time of 100 s. Sample–standard repeatabilities (1 σ ) of discrete samples of 1 mL STP (Standard Temperature and Pressure) amount to 0.03 ppm, 2.2 ppb, 1 ppb, and 0.04 ‰ for CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O , and δ 13 C(CO 2 ) , respectively. The key elements to achieve this performance are a custom-developed multipass absorption cell, custom-made high-performance data acquisition and laser driving electronics, and a robust calibration approach involving multiple reference gases. The assessment of the spectrometer capabilities in repeated measurement cycles of discrete air samples – mimicking the procedure for external samples such as air samples from ice cores – was found to fully meet our performance criteria for future ice core analysis. Finally, this non-consumptive method allows the reuse of the precious gas samples for further analysis, which creates new opportunities in ice core science. Text ice core Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 13 11 6391 6406 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
The record of past greenhouse gas composition from ice cores is crucial for our understanding of global climate change. Future ice core projects will aim to extend both the temporal coverage (extending the timescale to 1.5 Myr) and the temporal resolution of existing records. This implies a strongly limited sample availability, increasing demands on analytical accuracy and precision, and the need to reuse air samples extracted from ice cores for multiple gas analyses. To meet these requirements, we designed and developed a new analytical system that combines direct absorption laser spectroscopy in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) with a quantitative sublimation extraction method. Here, we focus on a high-precision dual-laser spectrometer for the simultaneous measurement of CH 4 , N 2 O , and CO 2 concentrations, as well as δ 13 C(CO 2 ) . Flow-through experiments at 5 mbar gas pressure demonstrate an analytical precision (1 σ ) of 0.006 ppm for CO 2 , 0.02 ‰ for δ 13 C(CO 2 ) , 0.4 ppb for CH 4 , and 0.1 ppb for N 2 O , obtained after an integration time of 100 s. Sample–standard repeatabilities (1 σ ) of discrete samples of 1 mL STP (Standard Temperature and Pressure) amount to 0.03 ppm, 2.2 ppb, 1 ppb, and 0.04 ‰ for CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O , and δ 13 C(CO 2 ) , respectively. The key elements to achieve this performance are a custom-developed multipass absorption cell, custom-made high-performance data acquisition and laser driving electronics, and a robust calibration approach involving multiple reference gases. The assessment of the spectrometer capabilities in repeated measurement cycles of discrete air samples – mimicking the procedure for external samples such as air samples from ice cores – was found to fully meet our performance criteria for future ice core analysis. Finally, this non-consumptive method allows the reuse of the precious gas samples for further analysis, which creates new opportunities in ice core science. |
format |
Text |
author |
Bereiter, Bernhard Tuzson, Béla Scheidegger, Philipp Kupferschmid, André Looser, Herbert Mächler, Lars Baggenstos, Daniel Schmitt, Jochen Fischer, Hubertus Emmenegger, Lukas |
spellingShingle |
Bereiter, Bernhard Tuzson, Béla Scheidegger, Philipp Kupferschmid, André Looser, Herbert Mächler, Lars Baggenstos, Daniel Schmitt, Jochen Fischer, Hubertus Emmenegger, Lukas High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
author_facet |
Bereiter, Bernhard Tuzson, Béla Scheidegger, Philipp Kupferschmid, André Looser, Herbert Mächler, Lars Baggenstos, Daniel Schmitt, Jochen Fischer, Hubertus Emmenegger, Lukas |
author_sort |
Bereiter, Bernhard |
title |
High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
title_short |
High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
title_full |
High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
title_fullStr |
High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
title_full_unstemmed |
High-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 mL air from ice core samples |
title_sort |
high-precision laser spectrometer for multiple greenhouse gas analysis in 1 ml air from ice core samples |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/13/6391/2020/ |
genre |
ice core |
genre_facet |
ice core |
op_source |
eISSN: 1867-8548 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/13/6391/2020/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6391-2020 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
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13 |
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11 |
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6391 |
op_container_end_page |
6406 |
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1766029150875811840 |