A retrieval of xCO 2 from ground-based mid-infrared NDACC solar absorption spectra and comparison to TCCON

• Published in: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
• Main Authors: R. Chiarella, M. Buschmann, J. Laughner, I. Morino, J. Notholt, C. Petri, G. Toon, V. A. Velazco, T. Warneke
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2023
• Subjects: Environmental engineering; TA170-171; Earthwork. Foundations; TA715-787; Ny-Ålesund; Svalbard; Ny Ålesund
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3987-2023; https://doaj.org/article/3ed1094e570e4d68824b6ab5456da7ca

Two global networks of ground-based Fourier transform spectrometers are measuring abundances of atmospheric trace gases that absorb in the near infrared and mid-infrared: the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). The first lacks a CO 2 product; therefore, this study focuses on developing an xCO 2 retrieval method for NDACC from a spectral window in the 4800 cm −1 region. This retrieval will allow extending ground-based measurements back in time, which we will demonstrate with historical data available from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. At this site, both TCCON and NDACC measurements are routinely performed, which is an advantage for collocated comparisons. The results are compared with collocated TCCON measurements of column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO 2 (denoted by xCO 2 ) in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, and only TCCON in Burgos, Philippines. We found that it is possible to retrieve xCO 2 from NDACC spectra with a precision of 0.2 %. The comparison between the new retrieval and TCCON showed that the sensitivity of the new retrieval is high in the troposphere and lower in the upper stratosphere, similar to TCCON, as seen in the averaging kernels, and that the seasonality is well captured as seen in the retrieved time series. Additionally, we have included a retrieval strategy suggestion to improve the quality of the xCO 2 product.