An improved dual channel PERCA instrument for atmospheric measurements of peroxy radicals

• Published in: Journal of Environmental Monitoring
• Main Authors: Green, T. J., Reeves, C. E., Fleming, Zoe L., Brough, N., Rickard, A. R., Bandy, B. J., Monks, P. S., Penkett, S. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Royal Society of Chemistry 2014
• Subjects: Science & Technology; Physical Sciences; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Chemistry; Analytical; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; MARINE BOUNDARY-LAYER; TRACE GAS MEASUREMENTS; OZONE PHOTOCHEMISTRY; CHEMICAL AMPLIFIER; UPPER TROPOSPHERE; SOUTHERN-OCEAN; SWISS ALPS; OH; HO2; Southern Ocean
• Online Access: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2006/EM/b514630e#!divAbstract; http://hdl.handle.net/2381/28629; https://doi.org/10.1039/b514630e

Full text of this item is not currently available on the LRA. The final published version may be available through the links above. This paper describes a new dual-channel PEroxy RadiCal Amplification (PERCA) instrument, which has been designed to improve the time resolution and signal to noise and to reduce the interference caused by variations in ambient ozone concentrations. The instrument was run at the Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory (WAO), North Norfolk, during WAOWEX (Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory Winter Experiment) in January/February 2002 and INSPECTRO (Influence of clouds on the spectral actinic flux in the lower troposphere) in September 2002. The performance of the instrument is assessed and compared to that of a single channel instrument. In particular, it is shown how the precision is greatly improved in fluctuating background ozone conditions. In addition the improved time response of the instrument allows changes in peroxy radical concentrations to be related to rapid changes in nitric oxide concentrations and the ozone photolysis frequency, j(O[superscript 1]D). 11343