Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Research Applications
Real-Time Profiles of Organic Trace Gases

During the Arctic Ocean Expedition (AOE-2001), the TLS was used to raise a Teflon tube connected to the sample gas inlet of a Proton Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS). The PTR-MS, developed at the University of Innsbruck, is a rugged and field portable instrument that uses a chemical ionization mass spectrometer to make real-time measurements of organic trace gases in air at pptv levels.

Acetone and DMS were sampled with the TLS. Acetone profiles for two consecutive days are shown below, together with other basic meteorological quantities.

Click on image for larger version.

Click on image for larger version.

On the first day (Red), the tube inlet did not reach the top of the mixed layer which appeared to be around 300 m. On the second day, a low-level inversion developed around 100 m with a significant increase of wind speed and water vapor above the inversion. Acetone shows a peak in the inversion at the same concentration as the previous day but was noticeably depleted both above and below the inversion.

For more information, contact Mike Jensen at jensenm@cires.colorado.edu