Airborne

Measurements of CO2 During SARP

AVOCET RESEARCH GROUP

NASA Langley Research Center

Andreas Beyersdorf
Yonghoon Choi, Jimmy Geiger, Jim Plant & Melissa Yang

Photo taken During ARCTAS from the DLR Falcon AircraO

AVOCET
Atmospheric Ver.cal Observa.ons of CO2 in
the Earth's Troposphere

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA

Why?

Why Study CO2?

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas
Absorbs incoming infrared radia.on and
reemits it

Increases in the last 200 years

Longest con.nuous measurements
from Mauna Loa, HI
Was 280 ppmv, now 400 ppmv

Why Study CO2?

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC)

Warming
Cooling
Anthropogenic changes to radia.on
budget since 1750
CO2 has largest posi.ve radia.ve forcing
Chlorouorocarbons (CFCs):
banned in 1987 (harm the
stratospheric ozone layer)
also had a huge aect on radia.on
budget

Budget
Natural Sources & Sinks are
largely in balance










Anthropogenic Sources:
NASA Earth Observatory
Land Use Change
Combus.on
Natural Gas, Oil, Coal -> all are hydrocarbons (CxHy)
Hydrocarbons + Oxygen -> Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
CxHy + O2 -> CO2 + H2O + Energy (unbalanced)

Global Measurements
CO2 from AIRS satellite Earth
(July 2has
009)an Oxidizing

CAtmosphere
O from MOPITT satellite (July 2009)
Every atom in a molecule has an oxidation state (OS)

For C, the more H it is bonded to the more negative OS

the more O it is bonded to the more positive OS
The Earths atmosphere has a lot of oxygen (21%)

reactions in the atmosphere tend to add O to molecules (oxidize)

this cleans up the atmosphere
Methane oxidation

CH4 CH3 CH3O2 CH3O H2CO HCO CO CO2
CO is the endpoint (cant add any more oxygen atoms)
2
Why the Dierence?
Atmospheric LifeZme
How long a compound stays in the atmosphere
Dependent on uptake by land and oceans
Dependent on chemical reac.ons (CO2 doesnt react in the atmosphere)
Life.mes vary over many orders of magnitude
CO2 of 30-95 years
CO of 1-2 months
Propane of 10 days
Isoprene of 1-2 hr

CO2 as a Tracer
CombusZon:
Complete = Hydrocarbons + Oxygen -> Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
CxHy + O2 -> CO2 + H2O + Energy

Incomplete combus.on results in the forma.on of CO

CxHy + O2 -> CO2 + CO + H2O + Energy
Also produces:
Soot and hydrocarbons
NO from nitrogen in the air
SO2 from sulfur in the fuel

CO2 as a Tracer
ARCTAS 2008
Spring Alaska, aged pollu.on
High CO2
Summer Canada, sampled forest res
High CO
In between California, over LA = anthropogenic
200 ppbCO/ppmCO2

1.6 ppbCO/ppmCO2

CO2 as a Tracer
ARCTAS 2008
Spring Alaska, aged pollu.on
High CO2
Summer Canada, sampled forest res
High CO
In between California, over LA = anthropogenic
5 molecules CO2
per molecule CO

600 molecules CO2

per molecule CO

Urban CO/CO2 Emissions RaZos

DISCOVER-AQ
Measurements over Bal.more, MD in 2011
Main Goal = Repe..on (sta.s.cs)
Spirals over the same location at three different times
2.0

180

7:30am

CO (ppbv)

Altitude (km)

1.5

1.0

0.5

Slope = 4.1

160

Slope = 2.6

140
Slope = 1.2

120
100

0.0
380
400
420
CO2 (ppmv)

80

120 160
CO (ppbv)

380

390 400 410

CO2 (ppmv)

420

CO/CO2 emission ra.o varies with .me of day

7:30 AM 1.18 CO/CO2

10

Urban CO/CO2 Emissions RaZos

DISCOVER-AQ
Measurements over Bal.more, MD in 2011
Main Goal = Repe..on (sta.s.cs)
Spirals over the same location at three different times
2.0

180

7:30am
9:40am

CO (ppbv)

Altitude (km)

1.5

1.0

0.5

Slope = 4.1

160

Slope = 2.6

140
Slope = 1.2

120
100

0.0
380
400
420
CO2 (ppmv)

80

120 160
CO (ppbv)

380

390 400 410

CO2 (ppmv)

420

CO/CO2 emission ra.o varies with .me of day

7:30 AM 1.18 CO/CO2
9:40 AM 2.61 CO/CO2

11

Urban CO/CO2 Emissions RaZos

DISCOVER-AQ
Measurements over Bal.more, MD in 2011
Main Goal = Repe..on (sta.s.cs)
Spirals over the same location at three different times
2.0

180

7:30am
9:40am
11:50am

CO (ppbv)

Altitude (km)

1.5

1.0

0.5

Slope = 4.1

160

Slope = 2.6

140
Slope = 1.2

120
100

0.0
380
400
420
CO2 (ppmv)

80

120 160
CO (ppbv)

380

390 400 410

CO2 (ppmv)

420

CO/CO2 emission ra.o varies with .me of day

7:30 AM 1.18 CO/CO2
9:40 AM 2.61 CO/CO2
11:50 AM 4.10 CO/CO2
but why is the data shiOed leO (lower CO2)?

12

Uptake of CO2 by Photosynthesis

August 14th

August 30th

410

10

10

400

400

390

390

380

380

370

370

360

360

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

Low Altitude over MO

- Large CO2 Uptake
- Low Isoprene Emission

22:00

23:00

CO2 (ppmv)

CO2 (ppmv)

12

410

Isoprene (ppbv)

420

Isoprene (ppbv)

12

420

16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00

Low Altitude over MO

- Medium CO2 Uptake
- High Isoprene Emission
Lowest 1 km Data for All Flights
CO2
Isoprene

13

How Do You Measure CO2?

Absorbs in the Infrared Region
Most notably at 4.26 m
Water also absorbs there

Modied LI-COR dierenZal infrared gas
analyzer
Dieren.al = 2 cells (sample and reference)
Reference gases are calibrated to other
standards

14

Ground Instrument -> Flight Instrument

Challenges Associated with Flying an Instrument
Ambient Temperature & Pressure
The higher the al.tude, the lower the pressure gets
Can cause changes in sensi.vity
Can cause leaks

Cabin Temperature & Pressure

AircraO Speed
DC-8 nominal speed ~450 j/sec.
DC-8 nominal ascent/descent 1000 j/min.

Interferents
For CO2 the major interferent is water vapor

Inlets/Tubing/Pumps
Need to make sure you dont contaminate or remove your sample

15

AVOCET Instrument
LICOR Instrument
Stainless steel construc.on
Temperature Controlled

Inlet
Stainless steel construc.on
Forward facing (but doesnt
have to be)
Exhaust

16

AVOCET Instrument
Compressor
Provides 1 Lpm ow to the instrument
Diaphragm pump
Doesnt interfere with CO2 in the air
ow

Compressor

CO2
Instrument

Flow
Controller
(1 Lpm)

Exhaust

17

AVOCET Instrument
Naon Dryer
Removes water vapor
Naon tubes (sulfonated polymer)
Selec.vely permeable to water
Requires counter ow
CO2
Instrument

Compressor

1 Lpm

Naon Dryer
Air Flow

Exhaust

18

AVOCET Instrument
Pressure Control System
Ac.vely controls pressure at 250 t

CO2
Instrument

Compressor

2.5 Lpm

Vent
1 Lpm
to
Cabin

Naon Dryer

Pressure
Controller
(250 t)

Air Flow

Vacuum
Pump

Exhaust

19

AVOCET Instrument
Reference Gas
Known mixing ra.o of CO2
390-400 ppmv
1 Lpm

CO2
Instrument

Compressor

20
psig

2.5 Lpm

Vent
1 Lpm
to
Cabin

Reference

Naon Dryer

Pressure
Controller
(250 t)

Air Flow

Vacuum
Pump

Exhaust

20

AVOCET Instrument
Safety First
Pressure Relief Valve
If pressure exceeds a threshold
(~400 t) it vents

Pressure Relief
1 Lpm

CO2
Instrument

Compressor

20
psig

2.5 Lpm

Vent
1 Lpm
to
Cabin

Reference

Naon Dryer

Pressure
Controller
(250 t)

Air Flow

Vacuum
Pump

Exhaust

21

AVOCET Instrument
Standards
Calibra.on Standard = 390-400 ppmv
Span Standard = 410 ppmv

Pressure Relief
1 Lpm

CO2
Instrument

Compressor

20
psig

20
psig

20
psig

2.5 Lpm

Vent
1 Lpm
to
Cabin

Air Flow

Span

CalibraZon

Reference

Naon Dryer

Pressure
Controller
(250 t)

Vacuum
Pump

Exhaust

22

ACT-America
AddiZonal Instruments
2B Technologies ozone monitor
Cavity Ring-Down Measurement of CO, CO2 and CH4
Ini.al Flight tes.ng in prepara.on for the ACT-America Campaign

23

ACT-America
ACT-America
1) Quan.fy and reduce atmospheric transport uncertain.es
2) Improve regional-scale, seasonal es.mates of prior CO2 and CH4 uxes
3) Evaluate the sensi.vity of Orbi.ng Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) column CO2
measurements to regional variability in tropospheric CO2

5 Campaigns split amongst 3 regions
NASA Wallops C-130

24

Deriving InformaZon on
Surface CondiZons from
Column and VerZcally
Resolved ObservaZons
Relevant to Air Quality

 Houston from the P-3B

 Houston from the P-3B

Back-Trajectories from Agricultural Fires

AircraO Engine Exhaust

AircraO Engines
Very ecient; over 99% of the carbon in
fuel is converted to CO2
So if you know the fuel composi.on you
know the CO2 emission rates
Standard Fuel:
1 kg fuel burned produces
3160 g CO2

NASA ACCESS Campaign
Alterna.ve Fuel Eects on Contrails and
Cruise Emissions
2013 & 2014
NASA DC-8 burning standard and
alterna.ve fuels
Three chase planes

NASA ACCESS

Video Courtesy of Rich Moore, NASA Langley

NASA ACCESS

Video Courtesy of Rich Moore, NASA Langley

Conclusions
Why Measure CO2?
Carbon Cycle
Tracer for diering combus.on processes
Bio-Uptake

How is CO2 Measured?
Dieren.al infra-red absorp.on
Pressure & temperature stabilized
Dehumidied
Frequent calibra.ons

31

Back-Up

Satellite Measurements

Satellite

GOSAT

OCO-2

The Greenhouse gases Observing

SATellite

The Orbiting Carbon

Observatory

Measurements

Carbon Dioxide and Methane

Carbon dioxide

Launch date

23rdJanuary 2009

2014

Accuracy

0.3-1% (1-4ppm)

0.30% (1 ppm)

Recurrent
period

3 days

16 days

Spatial
resolution

Low; 10 km diameter

High; 1.0 x 1.5 km

Mission life

5 years

2 years

33

Calibration of column CO2

retrievals using INTEX-A
in situ CO2 aircraft profiles
for future OCO validation.

WLEF (447 m) in Park Falls, WI

in situ CO2 data

S. Vay

R. Washenfelder

First ground-based solar observatory in the Total Carbon Column

Observing Network (P. Wennberg, CIT).