Assessment of Trace Gas Observations from the Toronto Atmospheric Observatory

Assessment of Trace Gas Observations from the Toronto Atmospheric Observatory PDF Author: Jeffrey Ryan Taylor
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780494581025
Category : Physics Theses
Languages : en
Pages : 542

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Book Description
A high-resolution infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) has been operational at the Toronto Atmospheric Observatory (TAO) since May 2002. An optimal estimation retrieval technique is used to analyse the observed spectra and provide regular total and partial column measurements of trace gases in the troposphere and stratosphere as part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change. The quality of these results were assessed through two ground-based validation campaigns, comparisons with three satellite instruments, and comparison with a three-dimensional chemical transport model.The two ground-based campaigns involved two lower-resolution FTS instruments: the University of Toronto FTS and the Portable Atmospheric Research Interferometric Spectrometer for the Infrared. The first campaign took place over the course of four months and is the longest side-by-side intercomparison of ground-based FTS instruments, to date. The second campaign was more focused and involved all three instruments measuring over a two-week period. Simultaneous measurements of O3, HCl, N2O, and CH4 were recorded and average total column differences were all