Simultaneous eddy flux monitoring of 10 greenhouse gases and air pollutants with a single instrument

Monitoring of trace gas fluxes and greenhouse gas fluxes is key to understand the interaction between atmosphere, plants, and soil and therefore to improving our understanding of the climate system in general.

The complex flux systems require measurement of many different inert and reactive trace gases and greenhouse gases simultaneously to obtain a complete budget. This is especially the case in urban environments where both biogenic and anthropogenic sources and sinks play a role.

The eddy covariance (eddy flux) technique is often used to determine fluxes of the gases in question. Until recently, however, the monitoring was usually limited to only a few gases per measurement device making the technique complex and expensive but providing only a limited picture. MIRO Analytical has developed a novel multicompound gas analyzer that can monitor up to 10 air pollutants (CO, NO, NO₂, O₃, SO₂ and NH₃) and greenhouse gases (CO₂, N₂O, H₂O and CH₄) simultaneously with the high time resolution necessary for eddy-covariance flux measurements. The compact system combines several mid-infrared lasers (QCLs) providing outstanding precision, selectivity and accuracy for the gas measurements.

In our contribution we will introduce the measurement technique and will demonstrate application examples of this all-in-one atmospheric flux monitor. The system will be compared to alternative devices in parallel measurements and results of long-term observations and shorter campaigns will be presented.