Abundances of isotopologues and calibration of CO<sub>2</sub> greenhouse gas measurements

oleh: P. P. Tans, P. P. Tans, A. M. Crotwell, A. M. Crotwell, K. W. Thoning, K. W. Thoning

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Copernicus Publications 2017-07-01

Deskripsi

We have developed a method to calculate the fractional distribution of CO<sub>2</sub> across all of its component isotopologues based on measured <i>δ</i><sup>13</sup>C and <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O values. The fractional distribution can be used with known total CO<sub>2</sub> to calculate the amount of substance fraction (mole fraction) of each component isotopologue in air individually. The technique is applicable to any molecule where isotopologue-specific values are desired. We used it with a new CO<sub>2</sub> calibration system to account for isotopic differences among the primary CO<sub>2</sub> standards that define the WMO X2007 CO<sub>2</sub>-in-air calibration scale and between the primary standards and standards in subsequent levels of the calibration hierarchy. The new calibration system uses multiple laser spectroscopic techniques to measure mole fractions of the three major CO<sub>2</sub> isotopologues (<sup>16</sup>O<sup>12</sup>C<sup>16</sup>O, <sup>16</sup>O<sup>13</sup>C<sup>16</sup>O, and <sup>16</sup>O<sup>12</sup>C<sup>18</sup>O) individually. The three measured values are then combined into total CO<sub>2</sub> (accounting for the rare unmeasured isotopologues), <i>δ</i><sup>13</sup>C, and <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O values. The new calibration system significantly improves our ability to transfer the WMO CO<sub>2</sub> calibration scale with low uncertainty through our role as the World Meteorological Organization Global Atmosphere Watch Central Calibration Laboratory for CO<sub>2</sub>. Our current estimates for reproducibility of the new calibration system are ±0.01 µmol mol<sup>−1</sup> CO<sub>2</sub>, ±0.2 ‰ <i>δ</i><sup>13</sup>C, and ±0.2 ‰ <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O, all at 68 % confidence interval (CI).