Advances in reference materials and measurement techniques for greenhouse gas atmospheric observations

Authors

Paul Brewer, National Physical Laboratory, UK
Jin Seog Kim, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
Sangil Lee, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
Oksana Tarasova, World Meteorological Organization
Joele Viallon, BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURE
Edgar Flores, BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURE
Robert Wielgosz, BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURE
Takuya Shimosaka, National Metrology Institute of Japan
Sergey Assonov, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
Colin Allison, CSIRO
Adriaan M.H van der Veen, Van Swinden Laboratorium
Brad Hall, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Andrew Crotwell, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of Colorado
George Rhoderick, US National Institute of Standards and Technology
Joseph Hodges, US National Institute of Standards and Technology
Joachim Mohn, Empa, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology
Christoph Zellweger, Empa, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology
Heiko Moossen, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Volker Ebert, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Germany
David W. T Griffith, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

137090

Publication Details

Brewer, P. J., Kim, J. Seog., Lee, S., Tarasova, O. A., Viallon, J., Flores, E., Wielgosz, R. I., Shimosaka, T., Assonov, S., Allison, C. E., van der Veen, A. M.H., Hall, B., Crotwell, A. M., Rhoderick, G. C., Hodges, J. T., Mohn, J., Zellweger, C., Moossen, H., Ebert, V. & Griffith, D. W.T. (2019). Advances in reference materials and measurement techniques for greenhouse gas atmospheric observations. Metrologia: international journal of pure and applied metrology, 56 (3), 034006-1-034006-29.

Abstract

We present the global research landscape which aims to deliver a measurement infrastructure to underpin atmospheric observations of key greenhouse gases governing changes in the Earth's climate. These measurements present a significant challenge to the metrological community, analytical laboratories and major producers of reference materials. The review focuses on the progress made in the Gas Analysis Working Group of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance: Metrology in Chemistry and Biology (CCQM-GAWG) in establishing the primary realisation of the amount-of-substance fraction for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in an air matrix. It also focuses on the importance of providing traceable measurements of isotopic composition of these components for commutability of reference materials and for isotope ratio measurements for greenhouse gas source attribution. The review examines the developments in the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for providing the framework for the development and implementation of integrated greenhouse gas observations, which is vital for understanding the global carbon cycle and the role greenhouse gases play in climate change. The developments in analytical techniques are also discussed which have shaped the direction of the metrology required to meet the evolving and future needs of stakeholders.