Full-Column Greenhouse Gas Sampling 2012-2014 Final Campaign Report

Abstract

The vertical distributions of CO2, CH4, and other gases provide important constraints when determining terrestrial and ocean sources and sinks of carbon and other biogeochemical processes in the Earth system. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth System Research Laboratory to quantify the vertically resolved distribution of atmospheric carbon-cycle gases(CO2, CH4 ) within approximately 99% of the atmospheric column at the DOE ’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Oklahoma . During the 2012 to 2014 campaign period, 12 successful Air C ore flights were conducted from the SGP site . In addition to providing critical data for evaluating remote sensing and earth system models, valuable lessons were learned that motivate improvements to the sampling and recovery systems and campaign logistics . With the launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory - 2 (OCO - 2) and Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite ( GOSAT ) satellites, we look forward to proposing additional sampling and analysis efforts at the SGP site and at other sites to characterize the vertical distribution of CO2, CH4 over time and space.