This dissertation utilizes Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to accurately measure the Radiative Efficiency (RE) values of both well-studied and novel emerging Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), and monitors the column-averaged abundance of trace G...
This dissertation utilizes Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to accurately measure the Radiative Efficiency (RE) values of both well-studied and novel emerging Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), and monitors the column-averaged abundance of trace GHGs (XGas) in the Earth's atmosphere.
The basic theory covers the FTIR instrument, its working principle, and analytical methodologies, as well as the theory behind gas quantification analysis using FTIR. For accurate gas quantification, it is essential to obtain detailed information on the absorption lines of gases that interact with infrared radiation. This dissertation investigates the broadening behavior of gas absorption lines under various environmental conditions, including temperature, pressure, and gas concentration. To model the gas absorption lines, absorption peaks derived from the Voigt profile are used. Inverse modeling is then applied by comparing the measured absorption peaks with the modeled ones to quantify the gas concentrations. The dissertation is structured into two main sections: one focusing on RE and the other on the accurate measurement of XGas in the atmosphere.
The first section introduces the methodology for accurately measure the RE values of GHGs using FTIR. It explains the greenhouse effect induced by GHGs and discuss the concept of Global Warming Potential (GWP), a critical metric in climate change research for quantifying the warming effect of different GHGs. GWP is defined relative to the warming effect of 1 kg of CO2 and serves as an essential parameter for calculating the atmospheric GHG inventories. While the GWP of emerging GHGs is yet to be established, RE is a key factor in determining their GWP. This dissertation presents accurate measurement of RE and its associated uncertainties for both the well-studied and novel emerging GHGs, accounting for key influencing parameters such as temperature, pressure, Optical Path Length (OPL), and GHG concentration. A novel method for evaluating the uncertainty of RE values is introduced and validated through comparison with existing literature data. The RE of the well-studied GHGs measured in this dissertation is 0.085 ± 0.002 W m-2 ppb-1 for CF4, 0.573 ± 0.016 W m-2 ppb-1 for SF6, and 0.195 ± 0.008 W m-2 ppb-1 for NF3 which are in good agreement with the existing data. While the RE of the novel emerging GHGs is 0.201 ± 0.008 W m-2 ppb-1 for (CF3)2CFCN (commercially known as Novec-4710), 0.328 ± 0.013 W m- 2 ppb-1 for CF3OCFCF2 (PMVE), and 0.544 ± 0.022 W m-2 ppb-1 for CF3OCF2CF3 (PFMEE).
In the second section, the method for monitoring the XGas using infrared radiation absorption by GHGs is discussed. The approach for precisely measuring XCO2, XH2O, XCH4, and XCO in the atmosphere using FTIR is presented. The mobile FTIR developed by the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON) was used for this study to gather the measurements. Calibration of the mobile FTIR and continuous measurements across various locations were conducted, and discrepancies in the data were investigated through comparisons with field measurements from different instruments. Geographic variations in GHG concentrations revealed periodic changes. For XCO2, the average concentrations observed in 2023-2024 were 417.68 ppmv in fall 2023, 422.08 ppmv in winter 2023, 426.22 ppmv in spring 2024, and 425.44 ppmv in summer 2024. These results suggest an ongoing trend of rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.
This study offers valuable insights into the accurate quantification and monitoring of GHGs, contributing to the improvement of climate models and the development of more effective environmental policies for climate change mitigation. Key words: climate change, greenhouse gas, FTIR, radiative efficiency, global measurement network.