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AIRCOA is an inexpensive and robust CO2 analyzer designed by Britton Stephens, Andrew Watt, and Gordon Maclean from NCAR, USA. It utilizes high-frequency data to measure regional annual mean CO2 gradients accurately for emissions monitoring. The analyzer features a CO2 and O2/N2 Calibration Facility, empirical corrections, drying system monitoring, and automated leak checks, ensuring precise measurement and reducing errors. The device is capable of detecting even minute CO2 variations and offers reliable field surveillance for emissions tracking. For more information, visit: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/~stephens/RACCOON.Power.Budget.
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An Autonomous Inexpensive Robust CO2 Analyzer (AIRCOA) Britton Stephens, Andrew Watt, and Gordon Maclean National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Using high frequency data makes signals bigger, but the annual-mean signals are still very small: To measure 0.2 GtCyr-1 source/sink to +/- 25% need to measure regional annual mean gradients to 0.1-0.2 ppm Flux footprint, in ppm(GtCyr-1)-1, for a 106 km2 chaparral region in the U.S. Southwest (Gloor et al., 1999).
Empirical temperature correction SPL 9/4-9/18 NWR 9/18
Drying system monitoring A change of 0.5% RH is approximately 300 ppm H2O, which would cause a dilution error of 0.1 ppm in CO2
Nafion absorption effect Flow pulled through Nafion went from 300 to 50 sccm at t = 30 sec
Automated (4- or 8-hourly) leak checks A positive trend of 0.3 kPa/min would be a leak rate of 0.1 sccm which if 100 ppm different would cause a 0.1 ppm bias
Regulator oven tests Three cylinders were in the oven and one (green dots) was not
Laboratory intercomparisons Laboratory offsets less than 0.05 ppm (1-sigma = 0.13 ppm) Field surveillance tanks 2.5-month average field differences from assigned values 0.01 to 0.10 ppm (1-sigma = 0.10 to 0.13 ppm)
Automated web-based output http://www.eol.ucar.edu/~stephens/RACCOON