Millimetre wave radiometer for stratospheric trace gas measurements

Updated 2003-06-19

A millimeter wave radiometer is started operation at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden. The location of the instrument (67.8 N, 20.4 E) allows continuous observation of the evolution of ozone and ozone related trace gases in the Arctic polar stratosphere. It is designed for measurements of thermal emission lines around 204 Ghz. At this frequency observations include of ozone, chlorine monoxide, nitrous oxide, and nitric acid.

This is a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project

Comments and additional information:

The radiometer is built and operated in close collaboration with Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK)

Status: Ongoing
Project time span: 1997 - 2020
Data collection: 2002 - 2003
Data processing: 2002 - 2003
Data reporting: 2002 - 2003

Contact information

Contact person: Uwe Raffalski
Address: Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) Box 812 981 28 Kiruna SWEDEN
Phone: +46 908 79021
Fax: +46 908 79050
Email: es.fri@ikslaffaR.ewU
Other project contacts: Gerd Hochschild Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK) Building 435 Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Fax: (++49) +7247 / 82 - 4742 Tel: (++49) +7247 / 82 - 2191

Parameters and Media

Parameter groups measured/observed/modelled

Other metals/elements

Media sampled/studied/modelled

Air/aerosol

Geography

Regions studied: Other metals/elements; Other metals/elements; Other metals/elements; Other metals/elements; Other metals/elements
Other areas: Arctic polar vortex

Data availability

Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?: no
If no (or only part of data are reported to a TDC), where and how are (other) data stored?: Data are stored on NILU's database for Theseo projects. Data can be provided on request after an agreement on the use of the data has been made.
References to key publications (or planned publications) and data reports: http://www.alis.irf.se/~uwe/publications/

Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?: No

Methods & Procedures

Procedures and methodology used for, e.g., sampling and sample storage, sample pretreatment, extraction and analysis, including which laboratories are involved, references to methods employed, etc.: With the millimetre wave radiometer at IRF, Kiruna, thermal emission lines of stratospheric trace gases are observed. The instrument consists of three parts: · the front end with the quasi-optical path of the beam, · the backend with the IF chains and the acousto-optical spectrometer (AOS), · the experiment control and data storage (PC). The millimetre wave measurements of ozone are hardly impaired by unfavourable weather conditions. These observations can be obtained for every day of the year whereas the faint line of ClO (about a factor 100 weaker than ozone) is at the detection limit if there is no chlorine activation in the probed air mass. However there is no other remote sensing method to obtain profiles of ClO in the stratosphere.

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?: Yes
Other institutes involved in the project: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK)
Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?: Data are stored on NILU's database for Theseo projects.