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Spectroscopy and warming potentials of atmospheric greenhouse gases

Objective


To determine the spectral absorption cross sections in infra-red bands of several HFCs and perfluorinated hydrocarbons under simulated atmospheric conditions, and then to use the spectral data in calculations of the contribution to climate radiative forcing by these gases. Where adequate atmospheric lifetime data exist the calculations will be extended to include estimates of global warming potentials.


The spectral absorption cross sections will be established in the laboratory using state of the art Fourier
transform absorption spectroscopy and line by line simulations. Molecules to be studied are HFC-125,
HFC-143a, HFC-32, HFC-134a, HFC-152a, HFC-23, perfluoroethane, perfluorocylobutane, chloroform and
1,2 - dichloroethane. Spectral measurements will be made over a range of temperatures, pressures and mixing
ratios in air which are representative of the physical conditions pertinent to these molecules in the atmosphere.
All infrared bands of relevance will be characterized at relatively high spectral resolutions.
Sophisticated radiative transfer codes will be used to calculate the radiative forcing (change in average net
radiation at the top of the troposphere) of the climate due to these molecules. Where adequate data on the
atmospheric lifetime of these molecules exist, their likely global warming effects will also be estimated. The
radiative transfer codes employed are implementations of both medium resolution band models and high
resolution line by line models. Effects of the representation of spectral structure and spectral overlap with other
absorbing gases (such as H2O, CH4 and N2O) will be studied, as will the effect of degrading the spectral
resolution of the calculations to those typically used in climate change studies using Global Circulation Models.

Call for proposal

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Coordinator

COUNCIL FOR THE CENTRAL LABORATORY OF THE RESEARCH COUNCILS
EU contribution
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Address
Chilton
OX11 0QX Didcot,harwell,chilton
United Kingdom

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Total cost
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Participants (5)