AirCore Atmospheric Sampling System

Source: Membrive et al. 2017

The AirCore was invented and developed in

ESRL GMD by Pieter Tans and his colleagues. It is

unique in that it is able to collect a ‘profile’ sample

of air from height, usually from the middle

stratosphere (30km up) down to the boundary

layer and ground. The AirCore idea has gained

traction, and there are now research

organizations worldwide exploring its potential.

The AirCore is a hollow stainless-steel tube,

wound in a coil with valves placed at either end.

This along with other components such as

sensors, a GPS and data-logger are placed in a

styrofoam capsule for protection.

The AirCore has been rigorously evaluated and

has been shown to provide measurement

precisions better or equal to silicate glass flasks

for CO2 and CH4 (Karion et al. 2010).

References: Karion et al. (2010) AirCore: An Innovative Atmospheric Sampling System, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Volume 27, Issue 11, pp 1839-1853. Membrive et al. (2017) AirCore-HR: a high-resolution column sampling to enhance the vertical description of CH4 and CO2, Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, Volume 10, Issue 6, pp 2163–2181.

Steve Rackley—NOAA Affiliate (ESRL GMD), October 2017

For more information including visualizations and videos visit:

https://www.esrl.noaa.gov - “AirCore Atmospheric Sampling System”

https://geogramblings.wordpress.com - “Sky high” (2017/10/27)

The current AirCore design which is more compact than the mock-up model on display

Colm Sweeney & Tim Newberger purging an AirCore using a calibrated standard

Tim Newberger, Steve Rackley & Jack Higgs launch two AirCores from Platteville, CO in October 2017

Above: A mock-up labelled model

AirCore for display purposes.

Left: Mock-up model AirCore on dis-

play (3rd Floor at NOAA Boulder) as a

discussion tool on tours

S.Rackley (Oct 2017)