Atmospheric sampling

Four important sampling techniques are briefly reviewed: Selective sampling on impregnated filters for measuring acidic gases, the matrix isolation technique for measuring radicals, whole air grabsampling and whole air cryogenic sampling for measuring stable source gases.Vertical profiles of H₂, CH₄, CO, N₂O, CFCl₃ and CF₂Cl₂ resulting from gas chromatographic analysis of whole air samples collected with a cryogenic sampler are presented. Year-to-year variations are observed for H₂, CH₄ and N₂O above 25 km, while CFCl₃ and CF₂Cl₂ mixing ratios show a noticeable increase between 1977 and 1979 at almost every height level.The CO₂ mixing ratio is not constant with height but rather decreases from 332 ppmV at 10 km to 325 ppmV at 30 km.The vertical distribution of methyl chloride is characterized by a rapid decrease from 600 pptV in the troposphere to less than 10 pptV at 32 km in agreement with model results.