Greenhouse gases continuous monitoring at Amsterdam Island

Accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is responsible of present day climate warming. Observing and monitoring greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere is a key parameter to better understand carbon cycle and provide carbon budget. The Amsterdam island observatory contribute to long term monitoring of the atmosphere within the framework of the ICOS-France National Observation Service and the international GAW (Global Atmospheric Watch) network from World Meteorological Organization. Amsterdam Island is a reference site for atmospheric watch in the southern hemisphere (background site), and measurements conducted in-situ enable us to better estimate the austral ocean impact as a carbon sink and better understand the associated mechanisms. This location is also well suited to trace emission transport coming from southern part of Africa. The current atmospheric monitoring includes continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, CO, N2O and O3 as well as additional measurements such as radon (222Rn), meteorological paramaters (used to characterize air masses origin) and flasks sampling (used for additional atmospheric compound measurements and quality control). additional and complementary integrated column measurements (12-15 km) conducted using a FTIR portable spectrometer (EM27) have recently been added to the in-situ set of instrumentation that would help validate satellite measurements (CNES cooperation). All these measurements will be followed over the next four years and a renewal of the radon monitoring system is already.