Impact of density fluctuations on flux measurements of trace gases: Implications for the relaxed eddy accumulation technique

A simple and fast approach to determine when density fluctuations are non-negligible in the calculation of the flux of trace gases (F _c ) is proposed. The correction (F _c – F _c (raw)), when expressed as the percentage of the flux, is dependent on the ratio of background concentration of the trace gas over its flux (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaaeikaiabeg% 8aYnaaBaaaleaacaWGJbaabeaakiaab+cacaWGgbWaaSbaaSqaaiaa% dogaaeqaaOGaaeykaaaa!3CBC!\{\rm{(}}\rho _c {\rm{/}}F_c {\rm{)}}\], on the partitioning of available energy between sensible (F _T ) and latent (F _v ) heat fluxes, and on the flux measuring system. An increase from 100 to 200 W m^-2 in available energy and from 0 to 20% in F _T /(F _T + F _v ) led to a threefold reduction in the required value of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaacq% aHbpGCdaWgaaWcbaGaam4yaaqabaaaaOGaai4laiaadAeadaWgaaWc% baGaam4yaaqabaaaaa!3B6D!\\overline {\rho _c } /F_c \] to have a density correction of 10%. A trace gas with a % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaqWaceaaca% WGgbWaaSbaaSqaaiaadogaaeqaaaGccaGLhWUaayjcSdGaai4lamaa% naaabaGaeqyWdi3aaSbaaSqaaiaadogaaeqaaaaaaaa!3E91!\\left| {F_c } \right|/\overline {\rho _c } \] value above 0.014 m s^-1 has a density correction on flux of less than 10%, for even the worst case scenario. Values of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaamOramaaBa% aaleaacaWGJbaabeaakiaac+cadaqdaaqaaiabeg8aYnaaBaaaleaa% caWGJbaabeaaaaaaaa!3B6D!\F_c /\overline {\rho _c } \] for several trace gases computed from typical situations show that the fluxes of N₂O, NO, CO₂, CH₄ and O₃ need to be corrected, while those of pesticides and volatile organic compounds, for example, do not. The corrections required with the newly developed relaxed eddy accumulation technique are discussed and equation development is shown for two sampling systems.Land Resource Research Centre Contribution No 91-61.