UK Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change Network (UK DECC Network)
Atmospheric Monitoring & Verification of the UK’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The core DECC network consists of five sites in the UK and Ireland measuring greenhouse and ozone-depleting gases. The four UK-based sites (Ridge Hill, Herefordshire; Tacolneston, Norfolk; Bilsdale, North Yorkshire; and Heathfield, East Sussex) sample air from elevated inlets on tall telecommunications towers. Mace Head, situated on the west coast of Ireland, samples from an inlet within 10 metres of ground level and is ideally situated to intercept baseline air from the North Atlantic Ocean. These sites are supplemented by data from affiliated sites at Jodrell Bank (part of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement and Modelling Advancement project), Weybourne and Invergowrie (with a former site at Lerwick now decommissioned).
High-frequency measurements of major greenhouse gases are made at these sites. All DECC Network sites measure carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur hexafluoride, while Mace Head and Tacolneston also measure a wide range of halocarbons on a Medusa Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (Medusa-GCMS).
Further information on this unique atmospheric observations network can be found in the project annual reports.
This work is funded by the Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Heathfield also receives funding through the National Measurement System at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
Further information on how this data is used to support verification of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory is available in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, which can be found on the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory website.
Current instrumentation
Here is a summary of the DECC network analysers currently deployed at each site. To discuss potential deployment of other instrumentation at DECC network sites please contact Kieran Stanley (k.m.stanley@bristol.ac.uk).
Mace Head: Medusa-GCMS (wide range of halogenated species and some hydrocarbons), GC-MD (Gas Chromatograph-Multidetector; CFC-11, CFC-12, CH3CCl3, CCl4, N2O, CH4, CHCl3, CO, H2)
Tacolneston: Medusa-GCMS (wide range of halogenated species and some hydrocarbons), Picarro G2401 (CO2, CH4, CO), Picarro G5310/LGR (N2O, CO), ANSTO radon analyser (222Rn)
Ridge Hill: Medusa-GCMS (wide range of halogenated species and some hydrocarbons), Picarro G2301 (CO2, CH4), Picarro G5310 (N2O, CO)
Bilsdale: GC-ECD (Gas Chromatograph-Electron Capture Detector; N2O, SF6), Picarro G2401 (CO2, CH4, CO)
Heathfield (operated by NPL): GC-ECD (N2O, SF6), Picarro G2401 (CO2, CH4, CO), Picarro G5310 (N2O, CO), ANSTO radon analyser (222Rn), Boreas (δ13C-CH4 and δ2H-CH4)