Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA)

Status

Status: 
Operational
Operated By: 
PI
List of VOCs that have been quantified using the TOGA-TOF

TOGA measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs). TOGA was deployed with an Agilent quadrupole mass spectrometer from 2006 through 2018. Since 2019, the TOGA has been equipped with a TOFWERK high-resolution time-of-flight (HR-TOF) mass spectrometer detector (TOGA-TOF). Specific data will be obtained for radical precursors, tracers of anthropogenic and biogenic activities, tracers of urban and biomass combustion emissions, tracers of ocean emissions, products of oxidative processing, precursors to aerosol formation, and compounds important for aerosol modification and transformation. TOGA measures a wide range of VOCs with high sensitivity (low to sub-ppt), frequency (2 minutes or better), accuracy (20% or better), and precision (<3%). Over 100 species are routinely measured throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere from the surface to 16 km or higher. See table for list of VOCs that have been quantified using TOGA and TOGA-TOF. The TOGA-TOF is contained in a dual extended HIAPER rack, weighs approximately 225 kg and consumes ~1 kW of power. The major components of the instrument are the inlet, cryogenic preconcentrator, gas chromatograph, time-of-flight mass spectrometer detector, zero air/calibration system, and the control/data acquisition system. All processes and data acquisition are computer controlled.

Aircraft: 
DC-8 - AFRC, Gulfstream V - NSF, C-130 - NSF
Recent Missions: 
ASIA-AQ (DC-8 - AFRC); ACCLIP (Gulfstream V - NSF); TI3GER (Gulfstream V - NSF); FIREX-AQ (DC-8 - AFRC); WE-CAN (C-130 - NSF); ATom (DC-8 - AFRC)
Complete mission list:
  • ASIA-AQ (DC-8 - AFRC)
  • ACCLIP (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • TI3GER (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • FIREX-AQ (DC-8 - AFRC)
  • WE-CAN (C-130 - NSF)
  • ATom (DC-8 - AFRC)
  • ORCAS (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • CONTRAST (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • WINTER (C-130 - NSF)
  • FRAPPÉ (C-130 - NSF)
  • NOMADSS (C-130 - NSF)
  • DC3 (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • TORERO (Gulfstream V - NSF)
  • ARCTAS (DC-8 - AFRC)
Point(s) of Contact: 
Eric Apel (POC; PI)