Real-Time Infrared Greenhouse Gas Sensor

Improved greenhouse gas monitors are required to improve our understanding of atmospheric dynamics and climate change. In particular, highly accurate and robust sensors, which are capable of monitoring fluxes and concentrations of key greenhouse gases such as methane, are needed. This project will develop a greenhouse gas sensor based on a novel mid-infrared laser source. The laser ¿ which will provide high reliability, excellent beam quality, compact size, low power consumption, and room-temperature single-frequency operation ¿ will be combined with a rugged, miniaturized gas sampling system to enable long-term measurements of trace gas fluxes and concentrations. During Phase I, the mid-infrared laser source was constructed and characterized. The source was used in conjunction with a compact gas sampling system to demonstrate the fast and accurate determination of methane concentrations in atmospherically relevant gas mixtures. Phase II will involve the construction of an improved laser and integrated sensor prototype system. The system will be rigorously tested under both laboratory and field conditions to demonstrate autonomous greenhouse gas monitoring for extended periods of time. Phase II also will demonstrate the efficacy of the core sensor technology platform for numerous other gas sensing applications. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new sensor should find commercial application in trace gas monitoring, greenhouse gas monitoring for emissions compliance, and hydrocarbon leak detection, and in a variety of industrial process control settings.