TRACE ATMOSPHERIC CARBON MONOXIDE SENSOR (TACOS)

CARBON MONOXIDE IS AN ODORLESS, COLORLESS, TOXIC GAS FOUND IN CLOSED ENVIRONMENTS, SUCH AS THE SPACE STATION AND LONG DURATION MANNED SPACECRAFT. WE PROPOSE TO BUILD A REAL TIMETRACE ATMOSPHERIC CO SENSOR (TACOS) WITH A SENSITIVITY TO LESS THAN 10 PPM. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF PHASE I ARE TO EXPERIMENTALLY DEMONSTRATE A NOVEL INFRARED LIGHT SOURCE, TO BUILD A LABORATORY BREADBOARD DETECTOR, AND TO DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR A CO GAS MONITOR WHICH WOULD BE BUILTAND TESTED IN PHASE II. THIS INNOVATIVE CO EMISSION LIGHT SOURCE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE SENSITIVITY OF CO GAS ABSORPTION MEASUREMENTS OVER THE USE OF MORE CONVENTIONAL BLACK BODY INFRARED SOURCE TECHNOLOGY. IN ADDITION, USE OF THIS SOURCE WOULD RESULT IN AN INSTRUMENT WHICH IS COMPACT, REAL TIME RESPONDENT, AND VERY SPECIES SELECTIVE FOR CO GAS, AND WHICH HAS LOW POWER CONSUMPTION.