Airborne atmospheric research using mid-infrared laser spectroscopy

Alan Fried; Petter Weibring; Dirk Richter; James Walega

doi:10.1117/12.803634

26 January 2009 Airborne atmospheric research using mid-infrared laser spectroscopy

Alan Fried, Petter Weibring, Dirk Richter, James Walega

Proceedings Volume 7222, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices VI; 722202 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.803634
Event: SPIE OPTO: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Over the past two decades mid-infrared laser spectroscopy has been increasingly utilized during airborne atmospheric studies to improve our understanding of atmospheric processes and transformations. Enhancing such understanding requires a suite of ever more sensitive, selective, versatile, and fast instruments that can measure trace atmospheric constituents at and below mixing ratios of 100-parts-per-trillion-by-volume. Instruments that can carry out such measurements are very challenging, as airborne platforms vibrate, experience accelerations, and undergo large swings in cabin temperature and pressure. These challenges notwithstanding, scientists and engineers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) have long been employing mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy to make atmospheric measurements of important trace gases like formaldehyde (CH₂O) on a variety of airborne platforms. The present paper discusses a new airborne spectrometer based upon a difference frequency generation (DFG) mid-IR laser source that was first deployed in 2006. Many of the fundamental components and concepts of this spectrometer closely follow those incorporated in our liquid-nitrogen cooled tunable lead-salt diode laser system, successfully employed for airborne CH₂O measurements over the past 10 years. However, a number of significant modifications were incorporated in the new DFG spectrometer and these will be briefly discussed here along with system performance. The DFG spectrometer was recently deployed during the 2008 Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) campaign, and specific examples of its performance from this study will be discussed, as will prospects for the detection of other trace gases.

Citation Download Citation

Alan Fried, Petter Weibring, Dirk Richter, and James Walega "Airborne atmospheric research using mid-infrared laser spectroscopy", Proc. SPIE 7222, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices VI, 722202 (26 January 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.803634

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
7 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Spectroscopy

Sensors

Mid-IR

Spectroscopic atmospheric monitoring techniques

Absorption

Signal detection

Fiber lasers

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years