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Possible Application Areas of our Systems
In the last few decades the demand on sensitive, selective and fast response gas monitoring system in the environmental applications increasing. Our photoacoustic (PA) systems are adapted for environmental applications, for example water vapor, ammonia, ozone, carbon-dioxide, methane and aerosol concentration measuring in the atmosphere. The detection of these components in the atmosphere is of interest both from an environmental and climatic point of view. Water maybe is one of the most important trace gases of the atmosphere. We have developed a DFB diode laser based PA water vapor detector for airborne operation. The PA water vapor detector participates in the airborne measurement campaigns on-board a commercial aircraft within the C A R I B I C (Civil Aircraft for Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) project.
Ammonia (NH3) is considered as an important pollutant species due to its role as precursor in fine particulate matter formation and its impact on ecological nitrogen balance. The minimum detectable concentration of the PA system is 50 ppb, which is planned to be improved below 1 ppb by introducing optical microphone.
Another potential application area for the PA system is the detection of the concentration of ozone and aerosol, a key substance in the Earth’s atmosphere. Sensitivity in the lower ppb range for our ozone detector based on a QCW frequency quadrupled Nd: YAG laser system. The composition of the aerosols is crucial in further investigation of their effects. The wavelength dependent aerosol absorption can be used to distinguish aerosols with different sources.
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Our manuscript is accepted for Infrared Physics and Technology
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