Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/H002014/1
Multi-species, real time, high sensitivity, and compact in-situ sensor for environmental monitoring
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr D Weidmann, STFC - Laboratories, RAL Space
- Grant held at:
- STFC - Laboratories, RAL Space
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Pollution and Waste
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Technol. for Environ. Appl.
- Abstract:
- The ability to carry out real-time (>1 kHz data rate), in-situ, trace concentration measurements (ppb - ppt) of molecules and radicals would be an enabler for a wide range of scientific activities, environmental sciences being a major beneficiary. Currently gas chromatography, mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or electrochemical sensors cannot offer these combined attributes. Real-time air-quality measurements, lower troposphere urban chemistry studies (pollutant pathways), anthropogenic and biogenic emission measurements, flux exchange monitoring, to name only a few, are areas that would benefit greatly from the development of ultra-high sensitivity sensors, suitable for field deployment and operating with high temporal resolution. In this application we propose to demonstrate a novel approach to address these aspirations, which is ground-breaking in the field of ultra-high sensitivity laser based sensors for in-situ monitoring and laboratory studies. The concept exploits aspects of tuneable laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) with several combined advantages: mid infrared operation targeting intense fundamental ro-vibrational absorption bands, cavity type spectroscopy providing extremely long equivalent absorber path lengths, wide frequency tuneability for multispecies and/or broadband absorber monitoring and compactness and robustness for field deployment. We propose here to develop and demonstrate this novel concept for ultra-trace species monitoring and bring the technology from TRL1 to TRL3.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/H002014/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Directed (Research Programmes)
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Tech Proof of Concept
This grant award has a total value of £178,202
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DI - Staff | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Equipment | DI - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £15,332 | £58,181 | £5,959 | £50,046 | £16,708 | £30,360 | £1,616 |
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