A new non-resonant laser-induced fluorescence instrument for the airborne in situ measurement of formaldehyde

J. M. St. Clair; J. M. St. Clair; A. K. Swanson; A. K. Swanson; S. A. Bailey; G. M. Wolfe; G. M. Wolfe; J. E. Marrero; L. T. Iraci; J. G. Hagopian; J. G. Hagopian; T. F. Hanisco

doi:10.5194/amt-10-4833-2017

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (Dec 2017)

A new non-resonant laser-induced fluorescence instrument for the airborne in situ measurement of formaldehyde

J. M. St. Clair,
J. M. St. Clair,
A. K. Swanson,
A. K. Swanson,
S. A. Bailey,
G. M. Wolfe,
G. M. Wolfe,
J. E. Marrero,
L. T. Iraci,
J. G. Hagopian,
J. G. Hagopian,
T. F. Hanisco

Affiliations

J. M. St. Clair: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
J. M. St. Clair: Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
A. K. Swanson: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
A. K. Swanson: Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research, Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD 21046, USA
S. A. Bailey: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
G. M. Wolfe: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
G. M. Wolfe: Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
J. E. Marrero: Atmospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
L. T. Iraci: Atmospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
J. G. Hagopian: Lambda Consulting–Advanced Nanophotonics, Harwood, MD 20776, USA
J. G. Hagopian: Optics Branch, Instrument Systems and Technology Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
T. F. Hanisco: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4833-2017
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10
pp. 4833 – 4844

Abstract

Read online

A new in situ instrument for gas-phase formaldehyde (HCHO), COmpact Formaldehyde FluorescencE Experiment (COFFEE), is presented. COFFEE utilizes non-resonant laser-induced fluorescence (NR-LIF) to measure HCHO, with 300 mW of 40 kHz 355 nm laser output exciting multiple HCHO absorption features. The resulting HCHO fluorescence is collected at 5 ns resolution, and the fluorescence time profile is fit to yield the ambient HCHO mixing ratio. Typical 1σ precision at ∼ 0 pptv HCHO is 150 pptv for 1 s data. The compact instrument was designed to operate with minimal in-flight operator interaction and infrequent maintenance (1–2 times per year). COFFEE fits in the wing pod of the Alpha Jet stationed at the NASA Ames Research Center and has successfully collected HCHO data on 27 flights through 2017 March. The frequent flights, combined with a potentially long-term data set, makes the Alpha Jet a promising platform for validation of satellite-based column HCHO.

Published in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

ISSN: 1867-1381 (Print); 1867-8548 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General): Environmental engineering; Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General): Earthwork. Foundations
Website: http://www.atmospheric-measurement-techniques.net/home.html

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