Highly Compact CO2 Sensor for Balloon Deployment

Precise measurements of CO2 are important to carbon cycle studies and global warming research, especially with respect to the characterization of sources and sinks. New, miniaturized and low cost instrumentation is required to make measurements of the vertical concentration profiles of CO2 from balloons and small unmanned aircraft. This project will design and develop a new sensor for high precision measurement of ambient CO2 from balloons. The spectrometer combines advances in light emitting diode technology with miniaturized electronics, thereby enabling a sensor with a measurement precision on the order of 1 in 400. The cost of acquisition will be such that it will be compatible with unrecovered balloon operations. In Phase I, the measurement precision will be demonstrated, and the field sensor design will be completed. A prototype will be fabricated and demonstrated in Phase II. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee The new ambient CO2 sensor would fill the need for a compact, low weight instrument that is rugged enough and economical enough for deployment on small balloons. Other applications include combustion emissions analysis, fugitive emissions control, industrial process control, and contraband detection