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Development and Airborne Operation of a Compact Water Isotope Ratio Infrared SpectrometerA sensitive laser spectrometer, named IRIS (water isotope ratio infrared spectrometer), was developed for the in situ detection of the isotopic composition of water vapour in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere. Isotope ratio measurements can be used to quantify troposphere stratosphere exchange, and to study the water chemistry in the stratosphere. IRIS is based on the technique of optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy. It uses a room temperature near-infrared laser, and does not require cryogenic cooling of laser or detectors. The instrument weighs 51 kg including its support structure. Airborne operation was demonstrated during three flights aboard the European M55-Geophysica stratospheric research aircraft, as part of the AMMA/SCOUT-03 (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis/Stratospheric Climate links with emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and lower stratosphere) campaign in Burkina Faso in August 2006. The data are discussed with reference to a Rayleigh distillation model. As expected, there is no indication of non-mass-dependent fractionation (also known as mass-independent fractionation) in the troposphere. Furthermore, improvements to the thermal management system and a move to a (cryogen-free) longer-wavelength laser source are discussed, which together should result in approximately two orders of magnitude improvement of the sensitivity
Document ID
20120003647
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Iannone, Rosario Q.
(Centrum voor Isotopen Onderzoek Groningen, Netherlands)
Kassi, Samir
(Grenoble-1 Univ. Saint Martin d'Heres, France)
Jost, Hans-Juerg
(NovaWave Technologies Redwood City, CA, United States)
Chenevier, Marc
(Grenoble-1 Univ. Saint Martin d'Heres, France)
Romanini, Daniele
(Grenoble-1 Univ. Saint Martin d'Heres, France)
Meijer, Harro A. J.
(Centrum voor Isotopen Onderzoek Groningen, Netherlands)
Dhaniyala, Suresh
(Clarkson Univ. Potsdam, NY, United States)
Snels, Marcel
(Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Rome, Italy)
Kerstel, Erik R. T.
(Centrum voor Isotopen Onderzoek Groningen, Netherlands)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
August 10, 2009
Publication Information
Publication: Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
Volume: 45
Issue: 4
ISSN: 1025-6016
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08AF83A
CONTRACT_GRANT: FOM 99MAP10
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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