Quantitative remote measurements of pollutants from stationary sources using Raman lidar

The several advantages of Raman lidar for remote measurements of stationary source emissions were quantitatively evaluated using a calibration tank at a distance of 300 m at night. Measurements of approximately 10 to the 3rd ppm SO2 with a 12% accuracy were demonstrated in an observation time of 15 min using a 1.5-J ruby laser at 30 pulses/min, 6-m range resolution, interference filters, photon counting detection, and a 20-cm receiver. Measurement accuracy was checked by measuring known concentrations of SO2 in the tank, by tuning the interference filters through the SO2 Raman line, and by varying the CO2 concentration to very high levels during the SO2 measurements. Evaluation of the seriousness of induced fluorescence from plume aerosols failed due to the inability to simulate the plume aerosols.