Fast Response Sensor for the Measurement of the Optical Properties and Carbon Content of Organic Aerosols
Abstract
This report was developed under an SBIR contract for Solicitation Topic NOO-094. In this study a prototype instrument, the aerosol vaporization spectrometer (AVS) was evaluated for the ability to classify particles by their incandescent signal. The objective is to provide real-time mass information on airborne black carbon particles. The instrument uses a diode pumped Nd:YAG laser at 1.06 micrometer wavelength to excite the particles. The scattering signal is monitored from all of the particles, and the black carbon particles absorb sufficient energy to incandesce, and this incandescence is measured by broadband and narrowband detectors. Two type of carbon particles were tested, those generated from an electric spark between graphite rods, and the nebulization of colloidial graphite particles. These studies indicate the feasibility of this technique to measure particulate black carbon particles down to 100 nm. From the ratio of the scattering to incandescence signals, it appears possible to obtain information on the shape of the particles, gaining information on the surface to volume ratio.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA383914
Entities
People
- Darrel Baumgardner