Standoff chemical plume detection in turbulent atmospheric conditions with a swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser

Phillips, Mark C.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Yeak, Jeremy; Jones, R. Jason

doi:10.1364/OE.385850

Title: Standoff chemical plume detection in turbulent atmospheric conditions with a swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser

Journal Article · Wed Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2020 · Optics Express

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.385850· OSTI ID:1601718

; Bernacki, Bruce E.;

; Yeak, Jeremy; Jones, R. Jason

Rapid and sensitive standoff measurement techniques are needed for detection of trace chemicals in outdoor plume releases, for example from industrial emissions, unintended chemical leaks or spills, burning of biomass materials, or chemical warfare attacks. Here, we present results from 235 m standoff detection of transient plumes for 5 gas-phase chemicals: Freon 152a (1,1-difluoroethane), Freon 134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane), methanol (CH₃OH), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ammonia (NH₃). A swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) measures infrared absorption spectra over the range 955-1195 cm^-1 (8.37- 10.47 µm), from which chemical concentrations are determined via spectral fits. The fast 400 Hz scan rate of the swept-ECQCL enables measurement above the turbulence time-scales, reducing noise and allowing plume fluctuations to be measured. For high-speed plume detection, noise-equivalent column densities of 1-2 ppm*m are demonstrated with 2.5 ms time resolution, improving to 100-400 ppb*m with 100 ms averaging.

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Research Organization:: Opticslah, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019855; AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1601718

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1602254; OSTI ID: 1604772

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-149581; OPEXFF

Journal Information:: Optics Express, Journal Name: Optics Express Vol. 28 Journal Issue: 5; ISSN 1094-4087

Publisher:: Optical Society of America (OSA)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 15 works

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