U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Vertical column dual-comb spectroscopy to a TBS
Abstract
Open-path dual-frequency-comb spectroscopy (DCS) is a broadband, high spectral resolution, and high precision method for measuring gas concentrations over kilometer-scale paths. It has been used for detection and quantification of emissions of pollutants, hazardous gasses, and greenhouse gasses (GHGs). DCS has been shown to measure trace-gas mixing ratios with 0.14%-0.4% agreement between instruments. To achieve high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) with DCS, comb light is targeted onto a retroreflector at the end of the measurement path, which returns the signal to a detector co-located with the launch signal. Installing the retroreflector on a mobile platform such as a balloon or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) extends the capabilities of DCS by enabling variable path lengths, greater mobility, and access to higher altitudes. Mobile-target DCS has many uses in plume and leak detection, emissions modeling, and planetary boundary layer (PBL) studies. It is a promising method for observing vertical distributions of GHGs and mixing processes in the PBL, which are difficult to measure but important for pollution and climate monitoring as well as for understanding transport of gasses through the atmosphere. Tethered balloons are an intriguing platform because they enable longer flight durations and higher altitudes than easily obtainable with a UAV andmore »
- Publication Date:
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- Research Org.:
- Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- Collaborations:
- PNNL, BNL, ANL, ORNL
- Subject:
- atmosphere; boundary layer; carbon dioxide concentration; ch4; co2; greenhouse gas; h2o; methane concentration; path average; planetary boundary layer; spectroscopy; troposphere; vertical slant column; water vapor mixing ratio
- OSTI Identifier:
- 3000917
- DOI:
- https://doi.org/10.5439/3000917
Citation Formats
Kasic, James, Coddington, Ian, Ding, Roger, Ruiz, Carlos, Dexheimer, Darielle, Van, Aaron, Christensen, Allie, Urayama, Junji, and Schwindt, Peter. Vertical column dual-comb spectroscopy to a TBS. United States: N. p., 2025.
Web. doi:10.5439/3000917.
Kasic, James, Coddington, Ian, Ding, Roger, Ruiz, Carlos, Dexheimer, Darielle, Van, Aaron, Christensen, Allie, Urayama, Junji, & Schwindt, Peter. Vertical column dual-comb spectroscopy to a TBS. United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.5439/3000917
Kasic, James, Coddington, Ian, Ding, Roger, Ruiz, Carlos, Dexheimer, Darielle, Van, Aaron, Christensen, Allie, Urayama, Junji, and Schwindt, Peter. 2025.
"Vertical column dual-comb spectroscopy to a TBS". United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.5439/3000917. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/3000917. Pub date:Tue Nov 04 23:00:00 EST 2025
@article{osti_3000917,
title = {Vertical column dual-comb spectroscopy to a TBS},
author = {Kasic, James and Coddington, Ian and Ding, Roger and Ruiz, Carlos and Dexheimer, Darielle and Van, Aaron and Christensen, Allie and Urayama, Junji and Schwindt, Peter},
abstractNote = {Open-path dual-frequency-comb spectroscopy (DCS) is a broadband, high spectral resolution, and high precision method for measuring gas concentrations over kilometer-scale paths. It has been used for detection and quantification of emissions of pollutants, hazardous gasses, and greenhouse gasses (GHGs). DCS has been shown to measure trace-gas mixing ratios with 0.14%-0.4% agreement between instruments. To achieve high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) with DCS, comb light is targeted onto a retroreflector at the end of the measurement path, which returns the signal to a detector co-located with the launch signal. Installing the retroreflector on a mobile platform such as a balloon or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) extends the capabilities of DCS by enabling variable path lengths, greater mobility, and access to higher altitudes. Mobile-target DCS has many uses in plume and leak detection, emissions modeling, and planetary boundary layer (PBL) studies. It is a promising method for observing vertical distributions of GHGs and mixing processes in the PBL, which are difficult to measure but important for pollution and climate monitoring as well as for understanding transport of gasses through the atmosphere. Tethered balloons are an intriguing platform because they enable longer flight durations and higher altitudes than easily obtainable with a UAV and thus allow for column measurements up to and above the PBL. New measurements completed in October/November 2024 reach the highest altitudes above ground level yet achieved by mobile-target DCS. For these measurements, the retroreflector was mounted on a 7 m diameter tethered helium balloon. An actively tracking gimbal on the ground holds the DCS launch telescope and keeps the 5 cm beam pointed onto the retroreflector while the balloon is lifted, lowered, and moved by wind and turbulence.},
doi = {10.5439/3000917},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 04 23:00:00 EST 2025},
month = {Tue Nov 04 23:00:00 EST 2025}
}