Mesospheric water concentration measurements using QEPAS
Description
This study is focused on developing optical sensing technique for probing and understanding water concentration in the mesoshere. This portion of the Earth’s atmosphere is believed to have a significant impact on global warming but its effects are not well-defined. Furthermore, precise water concentration measurement high above the Earth surface is not trivial.
An optical diagnostic technique known as Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS) is applied for ppm-level water concentration measurements between 10 to 50km above sea level. QEPAS is a very sensitive optical diagnostics technique that are used in various applications. This technique would provide an affordable and compact sensing platform that can be extended to studying other gases and their impacts of climate change.
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