Development and deployment of a compact PTR-ToF-MS for Suborbital Research on the Earth's Atmospheric Composition
Abstract
We report the development of a compact Proton-Transfer-Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) in support of NASA's suborbital research program on the Earth's atmospheric composition. A lightweight, low mass resolution orthogonal acceleration ToF-MS was developed and combined with a conventional PTR ion source to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in real time. The instrument was specially designed to resist aircraft vibrations and rough conditions during boundary layer flights, take-off and landing. The compact PTR-ToF-MS generates full mass spectral information at 1-second time resolution and below. With sensitivities of up to 150 cps/ppbv, typical 2σ detection limits in the range from 0.06 to 0.48 ppbv for a 1-second signal integration are achieved. A mass resolving power m/Δm of up to 1700 combined with an absolute mass accuracy and reproducibility of less than 3 mDa make it possible to distinguish isobaric ions at high time resolution, e.g. humidity- dependent isobaric background ions. The prototype instrument was successfully deployed for in-situ measurements of VOCs onboard the NASA P-3B Airborne Science Laboratory during two DISCOVER-AQ campaigns in the San Joaquin Valley, CA, and in Houston, TX, 2013. A 1-second time resolution results in a horizontal spatial resolution of typically 110 m and a vertical spatial resolution of typically 8 m which allowed for the quantitative detection of the entire suite of VOCs in strongly localized emission plumes from industrial, agricultural and biomass-burning sources. This work was funded by BMVIT / FFG-ALR in the frame of the Austrian Space Application Programme (ASAP 8, project 833451). Additional resources were provided through NASA's Earth Venture program (EV-1) and the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP).
- Publication:
-
EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014EGUGA..16.9809M