A microcontroller-based automatic rain sampler for stable isotope studies
Abstract
Automatic samplers represent a convenient way to collect rain for isotope (δ2H, δ18O) and other analyses. However, most commercial devices are costly and do not reduce post-sampling evaporation and the associated isotope fractionation sufficiently. Hence, we have developed a microcontroller-based sampler that allows timer-actuated collection of integral rain samples. Sampling periods are freely selectable (minutes to weeks). The low-cost device is robust, oil-free, and holds 18 HDPE bottles in its current version. Moreover, a combination of design features reliably minimizes evaporation from the collection bottles. We tested the latter aspect in an experiment, in which the pre-filled sampler was placed in a laboratory oven simulating a diurnal temperature regime (22-31°C). The observed evaporative mass losses and isotope shifts were negligible, which demonstrates the potential for multi-week field deployments of the device. We hence deem our development a useful addition to samplers that are currently commercially available and/or described in the scientific literature.
Further information: https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=44048- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFM.H13P1981F
- Keywords:
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- 1848 Monitoring networks;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1895 Instruments and techniques: monitoring;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1914 Data mining;
- INFORMATICS