Range-resolved gas concentration measurements using tunable semiconductor lasers

摘要

A method for range-resolved gas sensing using path-integrated optical systems is presented. The method involves dividing an absorption path into several measurement segments and extracting the gas concentration in each segment from two path-integrated measurements. We implemented the method with tunable lasers (a 1389-nm VCSEL and a 10.9-μm pulsed quantum cascade laser) and a group of retro reflectors (RRs) distributed along absorption paths. Using a rotating mirror with the VCSEL configuration, we could scan a group of seven tape RRs spaced by 10 cm in ～ 9 ms to extract an H_2O concentration profile. Reduced H_2O concentrations were recorded in the segments purged with dry air. Hollow corner cube RRs were used in the quantum cascade laser configuration at distances up to 1.1 km from the laser. Two RRs placed at 66 m and 125 m from the laser allowed us to determine H_2O concentrations in both segments. The RRs returns were separated due to the different round trip travel time of the 200-ns laser pulse. Novel instruments for range-resolved remote sensing in the atmosphere can be developed for a variety of applications, including monitoring the fluxes of atmospheric pollutants and controlling air quality in populated areas.