Gas-Exchange Measurements Using a Large, Closed Plant Growth Chamber

摘要

The BPC was developed to study crop growth for human life support for NASA's CELSS program. The chamber provides approx. 20 m(exp 2) of growing area with 113 m(exp 3) of atmospheric volume in a tightly closed system. Because of its high degree of closure (approx. 5 to 10 of volume leaked per day), photosynthetic uptake of CO2 and production of O2 can be tracked closely. Rates of evapotranspiration can be measured from condensate water collected below the cold coils of the air heat-exchange system and capabilities exist to sample chamber atmosphere for hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds throughout crop growth tests.