COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems
Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) could provide a cost-effective way to close gaps in the observation of the carbon cycle, provided that small yet accurate analysers are available. We have developed a COmpact Carbon dioxide analyser for Airborne Platforms (COCAP). The accuracy of COCAP's carb...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018-03-01
|
Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
Online Access: | https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1833/2018/amt-11-1833-2018.pdf |
id |
doaj-52ae4a4b586745bf8b47d3a258960d20 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-52ae4a4b586745bf8b47d3a258960d202020-11-25T00:28:31ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482018-03-01111833184910.5194/amt-11-1833-2018COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systemsM. Kunz0J. V. Lavric1C. Gerbig2P. Tans3D. Neff4C. Hummelgård5H. Martin6H. Rödjegård7B. Wrenger8M. Heimann9M. Heimann10Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, GermanyMax Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, GermanyMax Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, GermanyNOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division, Boulder, Colorado, USANOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division, Boulder, Colorado, USASenseAir AB, Delsbo, SwedenSenseAir AB, Delsbo, SwedenSenseAir AB, Delsbo, SwedenOstwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, Höxter, GermanyMax Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, GermanyDivision of Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandUnmanned aircraft systems (UASs) could provide a cost-effective way to close gaps in the observation of the carbon cycle, provided that small yet accurate analysers are available. We have developed a COmpact Carbon dioxide analyser for Airborne Platforms (COCAP). The accuracy of COCAP's carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) measurements is ensured by calibration in an environmental chamber, regular calibration in the field and by chemical drying of sampled air. In addition, the package contains a lightweight thermal stabilisation system that reduces the influence of ambient temperature changes on the CO<sub>2</sub> sensor by 2 orders of magnitude. During validation of COCAP's CO<sub>2</sub> measurements in simulated and real flights we found a measurement error of 1.2 µmol mol<sup>−1</sup> or better with no indication of bias. COCAP is a self-contained package that has proven well suited for the operation on board small UASs. Besides carbon dioxide dry air mole fraction it also measures air temperature, humidity and pressure. We describe the measurement system and our calibration strategy in detail to support others in tapping the potential of UASs for atmospheric trace gas measurements.https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1833/2018/amt-11-1833-2018.pdf |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
M. Kunz J. V. Lavric C. Gerbig P. Tans D. Neff C. Hummelgård H. Martin H. Rödjegård B. Wrenger M. Heimann M. Heimann |
spellingShingle |
M. Kunz J. V. Lavric C. Gerbig P. Tans D. Neff C. Hummelgård H. Martin H. Rödjegård B. Wrenger M. Heimann M. Heimann COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
author_facet |
M. Kunz J. V. Lavric C. Gerbig P. Tans D. Neff C. Hummelgård H. Martin H. Rödjegård B. Wrenger M. Heimann M. Heimann |
author_sort |
M. Kunz |
title |
COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
title_short |
COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
title_full |
COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
title_fullStr |
COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
title_full_unstemmed |
COCAP: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
title_sort |
cocap: a carbon dioxide analyser for small unmanned aircraft systems |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
series |
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
issn |
1867-1381 1867-8548 |
publishDate |
2018-03-01 |
description |
Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) could provide a cost-effective way to close
gaps in the observation of the carbon cycle, provided that small yet accurate
analysers are available. We have developed a COmpact Carbon dioxide analyser
for Airborne Platforms (COCAP). The accuracy of COCAP's carbon dioxide
(CO<sub>2</sub>) measurements is ensured by calibration in an environmental
chamber, regular calibration in the field and by chemical drying of sampled
air. In addition, the package contains a lightweight thermal stabilisation
system that reduces the influence of ambient temperature changes on the
CO<sub>2</sub> sensor by 2 orders of magnitude. During validation of COCAP's
CO<sub>2</sub> measurements in simulated and real flights we found a measurement
error of 1.2 µmol mol<sup>−1</sup> or better with
no indication of bias. COCAP is a self-contained package that has proven well
suited for the operation on board small UASs. Besides carbon dioxide dry air
mole fraction it also measures air temperature, humidity and pressure. We
describe the measurement system and our calibration strategy in detail to
support others in tapping the potential of UASs for atmospheric trace gas
measurements. |
url |
https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1833/2018/amt-11-1833-2018.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mkunz cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT jvlavric cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT cgerbig cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT ptans cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT dneff cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT chummelgard cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT hmartin cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT hrodjegard cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT bwrenger cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT mheimann cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems AT mheimann cocapacarbondioxideanalyserforsmallunmannedaircraftsystems |
_version_ |
1725335717935054848 |