SBIR Phase II: Carbon Isotope Ratiometer

SBIR 第二阶段：碳同位素比率计

• 批准号: 0320470
• 负责人: Manish Gupta
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: LOS GATOS RESEARCH INC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-11-01 至 2006-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0320470&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Carbon; Isotope

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project involves the development of a robust, field-portable gas analyzer capable of determining the carbon isotope ratio of carbon dioxide emitting from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. These vents provide access to water that has been trapped under the ocean in a unique, anaerobic environment that is devoid of photosynthesis and emulates the conditions believed to exist under the ice crusts of Europa and Callisto, beneath the surface of Mars, and on primordial Earth. Preliminary carbon isotope studies suggest that biological activity takes place in such an environment and novel instrumentation is sought to provide further evidence. The Phase II analyzer, based upon our proprietary Off-Axis ICOS technology, will determine the isotope ratio in-situ to within 1 angstrom, which is sufficient to discriminate between biogenic and geological carbon sources, and may provide evidence for a Subsurface Lithotrophic Microbiological Ecosystem (SLiME). The proposed instrument, which will interface with the Medusa seafloor sampling system developed by NASA Ames, will operate autonomously and be able to withstand the harsh underwater conditions found near deep-sea vents. The Phase II work will involve scientific development to enhance the prototype's specificity, deep-sea packaging to permit underwater deployment, and testing to demonstrate the analyzer's capabilities. One of the most promising markets for our novel Off-Axis ICOS technology is in industrial process control (IPC). The Phase II instrument can be directly converted to an IPC analyzer due to its ability to autonomously operate in harsh environments, integration of compact control system, and use of sophisticated chemometric algorithms. Within the $1.67B IPC market, the targeted markets will be those in which current technology is either too expensive or insufficient, such as the niche in the fast analysis of acetylene contamination in ethylene.

这一小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目涉及开发一种坚固耐用的现场便携式气体分析仪，该分析仪能够确定深海热液喷口排放的二氧化碳的碳同位素比率。这些喷口提供了进入海洋下的水的途径，这些水被困在独特的厌氧环境中，没有光合作用，模拟了据信存在于木卫二和卡利斯托冰壳下、火星表面之下以及原始地球上的条件。初步的碳同位素研究表明，生物活动发生在这样的环境中，正在寻求新的仪器来提供进一步的证据。二期分析仪基于我们专有的Off-Axis ICOS技术，将现场测定1埃以内的同位素比率，足以区分生物碳源和地质碳源，并可能为地下石质营养微生物生态系统(黏液)提供证据。拟议中的仪器将与NASA Ames开发的美杜莎海底采样系统对接，将自主操作，并能够承受深海喷口附近的恶劣水下条件。第二阶段的工作将包括科学开发以增强原型的特异性，深海包装以允许水下部署，以及测试以展示分析仪的能力。我们的新型离轴ICOS技术最有前景的市场之一是工业过程控制(IPC)。二期仪器可以直接转换为IPC分析仪，因为它能够在恶劣的环境中自主操作，集成紧凑的控制系统，并使用复杂的化学计量学算法。在16.7亿美元的IPC市场中，目标市场将是那些当前技术过于昂贵或不足的市场，例如快速分析乙烯中乙炔污染的利基市场。