SBIR Phase I: A Miniaturized Sensor for Determining the Optical Properties of Aerosols

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a palm-sized and low-cost instrument for measuring the characteristics and distribution of airborne black carbon aerosol particles. Based on an existing analyzer, the optical property analyzer will use photoacoustic detection of aerosol light absorption in a miniature package. Current instruments are too large to be deployed easily in the upper atmosphere. The outcome of this proposed project is the development of a low cost but robust and accurate sensor that can be deployed on multiple platforms, manned and unmanned aircraft, balloons, ocean buoys, towers and in urban monitoring stations. If successful the broader impact of this activity will stem from rapid diffusion of knowledge that will occur once this new technology is made available to the international community. This new instrument circumvents the limitations of the technology that is currently being used in both research and monitoring applications.