LONG PATH OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY FOR IDENTIFYING ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS USING RETROREFLECTORS

• Main Authors: WILSON, David, ALDEN, Caroline B, WRIGHT, Robert J, COBURN, Sean C, RIEKER, Gregory B
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.10.2024
• Subjects: COLORIMETRY; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT,POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED,VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT; MEASURING; PHYSICS; RADIATION PYROMETRY; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

A method for characterizing gas emissions includes measuring first and second optical beams to generate first and second absorption signals, respectively. Each of the optical beams is transmitted from a center point and retroreflected back to the center point. Paths of the optical beams define boundaries of a sector. Based on the absorption signals, an emission rate of a gas from within the sector is determined. If the emission rate exceeds a threshold, a third optical beam is measured to generate a third absorption signal. The third optical beam is transmitted from the center point and retroreflected back to the center point. The third optical beam propagates along a path that divides the sector into first and second subsectors. Based on the first, second, and third absorption signals, a location of a source of the gas is identified as being within the first subsector or the second subsector.